Europe's Popular Holiday Destinations Overwhelmed by Tourists Despite Anti-Tourism Protests

Europe's most famous holiday hotspots are busier than ever this week - despite anti-tourism protests taking place across the continent. Images show swarms of holidaymakers packed shoulder-to-shoulder and forming huge queues waiting for trains and buses in some of the most beautiful destinations in Italy and Greece.

In the Italian village of Varenna - famed for its tiny streets and colourful facades of houses - Brits have complained of crowds so dense they were barely able to reach down to take their phones out of their pockets. Meanwhile, footage from the Greek island of Santorini - adored by influencers for its breathtaking sunsets and views across the Mediterranean- show thousands of people inching along narrow streets with barely enough room to pass each other.

It comes as Europe struggles to cope with a recent surge in tourism - with some areas being forced to introduce special measures in an attempt to combat the problem. Disappointed sunseekers have taken to social media to share how their dream holiday didn't quite match reality.

Europe is groaning under a tourism surge. Shocking footage reveal the extent of the crisis, with some streets so crowded that tourists are forced to shuffle shoulder-to-shoulder just to move. Sunseekers in Greece and Italy have taken to social media to express how their expectations for the destinations were very different from the reality.

Some areas have introduced special measures in an attempt to crackdown on overcrowding. Portofino has banned walking barefoot, picnics, and drinking booze on the streets among a swathe of other prohibitions. Tourists risk being fined for carrying out a variety of actions typically enjoyed abroad. The goal of the latest crackdown is to protect the 'peace and quiet of residents and tourists' in the exclusive coastal resort which brings in up to 100,000 tourists during peak season - despite the town only having a population of 400.

Meanwhile, Spain's Balearic Islands have stopped using influencers to promote holiday hotspots and warned that 'selfie tourism' is ruining the region's most beautiful beaches. The move comes a year after jeering Mallorcan protestors descended on an Instagram-famous beach and blocked visitors from entering in a bid to combat mass tourism.

As Covid-19 restrictions lifted in recent years across Europe, tourism has returned close to the levels seen before the pandemic - but some locals have had enough. This return to normalcy seen a rise in anti-tourism sentiment amongst locals living in the continent's travel hotspots, many of whom are urging officials to implement measures that limit the influx of visitors.

Complaints range from a lack of affordable housing for locals (with dwellings instead being used as holiday accommodation), vast crowds making cities and towns unbearable during the busiest months, or simply the wrong type of tourists. While residents understand that tourism is vital for local economies, patience is wearing thin, and although such tensions have always existed between locals and visitors, this appears to have become particularly pronounced in recent years.

According to the source: Daily Mail.