Can Europe Travel Light? New Approaches to the Overtourism Crisis

After last year’s anti-tourism protests made global headlines, the tensions are back this summer — but so are fresh ideas to fix the system.

In 2025, overtourism remains a flashpoint across Europe. The Canary Islands have already seen thousands protest mass tourism this year, and more demonstrations are expected across southern Europe in the coming months. Rising housing costs, overcrowded cities, and unruly traveller behaviour have reignited public frustration — echoing scenes from last summer.

Change in tourism tends to move slowly. Solutions often require collaboration between governments, tourism boards, businesses, and communities. But this year, signs of meaningful progress are beginning to surface. Across the continent, new initiatives are emerging to rebalance tourism with local needs — and to address the mounting environmental, social, and economic strains.

Meanwhile, travellers are becoming more aware of their impact, and communities are demanding more responsible tourism policies. Here’s how three European destinations are tackling the issue with practical, innovative approaches.

Switzerland: Greener travel and smarter taxes
Switzerland, already known for its pristine landscapes, is doubling down on sustainability. This year, its entire national train network will run on hydroelectric power as part of the “Swisstainable” strategy — designed to spread tourism more evenly throughout the country and year-round.

With its glaciers receding and ski seasons threatened by climate change, the country is investing heavily in public transport, offering some of the world’s most accessible mountain railways. Travellers booking sustainability-certified Swisstainable hotels receive discounts of up to 33% on public transport — a strong nudge toward greener travel.

Marketing efforts featuring tennis star Roger Federer promote off-season travel, showcasing Switzerland’s appeal beyond ski resorts and summer trails. Seasonal hotels and ski lifts are also extending their operational periods to support year-round tourism.

Although Switzerland doesn't rank among Europe's top overtourism hotspots — with islands like Zante and Fuerteventura topping the list — it faces pressure in scenic spots like Lauterbrunnen and Lake Brienz, both popular on Instagram and film sets.

To manage the influx, Switzerland has introduced a CHF5 (£4.50) tourism tax for visiting iconic locations featured in popular media, with proceeds funding local infrastructure. New park-and-ride systems, such as the car park outside Lauterbrunnen, link tourists to town centres by train, easing congestion on narrow roads.

The message is clear: travel by train, visit in the shoulder seasons, and expect to pay more at the most popular spots.

Spain: Steering tourists with smart data
Spain, Europe’s second-most visited country and a top choice for British tourists, remains at the centre of the overtourism debate. In 2024, concerns intensified around hotspots like the Canary and Balearic Islands — and authorities have started acting decisively.

This year, Spain moved to shut down nearly 66,000 unregulated Airbnb listings and scaled back influencer-led social media campaigns that funnel visitors to small, overburdened beaches.

“We’re leading with smart technology,” said Jessica Harvey, press officer at the Spanish Tourist Office. Spain’s new digital platform monitors real-time beach crowding, air quality, sea temperatures, and jellyfish presence — data that’s shared with hotels and tourist offices via a Smart Destinations app. The aim is to guide tourists away from saturated sites and help travel operators plan more responsibly.

The government is also working to redistribute tourism beyond the usual hotspots. Currently, five regions — the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Valencia, Catalonia, and Andalucia — receive 85% of all visitors. New efforts are being made to highlight lesser-known regions, while tax incentives encourage longer, less disruptive stays.

Spain’s state-owned Paradores hotel chain is also part of the solution, restoring historic buildings like castles and manor houses into boutique stays to draw culture-focused visitors inland.

“We want everyone to feel welcome,” said Harvey. “But we need a tourism model that works long-term.”

Berlin: Incentivising eco-conscious tourists
Following the success of Copenhagen’s “CopenPay” in 2024 — which rewards sustainable traveller behaviour — Berlin is launching its own initiative to encourage low-impact tourism.

“We want to make sustainability attractive,” said Sabine Wendt, CEO of visitBerlin. Plans include offering free tours, discounts, or attraction tickets to visitors who participate in community cleanups or planting initiatives.

The city is also promoting green travel via a growing list of eco-hotels, bike-friendly routes, and “15-minute city” concepts — where guests have everything they need within a short walk or cycle from their accommodation, reducing transport needs and supporting local businesses.

Berlin's campaign uses social media influencers to highlight the benefits of sustainable choices, aiming to shift attitudes and inspire behavioural change.

But what about air travel and cruises?
Despite these progressive steps, two major challenges remain: air travel and cruise ships. Even the most well-designed local strategies struggle to counterbalance the carbon footprint and pressure from growing numbers of tourists arriving by plane or sea.

Without meaningful limits on tourist numbers, or changes in how people travel to Europe’s top destinations, overtourism will remain an unresolved issue — and protests are likely to continue.

“There will be more anti-tourism protests in Spain this summer,” said Harvey. “These movements aren’t about hostility toward tourists — they’re about protecting local quality of life. We need to communicate that clearly.”

So can Europe beat overtourism?
Not overnight. But the seeds of change are being planted — and if communities, travellers, and authorities keep working together, a more balanced future may yet be possible.