The protests in Spain will expand if European officials fail to address the negative effects of mass tourism on residents’ lives, UNESCO’s Peter Debrine told “Squawk Box Asia” on Monday.
“It’s turning into a very volatile situation,” said UNESCO’s senior project manager for sustainable tourism. “Civil society coming in and trying to make change is very important, because at the end of the day, these are elected officials, so they have to respond … to what the people of their cities want.”
He mentioned it ban on large cruise ships in Venice, Italy in 2021 as an example.
“People took to the streets on this issue,” he said. “Cruise ships no longer go through the Grand Canal.”
Measures that work?
Cruise ships now dock further away from Venice, which helps the structural and environmental integrity of the city.
But ship passengers still flow into its narrow passages by the thousands. Venice is expected to attract around 540,000 cruise passengers this year, a 9% increase from 2023, according to the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority.
In an effort to reduce crowds, Venice implemented a 5-euro ($5.45) tourist tax on peak days this year — a measure that, so far, has not worked, it said Euronews.
Like Venice, Barcelona residents have long struggled with their city’s global popularity. Every year, the number of people who say tourism benefits the city falls, while the number who think it is harmful rises, according to a 2023 survey of Barcelona residents by the City Council.
“In Barcelona … they really crossed a line,” Debrine said. But “there are solutions.”
Quality over quantity tourism.
The interests of locals and travelers must be rebalanced, Debrine said.
A city dealing with too many travelers can push for “quality over quantity” tourism — that is, prioritizing high-spending travelers over mass tourists, he said.
The strategy gained traction during the Covid-19 pandemic, when security and staffing concerns led destinations around the world to euphemistically announce an all-out push for fewer luxury travelers, rather than many budget travelers.
“Quality” travelers also help correct another problem: tourists behaving badly.
“With residents, it’s not just the numbers, it’s how people behave,” Debrine told CNBC. Spaniards have been complaining for years about tourists drinking too much, littering, fighting and even he runs naked in the streets.
Debrine said Amsterdam is exploring policies to change behaviors like these.
As well as cracking down on coach buses, tourist shops, new hotels and short-term rentals, the Dutch capital has launched a travel campaign in 2023, telling some visitors – specifically young, male British tourists – to “stay away” if they travel. into town for drugs or partying.
Call for “dedevelopment of tourism”
Citizens’ groups are calling on Barcelona officials to implement a series of policies aimed at establishing “de-development tourism” — namely, higher tourist taxes, limits on cruise ships and restrictions on short-term residential rentals.
But travelers also play a role in curbing mass tourism, Debrine said.
“We need to be more conscious of our travel decisions,” he said, suggesting the concept of “mirror cities” as one method.
“There is a beautiful town south of Barcelona called Tarragona. It has a lot of great cultural attractions,” he said. “Similar to Barcelona, it has a beautiful beach.”
But unlike Barcelona, he said, “it could benefit from more tourism.”
