Explained: Why Europe is fed up with tourists

May 10, 2024

Anita Santosh

Europe’s travel hotspots are witnessing an anti-tourist rhetoric, even as these primarily depend on tourism income. Anvitii Rai looks at the perils and possible solutions to over-tourism.

A RECENT REUTERS article highlighted that in the tourist hotspot of Capri, peak season days saw 16,000 visitors making the trip to the island daily, with 12,900 residents.

The rush of tourists results in a housing crisis as everyone wants to let out to tourists, bringing more problems in their wake.

Residents of the Canary Islands, Spain, yet another European island that is popular with tourists, also have called for limiting tourist arrivals.

Other popular towns have seen “softer” pushbacks—Venice has become the first city to introduce an entry fee for visitors during the peak season, Florence has banned new holiday lets in the city centre, and even Capri has doubled its tourist fee from €2.5 to €5.

The Canary Islands’ carrying capacity has been exceeded by as much as seven times. Hawaii is seeing this on a massive scale as it saw 9.5 million visitors as opposed to 1.5 million residents in 2023.

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