Residents Express Concerns Over Overtourism

A third of Spaniards feel their area has too many foreign tourists. This sentiment is strongest in Catalonia, home to Barcelona, where residents feel their city has been "stolen." Spain leads Europe in negative views of international tourists, with 28% holding unfavorable opinions.

Short-term holiday rentals, often on platforms like Airbnb, are widely criticized for inflating rents and displacing locals. Spain’s government is cracking down, aiming to regulate listings and, in Barcelona, ban holiday flats by 2029. Over a third of Spaniards see these rentals as harmful.

Cruise ships face strong opposition in France and Germany, while Spain and Italy, where cities like Barcelona and Venice are taking steps to limit them, are less critical.

Europeans generally sympathize with anti-overtourism protests. Spain tops the list, with 66% supporting residents’ concerns. Authorities face a balancing act between tourism revenue and resident quality of life.

Measures to curb overtourism, like advance booking for popular sites and capping visitor numbers, are widely supported. Amsterdam’s ban on new hotels reflects a broader push to keep cities livable.