A growing tide of resentment is sweeping across popular holiday hotspots as locals, overwhelmed by the influx of tourists, begin to push back against the costs of mass tourism. With 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals in 2024, this summer marked a tipping point for many locals increasingly concerned about over tourism driving up housing costs, harming the environment and eroding the fabric of local communities and identities. But how justified are these concerns?
Receiving 32 million holidaymakers annually, Barcelona has become a symbol of local resistance against mass tourism this summer, with reports of locals squirting water guns at tourists eating at restaurants until they are forced to leave. Peter DeBrine, Unesco’s senior project officer for sustainable tourism, said, ‘ what we’re seeing is that we’re breaching a threshold of tolerance in these destinations.’ He said, ‘It’s really trying to rebalance the situation. It’s totally out of balance now.’ While the Tourism sector currently contributes to 14% of the city’s GDP, employing 150,000 people and generating €12.75bn annually, the sector has significantly raised house prices. The average monthly salary in Barcelona is around €1,600-€2,000 after taxes, with the minimum wage close to €1,100. The average rental price in the city is €1,200 per month, an increase of 9.8% compared to the previous year.
Concerns of over tourism are poignant across Europe. Protests are taking place in Palma, Malaga, and Venice, and it is important to recognise that tourism does bring its advantages. Tourism generates 45% of the Balearic Islands’ gross domestic product, with holiday makers spending €109 billion in Spain last year, compared to €63.5 billion in France.
Holiday destinations, such as the Maldives and Seychelles, were amongst the highest shares of GDP generated by travel in tourism in 2019, as tourism made up 10.4% of the global GDP that year. Revenue generated from tourism can support infrastructure development, including improved roads and transport links, while also funding cultural preservation, safeguarding heritage and fostering regional development. Additionally, it promotes growth in rural areas, helping to reduce economic inequality within countries. It has even had environment benefits, with countries such as Kenya benefiting from Wildlife tourism, which supports conservation.
So, why has tourism become such an issue?
Unfortunately, with the domination of social media and what the Guardian described as ‘selfie-seekers,’ many areas have suffered from overexposure. This creates an influx of visitors as influencer culture saturates viral and Instagrammable spots. The relaxation of lockdown restrictions also contributed further to the concerns over tourism. Whilst international tourism is still chasing pre-pandemic levels, with this year reaching 96% of pre-covid rates, perhaps we are forgetting what tourism really felt and looked like before the pandemic. With some countries, such as Denmark, promoting the concept of the sustainable tourist and the Barcelona mayor vowing to curb apartment rentals to tourists by 2028, it is evident that local’s rejection of mass tourism reflects a growing awareness of its unsustainable impacts on communities, culture and the environment.
As destinations grapple with over tourism, the challenge lies in striking a balance between preserving local identity and reaping the economic benefits of tourism. Perhaps it’s the manifesto of Anthony Bourdain to be ‘a traveller, not a tourist’ that we need to remember. While it brings back haunting memories of the stereotypical gap year student, there’s some logic to his statement. Respecting at immersing oneself in the culture of the country they’re visiting, should be the epicentre of what it means to be a tourist.
Words by Lucy Gilder
Featured image courtesy of Andri Wyss via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image license found here.