Sustainability & Overtourism

 Real cost of cruises series
The Cruise Industry Is On a Course For Climate Disaster

Overtourism mapped: Tourism is headed into a global crisis
98 destinations, 63 countries and counting. Overtourism is a crisis that will continue to grow this summer and we’ve created a map to track its spread.
(Responsible Travel) Ticketing visitors into St Marks Square in Venice, cruise crowds bruising medieval Dubrovnik, Barcelona residents rising up against an ever-increasing influx of visitors – these have all been headline news over and over again. But as our new map shows, overtourism goes beyond a handful of well-known high-profile destinations – it is a global, spreading crisis affecting communities and natural places of all sizes and significance.
Our map, compiled from research into online mentions of overtourism around the world, shows the true extent of the problem. Many other examples, especially those in small places go under reported.
Alongside Venice sits tiny Juist Island, Germany, where even relatively small tourist numbers are overwhelming local people, changing the island’s character and fracturing a fragile coastal environment. Machu Picchu, where a controversial new airport threatens to destroy an already intensely vulnerable UNESCO World Heritage Site, lined up with Caño Cristales in Colombia – a site which receives only a fraction of Machu Picchu’s visitors and yet its vulnerable river ecosystem is already threatened by an increase in human activity.

25 June
How Lisbon made itself irresistible to tourists – and became the least affordable city in Europe
Agustín Cocola-Gant
In this series, writers discuss the causes of – and solutions to – the housing crisis in key European cities
(The Guardian) Tourists stay in short-term rentals and foreigners buy second homes, while residents of the city rent rooms, not apartments

24 June
Jeff Bezos alters Venice wedding plans after threat of inflatable crocodiles
Amazon founder reportedly forced to change venue for his wedding celebrations in Italian city

Sold to the Trump family: one of the last undeveloped islands in the Mediterranean
By Marzio Mian
Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner have spent more than $1bn on an Albanian island that will be a luxury resort – once the unexploded ordnance has been removed
(The Guardian) On Sazan, a small island off the coast of Albania, the landscape is Jurassic. Ferns, giant lavender, plumbago, rosemary, broom and laurels grow on the mountain at its centre. The view from the top, with its dramatic sunsets, is dizzyingly beautiful.
Albanians call Sazan Ishulli i Trumpëve – Trump Island.
Until now mostly untrammelled by development, it is on the verge of becoming a mecca for ultra-luxury tourism, another addition to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s real-estate portfolio.

22 June
Surging travel in Europe spikes concerns over tourism’s drawbacks
(AP) — Suitcases rattle against cobblestones. Selfie-snappers jostle for the same shot. Ice cream shops are everywhere. Europe has been called the world’s museum, but its record numbers of visitors have also made it ground zero for concerns about overtourism.
Last year, 747 million international travelers visited the continent, far outnumbering any other region in the world, according to the U.N.’s World Tourism Barometer. Southern and Western Europe welcomed more than 70% of them.
As the growing tide of travelers strains housing, water and the most Instagrammable hotspots in the region, protests and measures to lessen the effects of overtourism have proliferated.
What’s causing overtourism
Among factors driving the record numbers are cheap flights, social media, the ease of travel planning using artificial intelligence and what U.N. tourism officials call a strong economic outlook for many rich countries that send tourists despite some geopolitical and economic tensions.
16 June
Southern Europeans protest overtourism with water pistols
Hundreds of demonstrators marched through Barcelona, Lisbon, Venice and other European cities over the weekend, protesting the negative effects of overtourism.
(WaPo) The protests reflect a growing unease among some residents of southern Europe about the impact of tourism; similar demonstrations were coordinated last summer. In Barcelona, where the water pistol has become a symbol of the protests, stickers bearing illustrations of water guns were plastered on storefronts.
How the humble water gun became the symbol of Barcelona’s anti-tourism movement
(AP) The phenomenon started last July, when a fringe, left-wing activist group based in Barcelona that promotes the “degrowth” of the city’s successful tourism sector held its first successful rally. Some brought water guns to shoot one another and stay cool in the summer heat.

14 June
‘Venice is worn out’: locals see Jeff Bezos wedding as symbol of city’s ills
City leaders claim days-long event will bring in riches but opponents say it will not benefit ordinary Venetians
The days-long shindig, expected to begin from 24 June, will be the biggest wedding held in Venice since George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin.
While Venice residents mostly embraced the Clooneys’ fairytale big day, ( George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin tie the knot in Venice wedding – Hollywood star marries British lawyer in private ceremony and celebrates with host of celebrity friends and A-listers), the Bezos wedding has been met with much more antipathy. As soon as Venice’s millionaire mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, confirmed in March that the couple would be getting married in the city, activists mobilised their “No space for Bezos” campaign.

15 April
The Race to Build the Biggest Cruise Ship: A New Era of Mega-Vessels
(Travel Daily)  The cruise industry is in the midst of a thrilling competition, with shipbuilders and cruise lines vying to create the largest, most luxurious vessels ever seen. As passenger expectations grow, so do the ships themselves, with each new launch pushing the boundaries of engineering, design, and onboard experiences. Let’s dive into the race to build the biggest cruise ships, featuring Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, Princess Cruises’ Star Princess, and MSC Cruises’ World America.

2024

4 December
How to cope with the wrong kind of tourists
By Mark Faithfull
In October, Prague city councillors confirmed that they had banned night-time pub crawls organised by travel agencies because the city wanted to target “more cultured” tourists. It was a widely-expected move to bar guided tours between 10pm and 6am, with deputy mayor Jri Pospisil stating that Prague city hall was “seeking a more cultured, wealthier tourist…not one who comes for a short time only to get drunk”.
Prague is not the first European capital to start trying to influence the type of tourist visiting in a strategy that is increasingly prioritising a perceived quality over quantity approach that is also aiming to balance the economic benefits of tourism with city livability.
Amsterdam last year launched a campaign of ‘stay away’ adverts aimed at young British men, which was triggered by search terms such as ‘stag party Amsterdam’, ‘cheap hotel Amsterdam’ and ‘pub crawl Amsterdam’ and also follows a city crackdown on its notorious Red Light District.

28 November
Can you take a clean cruise holiday and which vessels are the worst emitters?
In a booming sector where the biggest ships have doubled in size since 2000, pressure is growing to make cruising a greener, more sustainable way to travel
… Critics say the cruising boom – ships have soared in number from 21 in the 1970s to 515 today and the world’s biggest have doubled in size since 2000 – dwarfs decarbonisation efforts by individual lines and vessels. A study commissioned by the high level panel for a sustainable ocean economy concluded that the 2% annual improvements in carbon intensity reported by two leading cruise lines in recent years is “cancelled out many times over” by an expected 6% to 7% rise in passenger traffic.
Dublin down: Is the city really experiencing overtourism?

25 November
THE FUTURE OF CRUISE TOURISM IS THREATENED BY OVERTOURISM
(Tourism Review) The Overexploitation of Cruise Destinations
In recent years, many iconic destinations have had to implement drastic measures to limit the number of tourists arriving by cruise ship. Venice, one of the most famous cities in the world, has banned large passenger ships from docking in its port due to environmental concerns and the saturation of its historic center. Although cruise lines have redirected their itineraries to nearby ports such as Trieste and Ravenna, the situation remains unacceptable for many local communities.
Other locations, such as the Greek island of Santorini and the city of Juneau in Alaska, are experiencing similar challenges. Santorini, which sees many cruise passengers exceeding its population capacity, has imposed limits on the number of ships that can dock each day. Meanwhile, Juneau faces an influx of 1.6 million visitors annually, prompting authorities to plan a cap on the number of daily passengers starting in 2026.
The discomfort and tensions are not confined to the Mediterranean islands or Alaskan ports. In cities like Barcelona and Amsterdam, residents have actively demonstrated against overcrowding and the environmental impact of cruise tourism, even blocking the passage of cruise ships in protest.
The Environmental Impact of Cruise Ships
The environmental damage caused by cruise ships extends beyond just tourist congestion. For years, the industry has faced criticism for its high carbon emissions and the destruction of marine ecosystems. Large ships carrying thousands of passengers consume vast amounts of fossil fuel, contributing significantly to climate change. Their passage through the waters also impacts marine ecosystems and coral reefs, altering the areas’ biodiversity.

3 November
Is the future of cruising threatened by overtourism? Navigating the industry’s troubled waters
Cruise ships banned from dozens of overwhelmed destinations
(Euro news) The cruise industry travels to every part of the world, including Antarctica.
However, some ports have responded to cruise guests by implementing tourist fees, limiting the number of ships in port, or prohibiting ships from docking altogether.
Venice banned cruise ships from docking at its port. Many cruise lines still offer ‘Venice’ itineraries, but they now dock in nearby cities, such as Trieste or Ravenna, and bus passengers into the city.
The cruise industry travels to every part of the world, including Antarctica.
However, some ports have responded to cruise guests by implementing tourist fees, limiting the number of ships in port, or prohibiting ships from docking altogether.
Venice banned cruise ships from docking at its port. Many cruise lines still offer ‘Venice’ itineraries, but they now dock in nearby cities, such as Trieste or Ravenna, and bus passengers into the city.
The Alaskan capital Juneau faces overwhelming cruise traffic during its short season. Welcoming 1.6 million visitors annually, the city plans to limit daily cruise passengers in 2026.
… Some cruise lines purchase islands and incorporate those stops into their most popular itineraries.
Some of the most popular private island experiences are in the Bahamas, where cruisers enjoy crystal-clear water and powdery white sand.
Disney now owns two private stops: Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Carnival Corporation has Half Moon Cay and Princess Cay, and plans to open Celebration Key in July 2025.
Royal Caribbean offers its popular private island, Perfect Day at Coco Cay, on most Bahamas itineraries. It’s a favourite stop for cruisers – and some passengers select their itineraries specifically so they can visit it.
Virgin Voyages, the adults-only cruise line owned by Richard Branson, doesn’t have an entire island but instead offers a beach club option in Bimini, a chain of Bahamian islands east of Miami.

15 October
Venice introduces new measures to curb overtourism
By Edward Robertson
In the fourth part in our series on overtourism, we’re taking a look at one of the destinations that has become synonymous with the issue: Venice. If you missed the previous articles, you can catch-up here.
(Hospitality Investor) If the war against overtourism is just heating up in Mallorca, authorities in Venice have long been trying to deal with the problem with various measures introduced in recent years.
In April this year, authorities ran a 29-day pilot scheme called the Venice Access Fee which saw day trippers to the city charged €5 per head in a bid to help the city’s 55-000 strong population cope with the annual 20 million visitors.
Although the charge proved to be controversial, nearly €2.5 million was raised from the 485,062 people who paid it and authorities are said to be planning to double it when they reintroduce it later this year.
More recently, in August this year new rules were imposed on the city’s tour guides, limiting the size of groups to 25 people while the use of loudspeakers has also been banned with fines of up to €500 levied on those who break it.

17 September
Overtourism Index – New Tool To Fight Destination Overload.
Nik Fes |
(Tourism Review) Overtourism, the excessive growth of visitor numbers in a given area, has undeniably profound effects. These effects include damaged natural spaces, poorer quality of life for local populations, endless waiting times to visit popular attractions, and a deteriorated travel experience for tourists.
However, the phenomenon is difficult to measure. The first Overtourism Index, developed by Evaneos and the management consultancy Roland Berger, aims to eliminate subjective impressions and enable an objective approach to this modern tourism issue.

2024

13 May
Which European cities are trying to cut back the number of cruise ship visits?
(Euro news) Destinations struggling with overtourism are putting a stop to ships that bring toxic emissions and millions of passengers.
Every year, more than 20 million passengers take a cruise.
Before the pandemic, that number was even higher sitting at around 30 million.
As passenger numbers look to breach this pre-pandemic number once again, many European ports where these ships drop anchor are re-evaluating their presence. Some are looking to ban them altogether, citing environmental, social and economic concerns.
The 218 cruise ships operating in Europe in 2022 emitted over four times more sulphur oxides than all of the continent’s cars, according to Transport & Environment. The NGO found back in June last year that these toxic air pollutants from ships are now higher than they were before COVID-19.

8 August
11,000 passenger strong mega cruise ships heading for Palma
‘Cruisezillas’ are getting larger and more numerous
Mallorca town is the “most overcrowded tourist destination in Spain”
New anti-drunken tourism protest for Sunday in Mallorca
The rumble in the jungle in Mallorca

2020

25 January
Overtourism in Europe’s historic cities sparks backlash
Angry protests from residents in popular areas force city hall officials to take action