Preventing Overtourism (inspiration from abroad)
Many English cities (including Bath, London and Stratford-upon-Avon – due to the Shakespeare connection) suffer from overtourism, as do popular summer stay areas like The Lake District.
Of course it’s good to have tourism income. But not so much that it becomes stressful both for residents and for people who visit. And it cause issues from litter to gridlock traffic. And from pollution to harming local wildlife.
For instance, councillors in the Lake District now beg tourists not to to feed local geese and swans, as they easily get natural food from under the water. But when tourists ignore this advice, they end up becoming too tame. Coming near dogs and roads.
The Cotswolds village of Bourton-on-the-Water has residents concerned over ‘TikTok visitors’ who descend to take selfies with beautiful backdrops. But leave litter behind, having no appreciation of local nature and heritage.
How Barcelona is reducing overtourism
Barcelona is a beautiful city, but since holding the Olympics, it now suffers from overtourism. Some complain that people rush off cruise ships in thousands, buy lots of tatty souvenirs on the main shopping street, then rush back to the ship. Bringing no benefit to local businesses.
Often leaving rubbish, not supporting local economies (all big coach trips and big hotels) and leaving locals without being able to call their place home.
The same is happening in other cities (Paris, Venice, Rome). All the mayors are fed up and taking action:
Barcelona has now banned some cruise ships from docking. And puts limits on airbnb properties (to discourage empty holiday homes, and make homes more affordable for local people that live there).
Tourist tax is to double in 2029, and even pub crawls are banned!
Spaniards like a drink like anywhere else, but now they enjoy their sangria and siesta in peace, without tourists from abroad disturbing them with late-night binge-drinking and public disorder.
Most Spaniards are not cruel to animals. It’s tourism income from the UK and North America that supports the bullfighting industry. Bullfights are banned in Barcelona, so at least that’s one thing they don’t have to get upset about in their city anymore.
Your holidays, my misery, their greed brings us ruin (from a banner held up by locals protesting overtourism in Barcelona)
Venice has banned loud speakers, and is bringing a ‘tourist tax’ to fund litter clean-ups. Barcelona is planning the same (council workers have to empty dustbins 14 times daily). And in Tuscany, action is being taken on cigarette litter that has led to wildfires.
The mayor of Florence has banned short-term lets, to bring down property rental prices for residents. The same is happening in St Ives (Cornwall), where second-homes lay empty for most of the year, while locals are priced out of the housing market.
