Tourism is essential to the economic survival of many popular destinations but can be a double-edged sword.

Overtourism has caused countless problems for locals and damaged historic and natural sites. These are only some of the negative complications of having too many tourists, and the burden they place on natural resources and the lives of locals. Those from the Canary Islands are the latest to protest overtourism in a bid to save their environment.

The Canary Islands: tourists are destroying the environment

Thousands gathered recently in protest across the Canary Islands, demanding an immediate reassessment of the region's tourism approach and a halt on the influx of visitors. They claim that the old existing tourism model has made life financially difficult and environmentally detrimental for locals.

The demonstrations, organised under the slogan "Canarias tiene un límite" – The Canaries have a limit – enjoy support from environmental organisations such as Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth, and SEO/Birdlife.

“We’ve reached the point where the balance between the use of resources and the welfare of the population here has broken down, especially over the past year,” – Víctor Martín, spokesperson for the collective Canarias se Agota (The Canaries Have Had Enough), which helped to coordinate protests across the eight islands.

The islands welcomed 13.9 million visitors the previous year, while their resident population stood at 2.2 million. Tourism contributes approximately 35% to the archipelago’s GDP, generating €16.9 billion in 2022 alone. However, locals are concerned that the industry is straining natural resources and driving up rental prices, making it difficult for them to afford housing.

Low rainfall has already strained the water supply for locals but local governments are still focussing more on tourism than the needs of the citizens.
In numerous areas across the archipelago, the housing shortage remains dire due to soaring prices, low wages, insufficient public housing, and the persistent cost of living crisis.

Statistics from Spain’s National Statistics Institute reveal that 33.8% of individuals in the Canary Islands face the risk of poverty or social exclusion.

To focus on a sustainable tourism development

The protesters are not against tourism but the government's tourism strategy that is more aligned with the business class rather than the poorer working class. They want studies done to show how much tourism burdens each island so that corrective action can be taken for natural resources to recover. The new revised tourism strategy should thus highlight sustainable tourism development.

Santorini: protecting their donkeys

The striking white architecture of Santorini is a popular feature of Greece. Approximately two million visitors flock to the island each year, in stark contrast to its year-round population of only 10,000. Addressing this imbalance poses a challenge, particularly given the significance of tourism to the island's economy. However, initiatives were introduced in 2019, such as capping cruise passengers at 8,000 per day.

Additionally, the municipality of Santorini committed to improving the working conditions of the island's iconic donkeys, often utilised to transport tourists to areas inaccessible by cars, such as the Karavolades stairs in the town of Fira, which consist of approximately 600 steps. Measures include restricting the weight carried by donkeys and mules and regulating their working hours.

What can tourists do?

Tourists, to minimise their footprint, can consider flying to Santorini and spending longer than a day there because one of the drawbacks is that the local destination doesn’t see any overnight income from those day travellers from cruise ships. In addition to visiting the popular villages, they should go inland to small villages like Pyrgos, Messaria, Exo Gonia, Katherados, and Vothonas. They should skip peak season and travel from April to early June, or from September to November.

Mallorca: limiting short-term rentals

Over the initial six months of 2023, total tourist arrivals reached 7.13 million, representing a notable surge of 10.4%.

Concerns over the environmental impact and the commodification of Mallorca's landscape, environment, and heritage led local advocacy group Ciutat to distribute multilingual flyers at the airport, highlighting the "extreme environmental crisis" attributed to tourism.

Additionally, Tot Inclos (another local advocacy group) notes a spike in housing prices in Palma's Old Town, partly due to the influx of affluent visitors staying in upscale accommodations like the Calatrava Boutique Hotel and the Hotel Can Cera.

A few years ago, authorities revealed a twofold increase in the tourist tax to €4 ($4.64) per person per day, which visitors settle upon checking out of hotels. According to the Balearic's Director of Tourism, these funds are earmarked to "support a sustainable model so that tourism to the islands benefits local communities." In response to a surge in short-term vacation rentals appearing on platforms like Airbnb, the regional government has strictly prohibited some listings.

What can tourists do?

Responsible tourists can opt for off-peak travel (November, December, January, February) rather than high season (July and August). They can also steer clear of all-inclusive resorts and instead opt for local accommodations, purchases, dining, and shopping experiences that benefit residents directly.

Bali: may introduce a tourist tax

Indonesia experienced a significant surge in international visitors in 2017, reaching 13.7 million compared to just 2.2 million in 1990. And numbers have only increased. Notably, over 30% of these visitors flock to Bali. This influx of tourism created a rapid development that has led to congestion and water shortages on the island.

In December 2017 Bali declared a "garbage emergency" due to plastic littering several renowned beaches. Additionally, the crowds of tourists have brought with them a culture of indulgence and extravagance annoying the locals.

The Indonesian government is deliberating the implementation of a tourist tax, signalling a shift from prioritising quantity to emphasising quality in tourism. However, such measures are expected to have ramifications, especially since tourism accounted for approximately 60% of Bali's economic activity before the pandemic.

What can tourists do?

To visit Bali without leaving a nasty tourist footprint, do your research and visit other destinations in the north and east of Bali that are just as beautiful but perhaps not as well-known.

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