Over tourism is a term heard more often these days. Since the advent of low-cost airlines and private room/apartment booking sites many destinations, post-COVID, has hit ‘severe frustration levels’! Europe is experiencing much of the problem.
This writer saw many examples during a short visit to Europe in late April, early May of 2025.
Tackling the seemingly uncontrolled short-term lets in European city centres has been in progress for a few years and is now more focused. Citizens who actually want to live in their own city find the ever-increasing lack of properties and increasing costs force them out. Many have joined public demonstrations along with lobbying local councils. Action is being taken.
Recently Jessica Harvey (head of Press for the UK Spanish Tourist Board) said, “It is important to listen to local people and to remember that these demonstrations are not aimed at tourists, but at the cost-of-living crisis.”
As an example, the Barcelona City Council recently stated that all tourist apartments operating in the city will lose their licenses by 2028. Barcelona is a city that started earlier than many to try and change this housing situation. The afore mentioned development is a much tougher next step. More detail about the scale of the issue in Barcelona can be found on this website
Dubrovnik is another big-name city that has resonated through the media. This is another city with similar issues to Barcelona. Recent data estimates indicate that Airbnb operates over 4500 short-term rentals in the old city itself!
As noted by the mayor of Dubrovnik (Mato Frankovic) “For years, we were blind. If we don’t think about people, then money will become the demography of the Old City. It will become a city without people – just a living museum.”
Planned changes are that current licenses will only be valid for 3 years and properties must have approval from neighbours. The city also has plans to buy back houses to be able to give them to young families. They have also instigated caps on cruise ship visitations (a major contributor to the problem).
Alternate city destinations.
This is a difficult project. Suggesting a tourist visit another city than say Amsterdam, Brugge or Barcelona (all big desire names) is a big ask for those who come from further away and possibly make only one, or two visits in a lifetime (from Australia or New Zealand for example), but easier for those from Britain who being so much closer, make multiple visits to the ‘Continent’.
Regulating Tourists
Premier tourist locations are popular for that very reason. Tourist will continue to desire visiting them.
Over the years various regulations have been introduced – increased tourist taxes, in particular city hotel bed taxes. The you have expanded online booking systems for attractions, bus and cruise boat limits. Venice is one of the high-profile cases there now being a city entry fee, unless you are staying in a hotel located in the city itself.
Dubrovnik is instigating a city booking system in 2026 that will limit visitors to 10,000 at any one time!! Currently, according to city officials the city can often experience 40,000 visitors at any one time!!!! In addition, due to peak period traffic jams the taxi permits will be reduced from a current 7,000 to 700.
Change the profile of a tourist?
Another concept that presents issues, but based on some research cultural tourist, as opposed to ‘just a tourist’ spend 38% more per day and stay longer – 22%. See link.
Amsterdam is a litmus test for this. The author of this article worked in Amsterdam for a short period and before that, as a tour leader, visited many times. Sadly, many visitors are attracted by its party scene, its legal drugs and of course the red-light area. Due to the increase in low-cost aviation this issue has increased as the city attracts an abnormal number of weekend ‘bucks and hens’ nights. Other examples of these types of short haul ‘party venues’ are Tallin and Prague.
Over the past few years, the city has tried to improve its image following continuous complaints by residents – backed up from this authors Amsterdam friends.
To quote Julia van de Beek, CEO of the Amsterdam Business Office “The city centre is too crowded, and full of joint smokers and sex tourists: they are destroying it. “If people want to do that, why do they need a beautiful historic backdrop to do it in?”
In 2023 Amsterdam stopped all normal promotion via the Dutch Tourism office and instigated a ‘Stay Away’ campaign instead – unheard of in tourism marketing circles. They are also considering relocating the current red-light district to a purpose built site outside the city centre. Naturally they are now facing, ‘not in my backyard’ from those localities.
Barcelona is also adjusting its marketing to position itself as a cultural destination rather than a party city. Dubrovnik has restricted the times which bar etc can play music. The “I want Dubrovnik to be the capital of sustainable tourism in the world.”
Across Europe, a pattern is emerging. Cities are responding to residents’ concerns, steering visitors towards lesser-known areas, and imposing stronger rules to ease pressure on the most fragile neighbourhoods.
These are all small steps forward, building on the path started a few years ago. There is a shared aim to make sure the economic benefit of tourism can be balanced with ensuring a city is a living city populated by its own citizens. It also must ensure the city can maintain attempts to improve its ecological impact on the environment. And that’s something we can all aim for.
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