Problems of Overtourism in Europe and Japan

When the Visitors Outnumber the Locals: Europe’s Overtourism Backlash

In recent years, Europe has seen a sharp rise in complaints from locals about the strains tourism places under. It’s not just about too many people — it’s about housing, infrastructure, cultural identity, costs of living, and sometimes even water or environmental scarcity. Below are some examples, patterns, causes, and possible ways forward.

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Cities in Europe Saying “Enough”

Here are several European cities (and smaller places) that have seen strong pushback from residents because of overtourism:

• Barcelona, Spain
  Residents are frustrated by rising housing costs (short-term rentals pushing out long-term ones), crowded public transport, and loss of neighbourhood character. The city government has frozen construction of new hotels in the centre and is planning to phase out many tourist apartments by 2028. The Telegraph+2eemss.jp+2

• Málaga, Spain
  In Málaga’s centre, locals are putting up stickers with anti-tourist slogans (“used to be my home”, “go home”, etc.). Many residential buildings have been turned into short-term tourist rentals. Locals feel they are being priced out. euronews

• Amsterdam, Netherlands
  Complaints about overcrowding, noise, behavioural issues (especially in Red Light District), rising rents, loss of local retail to souvenir shops, etc. Movements like “Stop de Gekte” are part of grassroots reaction. The city has also introduced tourist taxes, regulation on short-term lets, and other controls. People.com+3The Telegraph+3The Guardian+3

• Venice, Italy
  Long iconic for overtourism. The narrow canals, fragile infrastructure, constant day-visitor crowding, and environmental degradation have led to quotas, fees, and limits (especially for cruise ships). loveexploring.com+3Yahoo Style+3euronews+3

• Montmartre, Paris
  The once-artistic, local-oriented hilltop neighbourhood is feeling “Disneyfied.” Locals complain that real life is being squeezed out: small grocers, artists, families replaced by tourist shops, cafés, and selfie hotspots. Rising rents, short-term rentals, noise and crowding are part of the problem. Le Monde.fr+1

• Dubrovnik, Croatia
  Dubrovnik’s Old Town is often cited. Though tourism brings income, many feel that the old city is being overrun: too many day-trippers (especially from cruise ships), short-term letting displacing locals, heritage sites under stress. Yahoo Style+2Wikipedia+2

• Smaller towns and villages
  Even small villages feel the squeeze. For example, in Galicia, Spain, residents in a village called O Hío blocked zebra crossings to highlight traffic caused by tourist influx and lack of infrastructure to cope. Eurotimes+1

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Common Complaints from Local Residents

From the examples above (and many more), here are the recurring issues locals raise:

1. Housing and rent pressures
   Short-term rentals (Airbnb, etc.) can convert housing stock away from permanent residents. Landlords prefer tourist rentals because they’re more profitable, which drives up rents and property values, making it harder for locals to afford to stay.

2. Crowding, congestion, loss of peace
   Streets, public transportation, parks, popular attractions get overwhelmed, especially in peak season. What used to be manageable becomes chaotic, especially in small or historic areas.

3. Loss of local character / culture
   Traditional shops (groceries, hardware, etc.) replaced by souvenir shops, cafés, Instagrammable places. Some neighbourhoods become “staged” for visitors rather than places to live.

4. Environmental pressures
   Water shortages, waste management, wear-and-tear on historic buildings and public spaces, pollution, noise, traffic—all increase with massive footfall.

5. Economic distortion
   While tourism brings money and jobs, it can also create dependence on low-wage tourism jobs, seasonal economies, and make other services (health, schools, etc.) more expensive or less accessible because of rising costs of infrastructure and living.

6. Tourist behavior
   In many accounts locals complain not just of numbers but of behaviour: late-night noise, crowds, disrespectful practices (littering, ignoring local norms), overwhelming day trips that bring high impact for short time but little economic benefit to locals.

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Why It Happens: The Drivers

Some of the factors that lead to overtourism, especially in Europe:

• Low-cost travel & easy flights
  Budget airlines make it easy for many more people to reach formerly less-accessible places.

• Social media / “Instagram tourism”
  Certain destinations get “discovered” on social media, become trending, and suddenly attract large numbers of visitors seeking photo opportunities.

• Digital nomads and remote work
  Especially in sunny, “nice-weather” regions, or historic cities, remote workers may come for long stays, further pushing up housing demand.

• Short-term rental platforms
  Airbnb and similar platforms have been singled out in many studies and protests. While allowing owners to earn more, they can reduce housing supply for locals.

• Tourism policy / planning lags behind growth
  Authorities sometimes fail to anticipate or regulate the pace of tourism growth. Policies on short-term rentals, preserving historic sites, infrastructure upgrades often lag demand.

• Economic dependence
  In many places, tourism is a major source of income. This can make authorities and businesses reluctant to introduce limits, even when local discontent is strong.

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What Cities Are Doing (or Proposing)

Many European cities are trying out measures to try to balance the benefits of tourism vs. the costs. Some of the strategies:

• Regulating short-term rentals
  Freezing new tourist rental permits, converting tourist units back to residential, limiting days per year, etc. (Examples: Barcelona, Valencia, Amsterdam) eemss.jp+2euronews+2

• Tourist caps, quotas, fees
  Limiting the number of visitors to certain fragile sites; imposing fees for entry or for day-visitors; quotas for cruise ship arrivals. Yahoo Style+2euronews+2

• Infrastructure controls
  Improving public transport, managing traffic, enforcing rules of conduct, curbing bad behaviour, cleaning up public spaces, better waste management.

• Local activism / protests
  Grassroots movements, sticker campaigns, graffiti, public protests demanding change. These are both expressions of discontent and tools for pressing governments into action. The Telegraph+1

• Legal / regulatory changes
  Laws to remove illegal tourist apartments, penalize bad behaviour, adjust zoning or housing policy. euronews+1

• Tourism “rescheduling” or dispersal
  Encouraging visitors outside peak season; promoting less-visited areas rather than overloading famous hotspots; better management of flows.

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The Tension: Dollars vs. Daily Life

One of the core tensions is economic. Tourism brings foreign dollars, jobs (especially service jobs), investment in infrastructure, and often global prestige. For many cities, it’s a major part of GDP and employment.

But when the costs — economic, social, environmental — outweigh what locals feel is worth it, resentment builds. Especially when locals feel they don’t get the full economic share (lots of profit flows to external investors, or tourist-oriented businesses, not to traditional local ones), yet they suffer the downsides: crowded transport, high rents, displacing local life.

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What Might Work Better

Drawing from examples across Europe, here are some ideas or best practices governments / communities might try to balance tourism well:

• Transparent tourism policies that include local input. Local residents should have a say in how tourism is managed.

• Regulating short-term rentals more tightly — licensing, caps, switching units back to residential use, taxing them appropriately.

• Better visitor cap management — not only on number of people but on things like cruise ship arrivals, day-trippers, peak hour traffic.

• Spreading tourism more evenly — both in space (direct tourists to less-visited areas) and in time (promote off-season travel).

• Protecting cultural heritage and environment through maintenance, stricter rules on behaviour in sensitive zones, preserving local businesses.

• Affordable housing policies that ensure locals aren’t displaced: rent controls, incentives to maintain long-term rental stock, restrictions on converting residential housing.

• Tourist education — signs, campaigns, guidelines for respectful behaviour; possibly codes of conduct.

• Taxation & fees that reflect the real cost of servicing tourists (infrastructure, environmental impact, sanitation).

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Conclusion

Overtourism is no longer just a niche worry — in many European cities, it has become a central social issue. While tourism can bring enormous benefits, when mismanaged it can erode the very qualities that made a place special in the first place: livability, character, community.

For the people reading this: if we care about preserving what’s unique in different places — whether architecture, culture, atmosphere, or just having a calm place to live — then thinking about how we travel, when, and what impact we leave matters.

Meanwhile, Japan is also overwhelmed by Tourist:

Overtourism in Japan is characterized by overwhelming numbers of tourists at specific popular sites, such as Kyoto and Mount Fuji, leading to overcrowding, disrespect for local customs, and strained local infrastructure. Causes include a post-pandemic travel boom driven by a weakened yen, and a concentration of visitors on the popular "Golden Route" of cities. Solutions being implemented include directing tourism to regional areas, using technology to inform tourists of crowded spots, capping visitor numbers, and establishing local restrictions, such as the Mount Fuji fence, to protect local communities and cultural heritage. 

Causes

• Record Tourist Numbers: 

  Following the pandemic, Japan experienced a surge in international tourists, with 2024 being a record-breaking year, driven in part by a weaker yen. 
• Concentrated Destinations: 

  Visitors tend to cluster in a few popular areas, primarily along the "Golden Route" of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, leading to overcrowding at specific attractions. 
• Lack of Tourist Awareness: 

  Many tourists are unaware of Japanese etiquette, leading to behaviors like littering, inappropriate noise levels in sacred sites, and disruption of public spaces. 
• Strain on Infrastructure: 

  Overcrowded public transport, especially buses in cities like Kyoto, makes it difficult for locals to commute and exacerbates feelings of disruption. 

  
  

  Finally, Under-tourism in the Philippines 

  highlights destinations that are safe, culturally rich, and rewarding to explore but receive fewer visitors compared to popular hotspots like 

  Boracay

   and 

  El Nido

  . These locations offer more authentic and sustainable experiences while providing crucial economic opportunities to local communities. 

  Factors contributing to under-tourism

  

  • Dominance of tourist hotspots: Areas like 
    Boracay
    , 
    Palawan (El Nido
    , 
    Coron)
    , 
    Cebu
    , and 
    Siargao
     attract the vast majority of tourists, leaving many other worthy destinations less-visited.
  • Less-developed infrastructure: Many under-touristed areas may lack the robust transportation networks or extensive tourist facilities of more famous destinations. The Philippine government, through initiatives by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), is working to improve infrastructure nationwide.
  • Outdated perceptions: Some destinations may suffer from limited marketing or old stereotypes, causing travelers to overlook them.
  • Geographic isolation: Remote areas like 
    Batanes
     have fewer visitors due to their relative inaccessibility from the mainland.
  • Balancing post-pandemic recovery: While international arrivals are still recovering, domestic tourism has surged since the pandemic, creating opportunities to promote lesser-known domestic destinations and support local economies. 

  Suggested under-touristed destinations

  Luzon

  • Batanes
    : This province features rolling hills, seaside cliffs, and a unique indigenous culture. It is considered a top eco-tourism destination due to its preservation efforts.
  • Ifugao Province
    : Home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, this area includes the lesser-visited Batad and Hungduan rice terraces. Visitors can hike and engage with the indigenous Ifugao people.
  • Romblon
    : Often overlooked by tourists heading to nearby Boracay, this island province boasts sandbars, hiking trails, and hidden waterfalls.
  • Mt. Pinatubo
    : This active volcano offers opportunities for hiking and exploring its unique volcanic crater lake. 

  Visayas

  • Siquijor
    : Known for its folklore, this island offers unspoiled beaches, hidden caves, and waterfalls.
  • Guimaras
    : This island is known for its sweet mangoes and features secluded, beautiful beaches.
  • Anda and Candijay, Bohol: While the Chocolate Hills are a major draw, Bohol offers other lesser-known attractions like the white-sand beaches of Anda and the Cadapdapan Rice Terraces near Candijay. 

  Mindanao

  • Bukidnon
    : This mountainous province offers hiking trails, forest parks, and waterfalls.
  • South Cotabato
    : Visitors can explore Lake Sebu and engage with the local T'boli community.
  • Davao Oriental
    : This province includes the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary and the coastal beauty of Pujada Bay. 

  Planning a trip

  By venturing beyond the main hubs, travelers can practice undertourism by experiencing different regions and supporting more local, community-based initiatives.

  • Prioritize eco-conscious practices: Choose tour operators that follow environmentally-friendly policies and book accommodations that minimize their ecological footprint.
  • Support local economies: Shop at local markets, eat at family-run eateries, and hire local guides.
  • Consider travel times: Opting for the shoulder seasons (May and October) can allow for a more peaceful experience while still offering pleasant weather. 

  Visayas destinations

  Mindanao destinations