Rethinking When And How To Travel

Europe is the continent warming the fastest beneath local weather change, and whereas different components of the world are impacted closely by overtourism, Europe definitely appears to have a few of the most energetic protesters. So what occurs to tourism when each mix?

After one other summer time when Europe was actually on hearth, when France misplaced an space in August higher than the dimensions of Paris to its largest hearth in 75 years, and the place over-tourism protests have been truly organised strategically at a European stage, perhaps it is time to take inventory, to rethink when and the way we journey and take a look at attainable options.

Overtourism Is Reaching Boiling Point in Europe, Literally

Europe is in its shoulder season. Historically, the second when youngsters are again in class, when costs get cheaper, and when the climate turns into extra nice, however more and more, that is the time that folks should journey, as a result of the summers have gotten unbearably scorching in July and August. What enjoyable is the annual vacation if you must be up at six to see the Acropolis earlier than the crowds and warmth hit? Or should you can’t see the seaside resulting from air air pollution from close by wildfires.

In early July, the highest of the Eiffel Tower in Paris was often shut down as the warmth reached virtually 108 levels Fahrenheit (42 levels Celsius). At the identical time, the Washington Post reported “record-setting temperatures across much of the continent” as fires raged throughout Spain, Greece, and Turkey.

Politico highlighted that there may very well be an extra 4,500 deaths over the identical interval resulting from extreme warmth. Indeed, a research in Nature at the start of 2025 masking 854 European cities famous that deaths from warmth would rise sharply within the coming years if “significant climate adaptation is not prioritized.”

In Paris, the world’s most visited museum, on the planet’s most visited metropolis closed its doorways, as workers mentioned they have been overwhelmed. While the Louvre has different points, comparable to water leaks and outdated infrastructure unfit for at the moment’s temperature adjustments, its largest concern is the foot visitors. 20,000 folks a day wish to stand in entrance of the Mona Lisa, and who needs to spend half a day queuing to get in beneath blistering warmth?

Bloomberg stories that one among Europe’s worst spots for overtourism is the Greek island of Zakynthos, which drew 150 occasions extra folks in 2023 than it has residents.

Additional strain comes when holidaymakers do not conform to the norms of the nation they’re visiting, or misbehave in a manner they would not again dwelling. Malaga used the identical advert marketing campaign this summer time as in 2024, asking vacationers to placed on garments and behave higher, and the seaside cities of Les Sables d’Olonne and Arcachon in France have been handing out fines to vacationers strolling the streets when not totally clothed.

Overtourism—Who’s To Blame? Everyone Else!

Overtourism has been attributable to what CNN calls an ideal storm of finances airline and short-term rental proliferation to “create vast new vacation capacity, driving down prices and ushering in a new era of large-scale budget travel.”

Airbnb is commonly seen because the catalyst, but it surely acknowledged publicly over the summer time that it’s merely taking the warmth—that 80% of visitor nights within the EU are in accommodations, not short-stay lodging. Hotels hit again, saying that whereas that could be true, it is not accommodations which might be in direct competitors with the long-term rental market, which Airbnb is. The proliferation of digital nomads arriving in vacationer hubs provides to the strain.

One of the most important points is that the increase in finances journey signifies that folks can journey always of the 12 months, so whereas sure components of the world have at all times been prey to overtourism at sure occasions of the 12 months, it may well now really feel fixed—mockingly, introduced on by local weather change and the necessity to keep away from excessive warmth. Travel’s two largest issues are colliding, head-on, with no obvious winner. It’s not the planet. It’s not the vacationers. And it is not the locals.

The Overtourism Solution Might Be To Cherry-Pick Which Tourists Go Where

It sounds apparent that a part of the issue may very well be solved by visiting totally different locations, however most vacationers certainly make the identical stops.

In summer time 2025, Visit Italy launched its ‘99% of Italy’ marketing campaign, attempting to entice vacationers to the components of Italy that most individuals by no means go to. Other European international locations have lengthy been doing the identical factor. Think France, attempting to encourage the 80% of its guests to someplace aside from the identical 20% of locations, like Paris, Mont St Michel, or the cliffs of Etretat.

Increasingly, cities are aiming to focus on the proper of vacationer for them, with the Netherlands, as an illustration, asking partygoers to remain away. In 2026, Japan is eliminating tax-free purchasing on the level of sale, an enormous driver for some guests, and two-tier pricing will turn into the norm at main vacationer sights; customer costs will probably be 25% greater than these paid by Japanese locals.

It’s main some journey brokers to promote the areas or cities which might be the least visited, however supply one thing just like the gang pleasers. These ‘vacation spot dupes’, as they’re identified within the trade, purpose to switch frenetic Paris with Antwerp or Bruges, though these are nonetheless agency favorites in their very own proper. Intrepid Travel, an organization that provides immersive journeys for small teams, goes one step additional, releasing its 2026 Not Hot checklist, providing ten lesser-known locations for its shoppers. Places like Tiwai Island in Sierra Leone, Kyrgyz Nomad Trail in Kyrgyzstan, and Oulu in Finland.

The irony, in fact, is that these locations turn into ‘found’ and crowds rush in, desperate to expertise the views posted on Instagram or TikTook by early journey adopters. As Bloomberg stories, locations that weren’t that crowded in Europe, comparable to Albania, which has been up-and-coming for the previous few years, now have numerous bundle holidaymakers from the remainder of Europe. When Lisbon grew to become too crowded, folks headed to Porto, which now will get virtually as many individuals.

Overtourism—Are Entry Fees, Bans, Caps The Answer?

The pandemic gave a dry run for the way customer bans may work in precept to save lots of native environments and communities. Now, sure locations are capping vacationer numbers, with Venice’s entry price over summer time 2024 and 2025 probably the most famend, however different locations, like Brittany and Marseille in France, are capping every day guests too. Barcelona, Cannes, and Isafjordur in Iceland are placing in measures in 2026 to cut back the variety of cruise ships allowed to berth within the harbor or absolutely the variety of cruise passengers to disembark. Countries like Spain are engaged on a extra joined-up resolution to overtourism at a better stage.

Ultimately, nevertheless, the reply to overtourism most likely lies in vacationers rethinking their trip plans on the outset.

MORE FROM FORBES

ForbesOvertourism In 2026: Europe’s Major Ports Rein In Cruise TravelBy Alex LedsomForbesDigital Nomad Visa Ranking 2025, Based On New DataBy Alex LedsomForbesHere’s How Retirement Visas For U.S. Expats Compare, Based On New DataBy Alex Ledsom