Overtourism in Europe: According to the European Travel Commission’s Trends and Prospects report in 2023, Europe is almost back to pre-pandemic tourist arrivals.
The impact of overtourism: Negative effects of overtourism include damage to historical sites, disrespect for local cultures and customs, pollution, and littering.
Destinations cracking down on overtourism: Portofino, Italy: In Portofino, tourists lingering in popular Instagram spots to take selfies could be fined for creating a dangerous situation.
Rome, Italy: Tourists in Rome may face high fines or even bans at attractions in an attempt to quash out-of-line tourist behavior.
Athens, Greece: The Acropolis in Athens capped visitor numbers at 20,000 in September 2023 to reduce footfall at the monument.
Hallstatt, Austria: Hallstatt, an Austrian town said to have inspired the Arendelle in the movie 'Frozen' (2013), is attempting to deter tourists from visiting by installing wooden fences.
Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Amsterdam is attempting to combat overtourism by limiting the number of river cruises entering the city's waterways.
Dubrovnik, Croatia: A “Respect the City” campaign in Dubrovnik introduced measures aimed at visitors, such as bans on walking around in swimwear.
Prague, Czechia: A district council in Prague is planning to ban costumes worn by bachelor and bachelorette parties to tackle overtourism.
Consider the experience you'd like to have: When planning a vacation, think about what you want from the experience.