In 2024, Europe had over 747 million international tourists. This is much more than the 416 million in 2005. Many people in cities like Barcelona, Lisbon, and Naples are unhappy. They say too many tourists are causing problems. They call this 'touristification'.
Sandra Carvão from UN Tourism says more people are traveling because they have more money, flights are cheaper, and crossing borders is easier. Between 2019 and 2024, tourist numbers grew by 18.1% in Portugal, 12.3% in Spain, and 12.2% in France. But in Italy, tourist numbers fell by 10.5%.
Tourism creates many jobs, especially for women. More than 80% of tourism businesses are small or medium-sized. In 2023, Spain earned €80 billion from tourists. France earned €61 billion, Italy €47 billion, and Portugal €23 billion.
But tourism also causes problems. Cities are crowded, traffic is bad, and rents are high. Short-term rentals make property prices go up. Between 2015 and 2023, house prices in the EU rose by 48%. Hungary had the biggest increase (+172.5%), and Finland the smallest (+5%).
Some cities are taking action. Amsterdam stopped building new hotels. Dubrovnik limits the number of cruise ships. Experts say technology can help manage tourist numbers. Tourists can also help by visiting less crowded places. Right now, 42% of tourists visit only 10 countries.