Foto: Getty Images On July 6, thousands of residents of Barcelona, Spain, took to the streets of the city to protest against excessive tourism. With signs that read, “tourists, go home”, for example, and using water pistols to wet visitors, they showed that they did not want tourists there.
In 2023, Barcelona received over 85 million tourists. Venice, in Italy, was visited by 20 million. Large numbers of visitors are also seen in several other European cities. “In these destinations, especially in high season, there is an increase in prices in shops, markets and housing. The region becomes impassable, disrupting the routine of those who live there”, says Jeanine Pires, a tourism specialist.
If the excess tourists in the city is a nightmare for residents, for the local economy they are very good: tourism accounts for 10% of Europe’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The economic aspect reveals another perspective on visitors, who bring money, increase the revenue of taxes and generate employment, above all in the hotel sector, commerce and restaurants.
Has it only become a problem now?
The so-called “tourismphobia” (aversion to tourists) is not new, but in recent decades there has been a greater concentration of people traveling to the same place.
For Jeanine, technological advancement is one of the factors that is most responsible for overcrowding. In addition to tourists having more access to information and airline tickets, transport apps and temporary property rental platforms have democratized the stay and circulation of people in tourist destinations. These places have now been adopting measures to circumvent the excesses. Barcelona has banned short-term property rentals as from November 2028. Venice has started charging 5 euros (around 30.6 reais) from those visiting the city center. Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, removed the classic “I amsterdam” sign from in front of the Rijksmuseum as it was attracting an enormous number of tourists who would go there to take photos.
“A lot of dialogue is needed to find alternative solutions between the local community and tourism. There is a saying that says that a city is good for tourism when it is good for the local resident. That’s why they need to be a part of the discussions,” says Jeanine.
Sources: BBC, O Globo, InfoMoney and G1.
