Overtourism

A couple who booked a trip to Barcelona shared their ‘expectations’ of the city, but soon discovered the ‘reality’ was vastly different from what they’d imagined

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia in northeastern parts of Spain, is a popular for Brits looking for a weekend break or a summer escape, thanks to its mix of buzzing city life, Mediterranean coastline, and world-famous architecture. And it’s not only Brits who are drawn to the Spanish city, as it welcomed around 16 million tourists last year alone, a 2.9 per cent rise from 2024.

But officials in the city have warned that tourism levels have resulted in residents being priced out due to the number of homes being converted into holiday lets. In a bid to tackle the problem, the city ramped up its tourism tax in April 2026, with a charge of up to £10.91 (€12.50) per night for holiday rentals, up from £5.45 (€6.25) previously.

Yet this doesn’t appear to have deterred visitors, as countless holidaymakers regularly flock to social media platforms like TikTok to share their experiences in Barcelona.

But many have discovered it’s worlds apart from what they might have imagined. Among them are Lara and Laurens, a Dutch couple who chronicle their travels on TikTok.

In a recent clip, they revealed how their dream vision of Barcelona had been ‘ruined’ because of the sheer amount of roadworks under way during their stay.

The pair kicked off by outlining their ‘expectations’ for the trip. This included soaking up the stunning architecture across the city, enjoying sangrias, and people-watching while strolling along the lively streets.

And Lara went on to reveal the ‘reality’ of a trip to Barcelona, which featured an abundance of roadworks, building sites, and makeshift pedestrian routes flanked by wire fencing, all making way for construction projects taking place on the pavements and roads.

“Would you still visit Barcelona right now?” Lara and Laurens asked viewers in the caption of the video.

Lara wasn’t alone in her observations either, as viewers quickly descended on the comments section to share their own experiences of visiting the beloved Spanish city. “This! And every single water fountain was turned off when we went,” one person shared.

A second viewer chimed in: “Yep! I was there recently and tons of construction going on!” Another added: “Pffff no nice. I hope you can enjoy your travel.”

Not everyone agreed, however, with one person pointing out: “That’s ONE street.” Another echoed the sentiment, writing: “It’s just one street by the market! Everything else is great!”

“I’m here right now. It’s a beautiful city. All cities have construction here and there,” one further commenter remarked.

“How dare cities upgrade their infrastructure while you’re on vacation!” someone else wrote.

Lara was quick to respond, saying: “Haha no it’s great that they’re doing it. It was just a lot on the same time. Still love Barcelona.”

Brits heading to popular Spanish islands this summer may find themselves at the heart of anti-tourism protests, with a pressure group insisting that there will be a “historic turnout”

Spain’s anti-tourism protests could escalate this summer, as pressure group Menys Turisme Més Vida (Less Tourism More Life) announced plans for a major demonstration that it expects to have a “historic turnout”.

The news comes as sites in the Canary Islands have been daubed with anti-tourist graffiti, including reports from local news outlet Canarian Weekly of a ‘kill a tourist’ slogan being spotted in Tenerife. The graffiti was spotted by two expats hiking in Punta del Hidalgo, who then claimed they saw further disturbing graffiti during a walk to Bollullo Beach on the island’s north coast.

In a separate incident last week, five estate agents in Majorca with international names were daubed with graffiti including ‘guilty’ and ‘Guiris out!’ in an overnight attack. Guiri is a derogatory Spanish term used for tourists from Northern Europe.

Menys Turisme Més Vida announced a protest in Palma, a popular destination for Brits on the island of Majorca on July 26, which coincides with the start of the busiest school holiday season. Meanwhile there are protests planned in Menorca on June 13 with a similar anti-tourism sentiment.

In a statement on its website, the group said: “️We consider that the demands expressed during previous mobilisations have been ignored while problems such as the housing access crisis, tourist saturation, the destruction of the territory, the precariousness of living conditions and the pressure on public resources and services continue to worsen.

“Under the slogan ‘Majorca at the limit’, the call aims to once again demonstrate the strength of existing social unrest in the face of an economic model that continues to break tourism records while the living conditions of a growing part of the resident population worsen.”, it added.

The group claims that the protest has the support of 53 social , environmental, trade union, neighbourhood and cultural groups on the island, which sees nearly 13 million tourists annually, with Brits the second-largest percentage after Germany.

Majorca saw protests last June that organisers claim were attended by 30,000 people, although varying reports claim numbers from 5,000 to 8,000. This included reports of some people sitting on terraces being harassed by protestors. Another notable protest took place in Barcelona on June 15, 2025, in which smoke devices were used and tourists soaked with water pistols.

While there have been reports of a tourist slowdown in the Balearics and Canaries, anti-tourism protests do not seem to have a massive impact on visitor numbers. In April, the Canaries saw a drop in visitors of 8.3% compared to the year before, but this meant 1.2 million foreign tourists still visited the islands. It was also the first drop seen on the volcanic archipelago since the pandemic.

Over Easter, the Balearics reported a fall of nearly 20% in in-person tourist spending by card, despite an overall increase in spending across Spain as a whole, suggesting visitors were choosing to spend their money elsewhere.

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When it comes to jetting away after long months of hard work and parenting, the idea of flopping down on a sunlounger in between trips to the all-inclusive buffet or bar is undeniably tempting

All-inclusive hotels and resorts are slowly killing one of the best parts about going away on holiday.

When it comes to jetting away after long months of hard work and parenting, the idea of flopping down on a sunlounger in between trips to the all-inclusive buffet or bar is undeniably tempting.

However, it’s this very action that is threatening something we all love. Food.

A recent poll of 2,000 holidaymakers found that cuisine is the main reason for choosing a holiday destination for 19 percent, with 25 percent even returning to the same place because of it. Nearly four in 10 always research restaurants and dining experiences, and 17 per cent will put together a wish list of foods they want to try.

But according to the responsible travel firm Intrepid, local delicacies, bars and restaurants are under threat because holidaymakers are increasingly staying in all-inclusive resorts run by large multinational companies, rather than exploring and spreading their cash around.

A survey of 2,000 Brits conducted on behalf of Intrepid by Censuswide found:

• 51% won’t travel beyond their accommodation to find authentic food
• 25% eat at a global fast-food chain within 48 hours of arrival
• 55% of Gen Z say they find comfort in familiar brands like McDonald’s and Starbucks when travelling
• Over two-thirds of Brits (67%) admit to packing food from home, with tea bags (32%), the most commonly packed item

Award-winning author, food and travel writer, Yasmin Khan, who collaborated on the research, told the Mirror what we risk losing if we stick to the hotel buffet.

“When a traditional dish disappears, we don’t just lose a recipe; we lose a piece of history and heritage,” she said.

Yamin believes that travellers have a responsibility to support the food cultures that make places distinctive and that “when we choose the safety of the familiar over food rooted in local tradition, we can inadvertently contribute to the loss of irreplaceable flavours, techniques and ingredients.”

“As someone who is a tired mum of a toddler, all-inclusives have their place. But I would push back on this idea that they’re the most affordable way to experience a holiday. While some have good food, the majority of the time you’re divorced from where you’re visiting. It could be anywhere. You feel disconnected,” she continued.

“So many of the local bakeries, or the lovely cake shops, the lovely tapas bars, if people aren’t leaving the hotels, they’re under threat. Some of my favourite meals abroad have been some of the spontaneous ones, you’ve eaten something you’ve not heard of before. I also make a point of asking for local recommendations.”

Intrepid has also partnered with Time Out to launch a series of immersive cookery workshops in London, giving people the chance to cook and experience a selection of the ‘endangered dishes’ firsthand. Tickets are on sale now.

Dan Saladino, author of Eating to Extinction, is concerned that less well-known dishes are being wiped out, in part due to the habits of holidaymakers.

“The research identified three primary threats including environmental loss from climate change, cultural dilution due to overtourism, and the disappearance of traditional artisanal skills. We chose dishes like the New York bagel and sushi from Japan because they are, in culinary terms, global icons, yet most people don’t realise the authentic versions of these are actually on the brink of vanishing due to modern shortcuts and mass-market pressures,” he said.

“Food is the most profound link we have to our history, our land, and our identity, yet we are currently witnessing a global collapse of culinary diversity.”

Noel Josephides, the chairman of family‑owned tour operator Sunvil, believes that all-inclusive hotels don’t just threaten food culture, but the very foundations of the sunny destinations loved by Brits.

He refuses to work with all‑inclusives “on principle” and argues that they suck money out of local communities and funnel it towards large multi‑nationals. Local, independent business owners simply can’t compete with the buying power of the big chains, which encourage holidaymakers to stay on‑site rather than going out into the community to spend their cash.

This is not only a major cause of resentment among locals, but it keeps holidaymakers from truly experiencing the destination they’re in, Mr Josephides argues.

“It’s a product that doesn’t really encourage access to local facilities. We know in places like Cyprus and Greece, restaurants have shut down because of all‑inclusives,” he told the Mirror.

“It is not the way to see a country like Greece, but it is perfect for mass‑market tourism from the company’s perspective. In Corfu, there’s a village called Dassia, which has a big all‑inclusive. If you go to that village, it’s dead. Small hoteliers in Paphos have told me, hundreds of restaurants have closed. It is not the right way to do tourism.”

Brian Carrigan has been travelling to sunny destinations such as Menorca, Grand Canaria, and Marjoca each year for the past quarter of a century. In his mind, the biggest problem is the rise of all‑inclusives.

“They starve the local economy of holiday spending. We have never done all‑inclusive due to the fact that the food is substandard and not as good as a locally prepared meal in a nice restaurant,” Brian said.

When I visited Rhodes in 2023 to see how the island was recovering from wildfires that had evacuated thousands of holidaymakers, a number of independent hoteliers and restaurateurs told me how hard times had come in the past decade. While they cited numerous factors, the biggest one in their minds was the arrival of several large all‑inclusive hotels.

The history of the wrap‑around holiday type stretches back to the 1950s, when Belgian sportsman Gerard Blitz pioneered the concept by using army surplus tents to house visitors in Majorca. He was the founder of Club Med, now one of the biggest travel brands in Europe.

The all‑inclusives of today are much more complex and provide so much more to guests than Mr Blitz’s straw hut village that opened in 1952 in Corfu. When I visited Club Med Tignes, I was amazed by not just the ski‑in, ski‑out nature of the property, but the staff on hand to get kids dressed and ready for a day on the slopes, and the incredible buffet on offer three times a day. We’re not just talking chips and pizza, we’re in the world of raclette, fresh fish, and omelets made to order as you watch on.

While Club Med may no longer be a bargain option, many brands offer such good deals that it’d be financially mad not to go all‑inclusive. At least, from the holidaymaker’s perspective.

According to Responsible Travel, all‑inclusive resorts are “usually owned by an overseas company,” and they “sequester most of the tourists’ cash, leaving little behind in the local community, which is impacted by the presence of the resorts.”

“Holidaymakers also use vast quantities of energy and water (significantly more per person than local people) and create large amounts of waste, which some feel is a high price to pay for little commercial return.”

Harold Goodwin, professor of Responsible Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University, believes all‑inclusives can be forces for good, so long as they work alongside independents, rather than against them. That means building a loyal and skilled local workforce, reducing energy costs and waste, sourcing fresh local produce, and offering an exciting range of sensitively planned excursions.

“An impressive all-inclusive resort can provide employment for local people with a genuine chance of progression – with the right support and training – into managerial roles that are better paid. Indeed, an all-inclusive resort in a developing country could employ far more people locally than several ecolodges ever could,” he told Responsible Travel.

“Notorious for not sourcing locally, there is no reason why a responsible, sustainable all‑inclusive resort cannot support an ‘adopt a farmer’ scheme, or similar – sourcing delicious, fresh, quality produce for its catering needs at a local level.”

The Spanish destination has banned all new holiday rental properties — including houses and villas — as local authorities move to protect struggling residents from being pushed out of their own neighbourhoods

A beloved holiday destination popular with British tourists is cracking down on new holiday rental properties, after they were found to be forcing local residents out of their own communities.

Local politicians in Palma de Majorca are poised to bring in the measure to boost housing availability for hard-pressed residents. New licensed apartment holiday lets have already been prohibited there for several years, and now local politicians are moving forward with a ban on houses and villas.

Local councillor Óscar Fidalgo insisted the move was one that simply had to be made. He described it as proportionate and fair, adding that it should have been implemented sooner in order to protect those living on the island from spiking property prices.

He was openly critical of holiday rentals growing ‘like never before’, and warned that they were causing integration issues between tourists and locals.

According to Majorca Daily Bulletin, Fidalgo said: “The expansion of tourist accommodation reduces the available residential supply and makes it harder to access housing. The current model presents problems of legal certainty and complicates inspections, which allows for fraud. More inspection capacity is needed.

“There are also urban sustainability reasons. It affects neighbourhood coexistence. We must protect neighbourhoods and prevent the displacement of residents.”

A town hall technical report concluded that the Spanish holiday hotspot is unsuitable for the opening of new holiday rental properties.

In April this year, more than 8,000 illegal Airbnb listings in Majorca were removed from the website, totaling a withdrawal of more than 40,000 illegal tourist beds.

The move was part of a coordinated effort between Airbnb and the Spanish authorities to reduce the number of active rental properties.

The fines for running an unlicensed holiday let in Palma de Majorca are steep. Landlords face fines of up to €40,000 (£34,700) and the government has employed a group of inspectors to ensure compliance. There is also an online reporting system for the public to report suspected rule-breakers to the authorities.

Nearly a third of tourists visiting Spain opt to stay in short-term rentals. The number of homes listed for holiday rentals in May dropped 6% from the previous summer to 1.43 million, after regulations were tightened to ease the housing crisis, data from the National Statistics Institute showed.

According to campaign group Affordable Majorca, since 2013, rents in Palma have increased by a whopping 40%.

Approximately 2.3 to 3.6 million British tourists visit Mallorca each year. The UK consistently ranks as the second-largest source of international visitors to the island, making up about 20% to 26% of all tourist traffic, trailing just behind Germany, according to Road Genius.

The decision in Palma de Majorca comes as another holiday island has also cracked down on beach regulations, banning nearly 700 loungers. Authorities imposed the ban on Formentera in the Balearics, effective immediately until 2029. A further 339 parasols have also been ordered to be removed from beaches.

GREECE has slapped a sunbed ban on 251 of its beaches meaning tourists will have to ditch the loungers for a simple towel.

The rule aims to limit overtourism on the beaches as well as tourist developments, such as hotels and sunbeds for hire, to keep the beaches in their natural state.

So for tourists heading to the 251 beaches on the list, they’ll need to stick to either a towel or just sitting on the sand.

And some spots have even stricter rules – on beaches that are part of the Natura 2000 programme, you won’t see hotels cordoning off areas as a ‘private beach’ section, instead they will be open to everyone.

There will also be no changes to how the beach looks, so no concrete piers, sea walls or paved paths.

Essentially, anything that messes with the natural state of the beach, is not allowed.

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So, if you want a beach bar and to rent an umbrella, you’ll need to head elsewhere.

A release from the Greek Environment Ministry stated that the ban “seeks to effectively protect beaches that have particular aesthetic, geomorphological or ecological value, as well as to preserve the types of habitats and the species of flora and fauna found on these beaches”.

The Ministry added: “In particular, the number of shorelines and beaches within areas included in the National List of Areas of the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 is increasing and in which the granting of simple use, as well as any other action that may endanger their morphology and their integrity in terms of their ecological functions, is now prohibited.”

The ban follows Greek authorities dealing with a number of incidents in recent months on the protected beaches.

According to local reports, riot police recently took down a number of shacks on the island of Gavdos, just south of Crete.

One of the beaches included on the list is Elafonissi Beach found on the southwest coast of Greece as it is a protected Natura 2000 nature reserve.

Its not the easiest to get to – visitors must head across a shallow lagoon.

It was named the second best beach in the world by TripAdvisor‘s Travellers‘ Choice Awards Best of the Best 2026 and also 15th best in Europe in the World’s Best Beaches 2025 awards.

The beach is known for its pink sand, which gets its colour from crushed seashells – though removing any of the shells or sand is forbidden.

One recent visitor said: “One of the most beautiful natural paradises in the world.”

Other beaches include Kalamaki Beach near Athens, Tobruk Beach near Heraklion and several beaches on the island of Samos.

If you are heading to Greece and are not sure what beaches the ban applies to, download the Gov.gr MyCoast app, where you can see a map of all the 251 beaches.

If you are thinking of going on holiday to Greece, there’s one city that’s better in spring with funiculars, sunset rooftops and wine tastings.

Plus, there’s a stunning Greek island that will pay you to move there and give you a house.

First, it was Barcelona, Venice and Dubrovnik. Now, Florence has joined the most overtouristed destinations in the world: its 365,000 inhabitants shared their city last year with 4.6 million visitors. The director of the city’s Accademia gallery – home to Michelangelo’s David – talked in 2024 about “hit and run” tourism, describing visitors “on a quick in-and-out mission to take selfies … trampling the city without contributing anything”. Local author Margherita Calderoni describes Via Camillo Cavour, a street leading to the Duomo, as a “rancid soup” of chain restaurants and “shops selling plastic trinkets from who knows where”.

Tourists visiting this holiday hotspot may find it harder to book a hotel room in the future as local authorities are seeking to freeze new hotel licences in a bid to tackle tourist numbers

A European tourist hotspot that’s popular with Brits is eyeing plans to tackle overtourism, including potentially putting a freeze on the opening of new hotels.

The mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, is desperate for his city not to become too overcrowded and overwhelmed by tourists. Haris previously oversaw a ban on new permits for short-term rentals such as Airbnbs in three neighbourhoods in central Athens.

Now, he has told Euronews that he wants to avoid the city becoming like other crowded spots. He said: “We really need to see if and how many more hotels we need and where. We need to see and think about how much extra tourist load we can lift and where.

“We must not become Barcelona. We have to understand that there are saturated areas that cannot afford new beds: whether short-term rentals or not. Talking at events around the globe, we see that capping is not only being put on short-term rentals but also on hotels; in specific, ‘saturated’ areas.”

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Across the Attica region, where Athens is located, there are 68,934 rental apartments, nearly half of which are found in the city center. Across Greece, tourist demand has seen a huge increase in the amount of accommodation available, with 450 new four- and five-star hotels opening between 2019 and 2024.

Should Athens enact the ban, it would join cities including Barcelona and Amsterdam, which already have similar initiatives to tackle the issue of overtourism.

Evgenios Vassilikos, President of the Athens – Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association – spoke at the same event. He argued that there needed to be a careful planning process when it comes to expanding the number of hotel beds and short-term rentals.

He said: “There are practices abroad which have been implemented. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. The example I gave is that in Barcelona they have completely banned short-term rentals from 2028 and from 2017 onwards no new hotel licences are being issued. So there are, therefore, these restrictions abroad. We will possibly have to see in Athens what we want in terms of where we want to be in 10 to 15 years. “

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He added: “We will definitely need hotel beds there. How many will these be? How many will be five-star, how many four-star, etc. There has to be a specific plan. And of course that drags in all kinds of beds, meaning non-primary tourist accommodation and short-term rentals.”

Athens has become the most popular tourist destination in Greece with about 12 million international arrivals in 2025. This included around 4.5 million British tourists, up from 3.5 million in 2019. The Acropolis alone receives millions of visitors a year, and at peak times can see over 17,000 visitors a day.

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