How European Travel Hotspots Are Tackling Overtourism

Right at this moment, there is travel chaos around the world, partly due to hundreds of canceled European and other flights, leaving travelers stranded.  However, in the wake of the pandemic, some of the most popular European destinations are concerned about overtourism and how to counteract it. In fact, they are now making plans to reduce the number of visitors and the potential damage caused. Read on to find out if any of the new rules will have an impact on your summer European vacation.

Venice bans cruise ships

It was previously reported that Venice, Italy, has banned cruise ships from the lagoon. However, besides this, the city has long suffered from too many visitors. In the average peak season, the city of 50,000 residents can receive three times this number in daily tourists.

The city came up with the idea of an entry fee for day-trippers of €10 ($10.50). The entry fee was originally planned to start in June 2022; however, it has been postponed until 2023. Overnight visitors are already paying a tourism tax of €5 ($5.25) per night, which is included in their hotel bills.

Amalfi Coast in Italy reducing traffic jams

The Amalfi coast is renowned for its turquoise coves, craggy cliffs and attractive towns. However, it is also known for its dangerously narrow, winding roads and endless traffic queues. The local government has come up with a scheme in the hopes of changing this, using an alternate number plate restriction system.

Basically, during peak hours, in peak season, drivers on the famed 35-km (22-mi) stretch from Vietri sul Mare to Positano will have limited access. If a driver’s license plate ends with an odd number, they will be able to access the road on odd number days. Alternatively, should their number page end in an even number, they will be able to access the road on even days.

The new regulation applies from 10 am to 6 pm on weekends from mid-June through September 2022, and also covers the Easter Holy Week holiday. However, taxis and public buses are exempt from the rule, as are residents of the towns along that stretch of road.

European problems on the Marseille coast

Marseille coast, France [Image by djedj from Pixabay]

The French city of Marseille is also introducing tough new restrictions to protect its beautiful coast from overtourism. From the end of June through August, tourists will need to apply online for a permit to access the popular Sugiton calanque and its beach. In fact, local government is capping numbers at 400 people per day.

Potential visitors can make reservations up to three days in advance through an online QR system. However, bookings close at 6 pm the night before a visit. Reservations are free to visitors but will be checked by a private security company along the coast. Meanwhile, one tourist can book up to eight times during the summer season.

Zacharie Bruyas, head of communication for the Parc National des Calanques spoke about the new reservation system. “We’ve also marked areas to allow the regeneration of nature where the public is not allowed to enter,” he explained.

Barcelona may introduce a tax on cruises

Like Venice, Barcelona suffers from overtourism via the cruise ships mooring on its shores. However, the city is not in a position to ban cruise ships from its major port. This busiest European cruise port saw around 3 million passengers disembark in 2019 to explore the city.

Meanwhile, daily cruise visitor numbers exceed 10,000 for 139 days in the year. As cruise traffic resumes post-pandemic, authorities have proposed a cruise-specific tax to help curb the pollution these huge ships bring. Catalonian Minister of Climate Action, Teresa Jordà has announced that the government will advise details of the new tax “in the coming weeks.”

Mallorca bans football shirts

Staying in Spain, but heading to the Balearic Islands, it turns out Mallorca doesn’t necessarily have a problem with the number of visitors they receive. According to Euronews, their concern relates to the way these visitors behave.

This might sound like discrimination against football fans. However, one of Mallorca’s most popular party districts, Playa de Palma, had to introduce a dress code. They essentially banned tourists wearing football shirts from entering the restaurants. Reportedly, this is part of a wider dress code, designed to discourage drunken bad behavior.

This isn’t the only restriction in the Balearic Islands as existing rules do limit so-called “excess tourism.” For instance, resorts in Magaluf, Playa de Palma and San Antonio in Ibiza have set strict drinking rules. Effectively, all-you-can-drink rules, happy hours and bar crawling have been banned to curb excessive alcohol consumption.