Since pandemic-imposed restrictions have been lifted, Europe has experienced a surge in tourism, with millions of people visiting some of its most attractive destinations, such as Venice, Barcelona or Paris. The large number of visitors has proved to be a challenge for the cities, creating overcrowding and affecting the local population, urban development, and even the natural ecosystems surrounding the urban areas. In a bid to limit this influx, some of Europe’s most popular cities are taking various measures to address the overcrowding and the subsequent social and infrastructural issues. The measures include fines, entrance fees, and time-slot systems to impose some restrictions.
Venice, Italy
In 2022, authorities in Venice announced the introduction of a new time-slot system to control over-tourism, forcing visitors to register in advance and pay an entrance fee in order to be able to visit the historical city. The system would not limit the number of visitors, but the entrance fee would increase should a certain number be reached on a particular day. By the end of the year, however, the authorities have announced that the starting date for the system has been postponed. Recently, UNESCO has recommended that Venice should be added to the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger due to the ‘irreversible’ damage from over-tourism, over-development, and rising sea levels.
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Why Do We Travel?Amsterdam, Netherlands
In July, the municipality of Amsterdam announced a ban on cruise ships entering the city. With more than 100 large-scale sips mooring into the city every day, the cruise ships have become a symbol of the problems brought forth by mass tourism. The measure aims to simultaneously cut down on the number of tourists entering the city, which has reached over 20 million annually, and to align with Amsterdam’s sustainable ambitions by curbing pollution. A 2021 study confirms that the restriction could significantly lower air pollution levels, as one big cruise ship has been found to produce the same level of nitrogen oxides in one day as 30,000 trucks.
Athens, Greece
In a recent announcement, authorities in Greece decided to introduce a time-slot system to reduce overcrowding at one of its most famous historical sites, the Acropolis. With over 17,000 people visiting the site every day, this represents one of the most sought-after attractions in Europe. According to a Greek reporter, the annual number of visitors is expected to exceed 30 million, surpassing the country’s population by more than threefold. The new measures aim to create a safer way of reaching and experiencing the monuments in the conditions of rising temperatures. The time-slot system is accompanied by fast-lane entry points for large groups, electronic ticketing, and measures to provide shade and water for tourists.
Paris, France
The French Ministry of Tourism has announced a nationwide campaign to encourage visitors to discover less popular attractions within the country in an effort to ease the pressure on the most revered sites such as Paris, which expects 37 million tourists this year, or the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey in Normandy. The city of Paris is already grappling with a housing shortage in part due to homeowners preferring high-revenue short-term rentals to tourists over long-term tenants. Attractions set in a natural environment, such as the famed Channel beach of Etretat, also hope to curb the number of visitors, as the influx has proven to trample and erode the cliffs and endanger the natural structures.
