4 European cities that are fed up with tourists

Local residents in Europe's top tourist cities are frustrated by the presence of too many tourists, causing noise, polluting the environment, and increasing rental prices in the places where they live.

This frustration has peaked in the summer in major cities such as Barcelona (Spain), Venice (Italy), Dubrovnik (Croatia) and Prague (Czech Republic) due to the increase in regional flights and new tourist services.

There's no denying tourism has boosted the local economy, but so many tourists have left residents frustrated that their neighborhoods are being "turned into Disney-style theme parks."

“Some European destinations are suffering from over-tourism and there is a clear need for appropriate strategies to cope with the overwhelming demand,” said analysts at market research group Euromonitor International.

Here are some European cities that are sick of tourists, according to a compilation from CNN.

Barcelona

Spain's second-largest city welcomed more than 8 million tourists last year. Some locals say the numbers are too high and have taken to the streets in protest. In the Barcelona neighborhood of Barcelonena, residents have put up signs reminding visitors that the area is their home.

The city council has had to pass new regulations to limit hotel construction in the downtown area. Local authorities have also decided to spend the revenue from tourist taxes on public services instead of promoting tourism as before.

Crowds of people at Las Ramblas, Barcelona,.

According to Euromonitor International, tourist arrivals to Spain have increased from 20 million to 77 million in the past five years, and tourism contributed more than 14% to the country's GDP in 2016. As a result, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has been trying to protect the industry. "I don't know if tourists should be warmly welcomed, but it would be absurd to close the door to people who come here to spend money," said Mariano Rajoy.

Spanish officials are now concerned that the recent terrorist attack in Barcelona could scare away many tourists and cause them to avoid traveling there.

Venice

Increased tourism and higher costs are among the factors that have contributed to Venice’s declining population, which is estimated to have fallen by around two-thirds in 50 years. UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has expressed “deep concern” about the impact the tourism boom is having on the historic sites in the ancient, romantic Italian city. Meanwhile, locals have also voiced their disapproval of pollution caused by large cruise ships.

Venice is considered the mecca of love - a place with a strong attraction for couples. Photo: Internet.

To combat the situation, Venice has made efforts to implement a number of plans, such as increasing the number of police in tourist hotspots, limiting the opening of new department stores and the number of new hotel rooms. The city has also launched a campaign in more than 11 languages ​​to instruct tourists on how to behave. Tourists are asked not to litter, not to leave “love locks”, not to walk in swimsuits on the streets or to trample or climb on Venice’s architectural masterpieces.

Dubrovnik

According to the Croatian Statistical Office, Dubrovnik saw a 10% increase in annual tourist arrivals in 2016. This trend was partly fueled by the beautiful city in the southernmost part of Croatia being one of the main settings for the hit TV series Game of Thrones.

Travel to Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik residents are feeling the pinch, especially since seven cruise ships carrying nearly 9,300 tourists arrived in Dubrovnik in a single day recently, prompting the city to issue a congestion warning on pedestrian streets. Not to mention the 25,000 tourists still staying around the city. Local authorities are looking to reduce the number of cruise ships, and they have installed a network of security cameras to manage the flow of tourists.

Prague

Beer culture has made Prague one of the most visited cities on the continent, according to multinational company Mastercard. The Czech Republic's largest city and capital welcomed around 5.8 million tourists last year.

Prague has become one of the most visited cities on the continent.

However, locals seem uncomfortable with their place of residence becoming a popular destination. There have been no major protests so far, but the city government has hired an “anti-conflict” team to patrol the busiest tourist spots and officially ask tourists to respect the “nighttime quiet time” starting at 10 p.m.

According to Thanh Nien Newspaper