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Locals Revolt Against Overtourism: 9 Hotspots Begging Visitors to Stay Away
15 Nov
Summary
- Residents in Europe's top tourist destinations protest rising rents, overcrowding, and environmental damage
- Bali's beaches buried in trash as waste management struggles to keep up with tourist influx
- Canary Islands see 50,000 protesters demand action on overtourism's impact on resources and welfare
As of November 15, 2025, a growing number of popular tourist destinations across Europe and Asia are facing a crisis of overtourism, with local residents taking to the streets in protest. In cities like Venice, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands, tens of thousands have rallied against the influx of visitors, which is pricing locals out of their homes and damaging the environment.
In Venice, the city's controversial tourist tax introduced in 2024 has done little to curb the 20 million annual visitors, with locals accusing the government of failing to address the housing crisis. Similarly, Barcelona has seen protesters confront tourists directly, spraying them with water and blocking hotel entrances, as the city of 1.6 million grapples with 12-15 million overnight visitors per year.
The situation is equally dire in Bali, Indonesia, where once-pristine beaches are now buried under piles of trash that the island's waste management systems struggle to handle. The Canary Islands, which hosted over seven times their resident population of 2.2 million in 2023, have seen mass protests of up to 50,000 people demanding action on the damage to their environment and resources.
Locals in these and other destinations are pleading with visitors to reconsider their travel plans, as the very attractions that draw millions are being destroyed by their popularity. Experts warn that the tourism industry as a whole needs to be more proactive in addressing the global crisis of overtourism.
