Many popular cities across Europe are struggling to curb over tourism

Monday, March 26, 2018

Some of the best and most popular cities in Europe have been plagued by a recent phenomenon, and that is over tourism. Popular destinations from Venice to Barcelona to Amsterdam are finding it hard to tackle an overwhelming number of tourists, much to the displeasure of residents and travelers alike. Overcrowded streets, long lines at museums, and vistas blocked by buses or cruise ships are making life miserable for local residents in these destinations.

 
With an increasing number of people around the world indulging in leisure travel, dealing with this issue is becoming a difficult feat. International tourism has grown 40-fold since commercial jet traffic began some six decades ago, according to the UNWTO — thanks to the world’s population becoming more and more affluent, particularly countries like China, India, and Brazil.

 
The situation has reached a breaking point. Officials across Europe are implementing various new methods to promote sustainable tourism. However, there is no clear-cut solution.

 
Amsterdam, for example, plans to implement as much as €10 a night (about $12), for curbing the number of stopover tourists flooding the city, and entice heavy spenders rather than low-budget travelers. It is also using marketing strategies for promoting other parts of the city to spread out the crowds.

 
Spain’s Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza & Formentera) will double its tourist tax on visitors to three Euros (about $1.50) per person, after hosting 2.4 million tourists from overseas in July.

 
One of the most notable victims of over tourism is Venice, which was visited by more than 25 million tourists last summer. The government there is encouraging travelers to come during the off-season, providing discounts on museum tickets. The Greek island of Santorini this year began to limit the number of cruise ship visitors to 8,000 a day.

Croatia, too, will cut down the number of visitors allowed in Dubrovnik’s ancient center down to 4,000 visitors a day and reduce the number of cruise-ship arrivals.

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