Most overcrowded European city destinations 2019

The Croatian capital ranked as the worst city for overtourism or mass tourism in Europe in 2019, registering 36 tourists per inhabitant in that year. Meanwhile, the following three cities in the list recorded 21 tourists per inhabitant. Several European cities associated with overtourism have been forced to implement measures to tackle this problem.

What is “overtourism”?

‘Overtourism’ is a term coined by the travel and tourism industry to refer to problems arising from high numbers of tourists concentrated in a destination. Problems can range from environmental, such as the damage high tourism intensity has on the ecology of a destination, to the societal, in the impact that tourism has on local life and the economy.

Sustainable tourism growth

Europe is the most visited region in the world. Although governments recognize travel and tourism’s economic contribution, destinations have been forced to address dissatisfaction among locals and increased pressure on local resources. The United Nations has already developed a plan to achieve sustainable tourism goals worldwide within the next years, including engaging local populations in development and advancing urban infrastructure. Other local initiatives include attempts to reduce the number of large cruise ships at popular port destinations and encouraging visitors to stay in nearby destinations and to contribute to local businesses.