The welcome mat has been pulled back in some of the world’s favorite places.
There is a fine line between being a welcome guest and an unwelcome burden, and in many of the world’s most popular destinations, that line has been crossed. After years of unchecked mass tourism that has driven up prices, overwhelmed infrastructure, and pushed out locals, a number of once-welcoming places have started to quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, turn against the very tourists that fuel their economies.
This is a look at the beloved destinations where the local sentiment has soured, a sign of a growing global backlash.
1. Barcelona, Spain is tired of the tourist hordes.
The capital of Catalonia has become the poster child for the anti-tourism movement. Residents have grown increasingly frustrated with the endless crowds that clog the Gothic Quarter and the explosion of short-term rentals that has made their own city unaffordable, as mentioned in The Guardian. This has led to a palpable tension, with anti-tourist graffiti and protests becoming a common sight in the city.
Locals now actively avoid the most famous areas of their own city, like Las Ramblas, which have been completely given over to the tourist economy. A visit here can sometimes feel like you are intruding on a city that is at its breaking point.
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands is actively trying to change its image.
Amsterdam is another city that is taking active and public steps to curb the negative impacts of mass tourism. The city government has launched campaigns aimed at discouraging the rowdy, party-focused tourism that has long plagued its historic center, BBC reports. They are tired of their beautiful city being treated as a theme park for bachelor parties and have implemented new rules to crack down on the chaos.
The city has even gone so far as to ban cruise ships from the city center, a clear signal that they are prioritizing the livability for their residents over the profits of the tourism industry.
3. Lisbon, Portugal’s locals are being priced out.
Lisbon has been one of Europe’s hottest destinations for the past decade, but this popularity has had a severe and negative impact on its residents. The massive influx of foreign investment and the explosion of Airbnb and other short-term rentals have caused housing prices to skyrocket, pushing many long-time residents out of the historic heart of their own city, according to AOL.com.
While the city is still outwardly welcoming, there is a growing and understandable undercurrent of resentment toward the tourists who are seen as the cause of this housing crisis. It’s a classic case of a city being loved to death.
4. Kyoto, Japan is losing its patience with bad behavior.
The ancient and beautiful city of Kyoto is famous for its serene temples and its elegant geisha district of Gion. The city’s famous politeness and sense of order, however, are being severely tested by a wave of disrespectful tourist behavior. Visitors have been caught harassing the geishas for photos, trespassing in private gardens, and generally ignoring the quiet, respectful customs of the city.
This has led the local government to implement new rules, including a ban on tourists in the private alleyways of the Gion district. It is a sign that the city’s legendary patience is wearing thin.
5. Maui, Hawaii is having a difficult conversation about tourism.
Following the devastating wildfires, a painful and complex conversation is taking place in Maui about the role of tourism on the island. Many local residents feel that the island’s precious resources, particularly water and housing, have been diverted to serve the tourism industry at the expense of the local community. The tragedy has amplified these long-simmering resentments.
While the island’s economy is dependent on visitors, there is a growing movement among locals to demand a more sustainable and equitable model of tourism, one that prioritizes the needs of the residents over the desires of the visitors.
6. The residents of Lake Tahoe, California are fed up.
Here in California, the stunningly beautiful Lake Tahoe region has been struggling for years with the impacts of its own popularity. The traffic to get into the basin on a summer weekend is often a gridlocked nightmare, and the amount of trash left behind on the beaches has become a serious environmental issue. The slogan “Keep Tahoe Blue” is now often used as a plea against the impacts of overtourism.
Local residents have become increasingly vocal in their frustration, demanding that the tourism authorities do more to manage the crowds and to protect the fragile alpine environment from being destroyed by its own popularity.
7. Hallstatt, Austria was one of the first to say “no more”.
The tiny, idyllic Austrian village of Hallstatt is a cautionary tale of the power of social media. After going viral online, the village of just 800 residents was seeing up to 10,000 visitors per day, all seeking to replicate the same photo from a single, specific viewpoint. The town was completely overwhelmed, and the mayor eventually had to publicly plead with tourists to stay away.
The town has since implemented a ticketing system for tour buses to limit the number of visitors. It was one of the first destinations to so publicly turn against the very tourism that was its main source of income.
8. Florence, Italy is trying to save its historic soul.
The historic center of Florence, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is in danger of losing its soul. The city’s mayor has warned that the city is becoming a “tourist monoculture,” with the number of short-term rentals exploding while the number of long-term residents has plummeted. The authentic, living heart of the city is being hollowed out and replaced by a museum-like version of itself.
In response, the city has banned any new Airbnbs in the historic center and is strictly enforcing “decorum” rules to curb bad tourist behavior. It is a desperate attempt to preserve the real, living culture of the city.
9. Prague, Czech Republic’s center has been given away.
The beautiful, medieval center of Prague is another place where the locals have effectively surrendered the territory to the tourists. The Old Town Square and the surrounding streets are now a landscape of tacky souvenir shops, overpriced restaurants with menus in five languages, and massive pub crawls. Most Prague residents would never dream of spending their evening in this part of the city.
While the city hasn’t implemented as many official rules as some other destinations, the de facto turning away of the locals from their own city center is a clear sign that tourism has become an overwhelming and alienating force.