As traveller numbers ramp up, destinations fight overtourism

Popular spots have introduced measures to curb visitors, but many economies rely on tourism, writes Fred Harter

- Fred Harter

Japan has set up a new administrative body to dampen the effects of overtourism after it welcomed a record 36.8 million visitors in 2024.

So what?

Reports of the death of mass international tourism were greatly exaggerated. Traveller numbers plummeted to nearly zero during the pandemic, a trend some thought was there to stay. But in 2024 some 1.4 billion tourists ventured abroad, roughly the same as in 2019.

Old woes

Locals who saw their town centres drained of tourists during Covid are now grumbling about congestion again, and politicians eager to curry favour with voters are listening. A slew of destinations that once welcomed visitors with open arms have introduced measures to curb the number of tourists.

◆ Venice has limited tour groups to 25 people, put up gates at the entrance of popular streets and slapped a €5 tax on day trippers.

◆ Amsterdam has moved its cruise ship terminal away from the city centre, reduced the number of hotel rooms and ramped up hotel taxes.

• At Mount Fuji a fence has been erected to spoil a famous view of its snow-capped peak.

Agitators

Spain has seen the biggest backlash to tourism this summer. In June protesters in Barcelona squirted tourists with water pistols and told them to go home. Similar demonstrations have taken place there before. The city has 1.6 million inhabitants but received 26 million tourists last year. Locals say they can't find places to live because of the proliferation of Airbnb rentals.

Common theme

These complaints are shared by residents of other hotspots.

People in Athens have held funerals for their "dead" neighbourhoods, for example. In general, those who want fewer tourists say they: