Panic in Spain, Greece, Italy, and France as tourists face problem | World | News
Europe is experiencing a tourism boom unlike anything in recent history, but not everyone is celebrating as a growing anti-tourism sentiment spreads. Countries such as Spain, Greece, Italy and France are welcoming record numbers of international visitors in 2025, but the surge is also fueling deep disappointment in many of the continent’s most popular destinations. The latest travel data confirms that tourism across the region is set to grow for nine consecutive months in 2025, but with this comes locals’ frustration and anti-tourism sentiment rising significantly.
Spain, which has been a hotspot for anti-tourism protests, especially in heavily visited cities such as Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, recorded more than 44.5 million international arrivals in 2025, up 4.7% on the previous year. France also recorded a 4.8% increase in both arrivals and tourism revenue, while Italy recorded a 4.8% increase in visitors and a 5.7% increase in spending, while Greece reported a more modest but steady 0.6% increase in international tourism.
But as crowds grow, so do unrest and protests against the effects of mass tourism, and if this trend continues, it could soon lead to more serious reactions on the streets.
Signs reading “Tourists Going Home” are becoming increasingly common in Southern Europe, and although tourism is vital to the local economy, there is growing resentment about how mass tourism is affecting the daily lives of local people.
From unaffordable rents to overcrowded infrastructure and environmental degradation, locals say they are bearing the costs of an economy increasingly reliant on visitors and are calling for a more sustainable approach to protect local residents and the environment.
Zakynthos, a beautiful island in Greece, has a tourist-to-resident ratio among the highest in Europe and has even been named the continent’s most populous island, with around 150,000 tourists per 1,000 locals.
The latest wave of anti-mass tourism protests swept Spain in June; demonstrations were planned not only in Barcelona but also in seven other cities, including Granada, Palma and Ibiza. Similar protests were reported in the Portuguese capital Lisbon, as well as in important Italian destinations such as Venice, Genoa, Palermo, Milan and Naples.
Claudia Gualdi, of Denmark-based travel data and analyst company Riskline, said: “Attitudes towards tourism across Europe are changing.”
He added: “Beyond the numbers, local people are increasingly linking tourism to climate pressures, resource scarcity and the challenges of daily life.
“Demand is unlikely to decrease in iconic locations such as Rome, Paris, Venice, the Greek islands, Santiago de Compostela and the Vatican.
“These places will continue to face the greatest pressures, underlining the need for stronger local government and sustainable tourism policies as well as changing traveler habits.”
In an effort to mitigate the impact of mass tourism, many cities have now introduced tourist taxes. In Greece, Mykonos and Santorini charge around £14.3 per cruise ship visitor during peak season. Venice also recently implemented both a nightly tourist tax for guests staying in the city and a day tripper entrance fee for those entering the historic center without an overnight stay.
