From ancient canals to Mediterranean beaches, iconic destinations are buckling under the weight of unprecedented visitor numbers, sparking protests, new restrictions, and desperate attempts to preserve local life.
Barcelona: When 26 Million Tourists Overwhelm One City
Barcelona now faces an impossible reality, with city officials stating they’re “reaching a limit with 17 million visitors per year,” while tourism numbers have grown significantly, over 15 times its population of 1.7 million. In July 2024, approximately 3,000 protesters took to the streets, with some using water pistols to spray tourists and seal hotel exits with tape, carrying banners reading “Tourists go home” and “Barcelona is not for sale”. With 10 tourists per resident annually, Barcelona faces overtourism on a scale few cities experience, leading to anti-tourism protests as residents voice concerns over overcrowding, housing shortages, and rising prices.
Venice: Daily Floods of 80,000 Visitors
Venice faces daily tourist numbers of 80,000 in 2025, pushing the city’s fragile infrastructure to its limits as an average of 80,000 visitors arrive each day. The problem stems from the sheer number of visitors who flock to the city daily – over 20 million tourists a year for a city with just over 50,000 residents. In April 2024, Venice made headlines as the first city in the world to impose a €5 entry fee for day visitors, as Italy’s most visited destination with inbound arrivals reaching 4.9 million in 2023, dwarfing the resident population of 49,000. The situation has become so extreme that there are now more hotel beds than residents in Venice.
Amsterdam: Europe’s Highest Tourist Tax City
In 2024, Amsterdam saw approximately 20 million visitors, nearly 25 times its resident population of around 800,000. Over 23 million visitors in 2023 have seen the city lose patience with the crowds, and Amsterdam now charges one of the highest tourist taxes in Europe in an attempt to regulate and control this ever-growing problem. The Dutch city plans to limit cruise ships in its harbor to just 100 in 2026, down from 190 currently, before banning them outright by 2035. Amsterdam launched a “Stay Away” campaign targeting the young male demographic it feels is responsible for the most unacceptable behavior.
Dubrovnik: Croatia’s Pearl Under Pressure
There are 27 tourists per one inhabitant of the Pearl of the Adriatic, with an incredible 27 tourists per inhabitant in Dubrovnik according to analysis. Dubrovnik capped cruise ship arrivals after over 4 million tourists crowded the Old Town in 2025. Dubrovnik has capped cruise ships at two per day to manage tourist numbers. The medieval city walls and stunning Adriatic views that made Dubrovnik famous are now threatened by the very popularity they created.
New York City: America’s Tourism Strain
New York City is one of the most visited cities in the world, attracting millions of tourists every year, but in 2024, the city’s tourism industry saw a sharp decline in hotel room availability due to the permanent closure of several hotels as the Overtourism Crisis in the US becomes more apparent in 2025. The city that never sleeps is finding it harder to accommodate everyone who wants to visit. Infrastructure strain and rising costs are making it increasingly difficult for both visitors and residents to enjoy what New York has to offer.
Santorini: Greek Island Paradise Lost
Santorini’s charm is in its quiet, picturesque villages and crystal-clear waters, but the flood of tourists – many arriving on large cruise ships – has led to severe overcrowding, with visitors often outnumbering the island’s 15,000 residents several times over, resulting in traffic jams, overbooked hotels, and overwhelmed restaurants. Popular spots like Oia, where tourists gather to watch the sunset, are packed to the point where it’s nearly impossible to move through the narrow streets. There are concerns about the island’s water supply, as well as the impact of constant construction to accommodate tourists.
Copenhagen: Rewarding Good Tourist Behavior
Copenhagen is becoming less wonderful thanks to overtourism, with the Danish capital seeing approximately 4.2 million international overnight stays in 2025 against a population of around 600,000. The city is taking a novel approach to the problem: instead of penalising tourists, it rewards them for good conduct through the Copenpay scheme, trialled in 2024, where visitors who pick up litter, ride bikes instead of hiring cars or volunteer in urban parks can claim back free ice cream, cheaper museum tickets and other perks. The scheme was considered sufficiently successful to make a return for summer 2025. Unlike other cities resorting to bans and taxes, Copenhagen chose innovation over punishment.
The tourism industry stands at a crossroads, with destinations worldwide implementing everything from entry fees to outright bans on certain types of visitors. These cities once celebrated their global appeal, yet now they’re fighting to preserve their authenticity and livability. What do you think is the best solution to manage overtourism without destroying the magic that makes these places special?
