Europe’s most unwelcoming destinations have been named, including much-loved Brit holiday hotspots.
From protests in Barcelona, Spain, where tourists were squirted with water by protestors, to the ‘Stay Away’ campaign in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Europe has recently experienced its fair share of events that make tourists feel unwelcome.
The feeling of not being wanted somewhere is shared across many European destinations. Karta has shared its list of the destinations urging Brits to avoid them this summer.
Majorca, Spain
One of the destinations urging tourists to stay away this summer is a Brit favourite – Majorca in Spain. Over the past year, anti-tourism demonstrations have been frequent. In May 2024, over 100,000 people marched in Palma de Majorca to protest that tourism was having a negative impact on affordable housing. Later, in June, protesters occupied St Rapita Beach and Caló des Moro Cove, urging tourists to leave.
Similar protests have also been seen in Ibiza, and Menorca, where locals chained up some streets to keep visitors out between 8pm and 11am.
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona has long been popular with tourists. However, unrest in the city has also been going on for several years now. Back in 2017, masked men attacked a tour bus by slashing its tires and spray-painting it with graffiti.
Anti-tourism protests have also been common, and often include campaigns regarding affordable housing for locals. Recently, the city announced that it will impose a number of restrictions on short-term rentals. In addition, the Mayor, Jaume Collboni, revealed plans to eliminate all tourist apartments by 2029.
Last year, a protest that saw tourists squirted with water pistols hit news outlets worldwide, signifying it is one of the most unwelcoming places to visit during peak season.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Anti-tourism sentiment in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has been most evident through the city’s ‘Stay Away’ campaign which was launched last March.
The online campaign targeted Brits who were searching for party locations in Amsterdam. A video, which was a part of the campaign, showed young, drunk men being arrested or fined for bad behaviour. The message was clear — Amsterdam did not want drunken, partying tourists.
Amsterdam is also planning to ban cruise ships from docking in the city by 2035, emphasising the city’s efforts to deter tourists of all types.
Venice, Italy
The Venice tourist tax is arguably the most documented to date. In April 2024, Venice introduced a €5 (£4.19) fee for day-trippers and on the first day, protesters marched through the narrow streets holding banners like “Welcome to Veniceland” and “No to the ticket”, reports Karta.
This wasn’t the first controversy regarding tourist regulations in the city. Back in 2021, cruise ships were banned from socking in the city centre and in 2018, a campaign named ‘#Enjoy, Respect Venezia’ involved wardens patrolling streets. Whilst tourists are unlikely to face direct hostility, locals are pushing to protect the city’s remaining peaceful areas.
Split, Croatia
Split in Croatia has also taken steps to combat antisocial behaviour from tourists. Following an increase in visitors last summer, signs to prevent urination, climbing on monuments, jumping on fountains and sleeping in public areas have become more prevalent — threatening fines of up to €300 (£251.24).
In addition, vomiting in public spaces could result in a €150 (£125.62) fine. Perhaps the most unwelcoming sign is the presence of private security, who patrol the streets between 10pm and 4am. In Dubrovnik, authorities have also limited the number of cruise ships that can dock in the city centre.
Tenerife, Spain
Another British holiday destination favourite — Tenerife — has experienced an increasing amount of graffiti on buildings across the island, with phrases like “Your paradise, our hell” and “Tourists go home”.
A mass demonstration in April last year, saw thousands of protesters marching under the banner “The Canary Islands have a limit”. The protest, and subsequent ones, have focused on how mass tourism is impacting island life, including water shortages, traffic, a housing crisis and damage to the local environment and historical attractions.
Whilst the islands have attempted to emphasise that they are not against tourism, but instead are wanting a better model of tourism, unrest is evident when visiting.
Santorini, Greece
Santorini, in Greece, has also experienced a rise in complaints for residents. The rise in tourists to the island has made affordable housing scarce and despite the islands population being only 15,000, the number of that rises to over two million each summer.
Local authorities have also capped the number of cruise ships that can dock at the islands — despite this, 800 still visited last year. Whilst most of the anger is directed at the authorities, there is growing discontent on the island towards tourists.
Capri, Italy
Although coverage of tourism issues in Capri, Italy, have not been as prominent as other destinations, during peak season up to 16,000 tourists visit Capri daily, outnumbering its 12,900 residents.
Capri also has an entry fee, which this year it doubled from €2.50 (£2.09) to €5 (£4.19), which is payable when boarding a ferry from Naples or Sorrento, from April through October. There has also been a growing resentment towards Airbnb rental apartments.
Provence, France
Provence, in France, is another destination that has not been as widely reported on as some other European locations. However, actions have been made to deter tourists, including plans to manage tourist numbers in the country’s most popular sports to protect the environment and residents’ livelihoods.
For example, a cap of 400 daily visitors to Sugiton coves in Marseille’s Calanques National Park has been implemented. The Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region has also partnered with an app called Waze to suggest to tourists that they visit at less busy periods.
Corfu, Greece
Unlike Santorini, Corfu in Greece has not experienced the same level of overtourism. However, the island still faces over 1.5 million tourists arriving by air each summer, along with tens of thousands of cruise ship passengers. There have also been some protests in Corfu, which have been directed at specific projects such as the Erimitis development.
