Spain and Other Countries Tackles Overtourism By Banning Short-Term Holiday Rentals, and Promoting Off-Peak Travel

Written By: Aritrika Ghosh

Aritrika Ghosh

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August 18, 2026 1:35 AM

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Spain and Other countries are taking measures to prevent overtourism by banning holiday rentals and encouraging people to visit at other times to preserve the local heritage and ensure that there is no shortage of residential houses. Moreover, excessive tourism causes the eviction of locals from their houses as well as increases the prices of the houses immensely in the regions with high traffic such as historical centers. Therefore, local authorities are taking radical steps such as banning unofficial holiday lettings and imposing high fines on illegal renters. Besides, tourism officials are advising the international visitors to consider going to less well-known places during the shoulder season. Overall, the situation prompts authorities worldwide to take action against black market holiday rental providers and prevent the damage to local economies and residential house shortages.

Countries worldwide are addressing overtourism by implementing targeted regulatory caps, dynamic taxes, and temporal visitor dispersion. Spain, Japan, Italy, and Bhutan demonstrate distinct approaches—ranging from grassroots rental bans and entry fees to high-value daily levies—to safeguard local housing, cultural heritage, and natural ecosystems while actively steering travellers towards off-peak seasons and regional destinations.

How Is Spain Balancing Mass Tourism With Resident Housing Rights?

Spain has become the focal point of European anti-tourism activism, where local populations in Barcelona, Mallorca, and the Canary Islands are rising up against unchecked visitor growth. The core of their frustration stems directly from an acute housing crisis, as short-term holiday rentals displace long-term residents and drive up neighborhood living costs. In response, municipal authorities are pursuing aggressive policy interventions, such as Barcelona’s landmark decision to phase out all tourist apartment licenses by 2028 alongside strict caps on cruise ship arrivals.

Beyond urban regulations, national tourism strategists are pivoting towards temporal and spatial dispersion to reduce coastal pressure during peak summer months. Official marketing campaigns now explicitly incentivize off-peak travel while steering international visitors towards the country’s under-visited rural interior, often referred to as “Empty Spain.” By shifting tourist foot traffic to secondary cities during the shoulder seasons, government officials hope to build a more sustainable economic model that preserves local housing stock without sacrificing overall travel revenue.

Why Is Japan Implementing Access Control Along Popular Corridors?

Japan is currently grappling with hyper-concentrated tourist flows along its famous “Golden Route,” which connects Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Mount Fuji and ancient historical sites are experiencing severe infrastructural strain, leading to public transport delays, waste accumulation, and growing cultural friction with local residents. To mitigate these disruptions, Japanese authorities have instituted strict operational caps, including physical viewing barriers at congested photo spots and daily headcount limits for hikers climbing the iconic volcano.

To prevent popular destinations from reaching breaking point, the Japan Tourism Agency is heavily promoting off-peak exploration across secondary prefectures like Tohoku and Kyushu. Regional travel passes and targeted autumn and winter campaigns encourage international visitors to travel during shoulder seasons when popular routes are less congested. This systematic spatial redistribution ensures that rural communities benefit directly from foreign spending, while heritage hotspots maintain their cultural integrity and everyday livability for residents.

“Unchecked mass tourism has undeniably devastated local housing markets and turned historic neighborhoods into ghost towns for permanent residents. While European governments banning short-term rentals and enforcing access caps might seem harsh to casual holidaymakers, it is an essential intervention to protect everyday livability. Redirecting travellers toward off-peak seasons and lesser-known inland destinations is the only viable path forward. If we truly want to preserve cultural heritage sites and ensure local communities thrive rather than get displaced, international travel must adapt to a model that balances visitor enjoyment with strict ecological and social responsibility.”

— Anup Kumar Keshan, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Travel And Tour World

What Financial Tools Is Italy Using To Control Urban Congestion?

Italy’s most iconic historic centers—most notably Venice, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast—face severe depopulation and environmental degradation caused by relentless day-tripper traffic. To reclaim control over its fragile urban infrastructure, Venice introduced a pioneering entry access fee for day visitors alongside an absolute ban on large cruise ships navigating the historic San Marco canal. Simultaneously, historic urban centers like Florence have banned new short-term residential holiday rentals to stem the rapid decline of permanently resident local communities.

Complementing these entry surcharges, Italian tourism boards are emphasizing year-round travel itineraries supported by regional “slow travel” initiatives. State-backed programs link historic rail lines with rural eco-tourism hubs, encouraging visitors to explore the countryside during the quiet autumn and winter months. By financializing day-trip access and expanding off-season heritage passes, Italian planners aim to transform volatile mass tourism into manageable, high-value cultural visitation.

Travellers seeking official guidelines on regional attractions and seasonal travel initiatives can consult Spain’s Official Tourism Portal.

How Does Bhutan Prevent Overtourism Through National Policy?

Unlike European nations reacting to local protests, Bhutan instituted a top-down, proactive travel policy designed to prevent overtourism before it could ever take root. Under its foundational “High Value, Low Volume” strategy, the Himalayan kingdom mandates that all foreign visitors pay a daily Sustainable Development Fee (SDF). This substantial tariff directly funds state healthcare, public education, and carbon-neutral infrastructure development, ensuring that every arriving tourist provides a measurable benefit to the native host population.

To manage economic fluctuations between high and low seasons, Bhutan dynamically adjusts its policy framework to balance visitor volume throughout the entire calendar year. During winter and monsoon periods, authorities offer flexible SDF rates and extended-stay incentives that appeal to long-term travelers without overwhelming local ecosystems. This controlled pricing model offers a sustainable blueprint for global destinations seeking to protect their natural environment while maintaining steady tourism revenue.

Comparative Policy Summary

It’s not unusual for the global tourism policy to face challenges. Some countries, such as Spain, decided to restrict short-term rentals and promote off-peak travel to help local businesses develop a sustainable and high-quality tourism sector. Authorities have resolved to ban illegal accommodation to preserve and protect the national market from being flooded with private rental apartments. Redirecting tourists to alternative destinations to saturated European hotspots allows meeting diverse travel needs throughout the year. This policy is designed to ensure that the country can accommodate international visitors while protecting and supporting the local community and promoting its interests.