UNESCO’s Peter DeVrein told “Squawk Box Asia” on Monday that protests in Spain could spread if European officials fail to address the negative impacts of mass tourism on residents’ lives.
“It’s becoming a very unstable situation,” said UNESCO’s senior project officer for sustainable tourism. “It’s very important that civil society comes in and tries to make a difference, because at the end of the day, they are elected officials and they have to respond to what the city residents want.”
He cited the ban on large cruise ships entering Venice, Italy, in 2021 as an example.
“People took to the streets about it,” he said. “Cruise ships are no longer going on the Grand Canal.”
What are effective measures?
Cruise ships now dock further out of Venice, which helps the city’s structural and environmental integrity.
But passengers are still pouring into the narrow passage by the thousands. Venice is expected to host around 540,000 cruise passengers this year, up 9% from 2023, according to the Northern Adriatic Port Authority.
Venice introduced a 5 euro ($5.45) tourist tax during peak season this year in an attempt to reduce the number of tourists, a measure that has so far proved ineffective, according to Euronews.
Like Venice, Barcelona residents have long struggled with their hometown’s global popularity. According to a 2023 survey of Barcelona residents conducted by the Barcelona City Council, the number of people who say tourism is good for the city decreases each year, while the number of those who feel it is harmful increases.
“In Barcelona… they really went overboard,” said DeVryn. But “there is a solution.”
Tourism that values ‘quality over quantity’
Debrecen said the interests of local residents and tourists need to be rebalanced.
He said cities with too many tourists could promote tourism that values ”quality over quantity” – meaning they prioritize big-spending travelers over mass tourists.
The strategy gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic, when destinations around the world made subtle announcements that they would be cutting back on luxury travel in exchange for budget travelers due to safety and staffing concerns.
“Quality” travelers also help solve another problem: badly behaved tourists.
“For the locals, it’s not just the numbers that are the problem, it’s the way people behave,” Debrain told CNBC. Spaniards have complained for years that tourists drink excessively, litter, fight and even run naked through the streets.
Debrein said Amsterdam is exploring policies to change this behavior.
In addition to cracking down on buses, tourist shops, new hotels and short-term rentals, the Dutch capital has launched a travel campaign in 2023 telling some visitors – particularly young British male tourists – to “stay away from Tokyo” if they come to the city for drugs or partying.
Calling for ‘degrowth of tourism’
Citizens’ groups are calling on Barcelona officials to implement a number of policies aimed at “degrowth” tourism: raising tourist taxes, limiting cruise ships and restricting short-term home rentals.
But DeBrain said tourists also play a role in curbing mass tourism.
“We need to be more conscious about our travel decisions,” he said, suggesting the concept of “mirror cities” as one way to do so.
“There is a beautiful city called Tarragona south of Barcelona, which has a lot of great cultural attractions,” he said. “Similar to Barcelona, it has beautiful beaches.”
But unlike Barcelona, ”more tourism could be beneficial”, he said.
