Overtourism: How Europe is Reclaiming Its Cities

Tourists gather at the Trevi fountain in Rome. Photo by iStock

This week, Italy's national tourism board launched a major social media campaign to combat the escalating crisis of overtourism. The campaign, which encourages visitors to explore beyond the saturated hotspots, comes as official forecasts predict a record-breaking 2025 summer season, intensifying years of tension between local communities and the economic demands of mass travel.

The Italian initiative is the latest in a suite of assertive measures being deployed across the continent, from new tourist taxes in Greece to outright bans on short-term rentals in cities like Barcelona. Faced with overloaded infrastructure, distorted housing markets, and environmental degradation, European authorities are moving from a policy of passive accommodation to one of active and often controversial management. This represents a fundamental rethinking of a sector vital to the continent's economy as the question evolves from how to attract tourists to how to control their impact.

The Tipping Point

"Overtourism" has become a buzzword, but its reality is a complex tangle of pressures. It's the strain on centuries-old infrastructure, from Venetian sewers to the London Underground. It's the "Airbnb effect," which sees housing costs in Lisbon and Prague soar, pushing residents out of the neighbourhoods their families have called home for generations. It's the erosion of local culture, where souvenir shops and the environmental cost of millions of footprints on fragile coastlines and alpine trails replace artisan workshops.

The post-pandemic travel boom has thrown this into sharp relief. Italy is expecting a significant rise in tourist arrivals for 2025, with projections exceeding 27 million visitors between June and September. The Jubilee Year, also known as the Holy Year, is expected to attract even more visitors to Rome, particularly for religious tourism. 

Italy's Charm Offensive

From Visit Italy´s instagramaccount

A new philosophy is taking root: one that views tourism not as a destructive force to be stopped but as a powerful current to be harnessed and redirected. At the heart of this new approach is Visit Italy's "99% of Italy" campaign. Its premise is elegantly simple: to challenge the "checklist" mentality of modern travel. Through a series of strategically released videos on Instagram and TikTok, it aims to lure travellers away from the congested 1%—Rome, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre—and towards the vast, varied, and authentic Italy that lies beyond. It's a call to rediscover small villages, unspoiled landscapes, and a quieter, more mindful way of exploring.

This soft-power approach is backed by hard policy. Venice, the poster child for over-tourism, has expanded its day-tripper entry fee, now operating on a tiered system that charges last-minute visitors more. The famed hiking trails of the Cinque Terre are trialling visitor quotas to prevent erosion. Meanwhile, cities like Florence and Como are tightening the screws on short-term rentals, seeking to reclaim housing for locals.

The European Toolkit: A Continent-Wide Response

Across Europe, a diverse toolkit of strategies is being deployed to rebalance the scales. Tourist taxes are now commonplace, from Greece's "climate crisis resilience fee" to Amsterdam's nightly levy, with the revenue earmarked for infrastructure and preservation.

Dubrovnik, which once buckled under the pressure of cruise ships, now strictly limits daily arrivals. Barcelona has taken a hard line on short-term rentals, moving to delist thousands of properties from platforms like Airbnb, a move being watched closely by Paris and other major capitals. At Park Güell, timed entry slots and preferential access for residents ensure the landmark remains a space for locals, not just for visitors.

A cruise ship is anchored off the coast of Dubrovnik, Croatia. Photo by iStock

Inspired by Italy, other nations are launching dispersal campaigns, with Spain actively promoting its vast and beautiful interior and the Italian Government Tourist Board championing "slow tourism" via public transport to its network of "Most Beautiful Villages".

Tourism boards are aggressively marketing the joys of the shoulder seasons—spring and autumn—when the weather is pleasant and the crowds have thinned. Crucially, investment in infrastructure, particularly the expansion of high-speed rail networks in Spain and Italy, is making it easier than ever to venture off the beaten path.

The Tech Revolutions

Technology is also playing a vital role. At major UNESCO sites, anonymised mobile data and smart cameras are being used to monitor crowd density in real time, enabling authorities to manage the flow and prevent bottlenecks. New apps are emerging that guide tourists to less congested attractions or help them book slots at popular venues, smoothing out visitor distribution throughout the day.

Ultimately, the most powerful agent for change is the traveller. Responsible tourism can be as simple as renting a room in a local's home rather than an entire apartment, preserving housing stock while gaining invaluable local insight, and respecting the rhythm and customs of the place you are privileged to visit.

Redefining the "Perfect Trip"

The battle for the soul of Europe's cities is far from over. However, the conflict is evolving from protests into a more sophisticated strategy of regulation, incentives, and innovation. The future of travel here is about fostering a more mindful and balanced relationship between guest and host. The very definition of a "perfect trip" is being rewritten—away from a frantic checklist of sights to be ticked off and towards a slower, more authentic, and respectful exchange. The new travel ideal might be the quiet joy of discovering a hidden gem in a small village, far from the madding crowds and feeling like you're finally part of the 99 percent.