The EU can fix Europe’s ‘over-tourism’ problem

As over-tourism threatens cultural integrity and residents’ quality of life, the EU must act to shift the focus toward lesser-known regions, balancing the influx of visitors across the continent while offering a sustainable travel experience and promoting rural economic development.

European cities including Barcelona, Amsterdam, Prague, Venice, and Dubrovnik have all in recent times struggled with the negative impacts of mass tourism, facing protests and local governments trying to impose restrictions.

UNESCO officials have warned the protests may spread across Europe if local governments don’t implement sustainable tourism measures to protect residents’ quality of life.

In response to the challenges posed by mass tourism, UNESCO has previously advised limiting the number of visitors in protected areas like Dubrovnik, drawing attention to the balance needed for preserving the cultural and natural heritage of tourist destinations.

Local pressures

Mass tourism leads to skyrocketing housing prices, making it difficult for locals to afford accommodation, often forcing them to relocate.

Pressure on local infrastructure and resources can diminish residents’ quality of life, as essential services become strained and public spaces overcrowded. Disruptive tourist behaviour, including excessive drinking, further heightens tensions and creates an increasingly intolerable environment for residents.

But it’s not all bad news. There is opportunity here, too. Europe must address the negative impacts of mass tourism. By doing that, we can unlock a unique opportunity for lesser-known destinations. The aim is not to eliminate tourism, but to diversify it, shifting the focus from the tourist hotspots to the hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

The EU should launch a comprehensive tourism campaign which promotes lesser-known destinations in each member state, encouraging travellers to explore beyond popular hotspots across the continent. This initiative would ultimately lead to a more balanced tourism landscape while supporting local economies across Europe.

Promoting a more balanced distribution of tourism mitigates the pressure on overcrowded destinations and presents an opportunity for many underrated tourist destinations, resulting in a win-win scenario for everyone.

A mutually-beneficial strategy

An approach like this would offer a low-cost, mutually-beneficial strategy for the EU to collaborate as a united community. By addressing the imbalance in tourist distribution where some countries are saturated with visitors while others attract too few, member states can work together to create a more equitable tourism landscape.

This campaign would be an excellent fit for the EU. It promotes freedom of movement and encourages citizens to explore the diverse cultures and countries across the continent.

At the same time, such an initiative could significantly strengthen a sense of common belonging, leading to an enhanced European identity.

In seeking solutions for mass tourism, we should not forget about sustainable tourism which focuses on reducing the negative impacts of tourism, from overcrowding to environmental degradation, while maximising benefits for host regions.

By prioritising cultural heritage, preserving natural resources, and ensuring tourism supports local economies, this approach seeks a long-term solution to the challenges posed by mass tourism.

Such a campaign could emphasise sustainable and eco-tourism, alongside environmental protection and rural development. Brussels could stimulate a chain of economic growth in rural and often overlooked areas of the continent.

Beyond Europe

The campaign could reach far beyond European borders. Besides alleviating pressure from tourist hotspots, it could also promote European culture worldwide through tourism, resulting in greater global appreciation of the continent’s rich cultural heritage and commitment to sustainability, positioning Europe as a leader in sustainable tourism on the global stage.

But while promoting this campaign globally, the EU should tread carefully. After all, we wouldn’t want to turn hidden gems into yet more crowded hotspots. Europe can manage this risk by offering a broad and competitive range of destinations, which should be another incentive for a diverse and thorough campaign when promoting new locations.

The goal isn’t to solve one problem only to create another. That’s why this approach should be part of a carefully planned strategy which takes local factors and risk assessments into account. For particularly fragile destinations which may become too popular, measures like visitor limits and reservation systems could be necessary.

But until then, the most effective approach would focus on seasonal and rotational experiences to sustainably manage tourist flows, ultimately supporting the primary goal of solving the overcrowding of popular tourist hotspots.

Although this approach has great potential, striking the right balance will be essential to ensure smaller destinations remain charming and authentic, rather than overrun by tourists searching for the next Instagrammable or TikTok-worthy spot.

Over-tourism is crying out for leadership from Brussels.

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