Over Tourism

Recently, I’ve been reading stories in news feeds and headlines about crowded European destinations, tourist hatred, Americans going home, and a general dislike for short-term travelers (tourists) taking away from the local economy.  I’ve just wrapped up a 14-week stint in Europe leading tours and poking around a bit on my own.  My adventures have taken me to some out-of-the-way places and some very popular tourist destinations.  Let me share a few insights and personal observations from my travels, where I’ve always felt safe and welcomed.

Americans Go Home

The current polarized political climate in the USA is getting a lot of chatter on both sides of the Atlantic.  From the home front in the USA, I’ve been hearing that Americans are afraid to travel to Europe for fear of being judged and ostracized because of our current administration and politics. I’ve seen online posts and articles relating this as “fact” and even some airlines mentioning a downtick in flight loads to Europe.  Recently, I participated in a focus group with the European Tourism Association (ETOA) and gleaned from experts that this is erroneous information with no facts to back it up.  The consensus of all participating European tour operators is that 2025 is on track to be a banner year, with the best traveler participation since the COVID-19 pandemic. Small tour operators (like me) and large companies agree that this is bogus information, and we can’t figure out why it is making headlines and landing at the top of our newsfeeds.

I’ve recently visited five or six countries in Europe.  I did not see or experience disdain or a negative attitude towards Americans.  No one, not even my European friends, has quizzed or questioned me about our USA politics and thoughts on the current (or recent past) administration.  Yes, everyone knows who Trump and Biden are, but no one cares.

The NATO Summit in the Netherlands was a couple of weeks ago, and all the leaders descended on Schiphol Airport.  I was there, and the big news in Amsterdam was the traffic jams it caused. There was not much more than a minute of coverage on the local and international news outlets about the summit’s outcome and member countries’ agreements.  And this was all on the heels of the USA bombing the Iranian nuclear facilities, which got just slightly more news coverage.

However, I have seen some protests, both in person and online, about the Israel-Palestine conflict.  The news regarding the death and carnage going on in Gaza is much more prevalent in Europe than back home.  The live, in-person, demonstrations I’ve seen have been organized, peaceful, and escorted by the police.  On the other hand, the Europeans have gone wild and gotten out of hand when it comes to winning a football match.  April and May saw some crazy and destructive celebration riots in Lisbon and Paris after the favorite football/soccer teams won championships.

Protesting Short-Term Vacation Rentals

Europeans renting out their homes to tourists is a big problem.  VRBO and Airbnb, the biggest offenders, are coming under fire.  For example, there is a housing shortage in Spain, yet homeowners rent their places to tourists, not locals. Italians despise the lock boxes (for keys) hanging from every street, door knob, and railing.  Venetians are being priced out of their hometown because short term rentals are sucking up housing.  It’s understandable, but if the local governments permit these practices, why blame the tourist for taking advantage of them?  My solution is to support the hotels and forget about renting someone’s apartment.

Over Tourism and Nuisance Tourism

I happen to be in Amsterdam while writing this article, and here, over-tourism is known as “nuisance” tourism.  Simply put, top destinations such as Anne Frank’s House, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Mont Saint Michel, the Vatican Museum, Granada’s Alhambra, and Barcelona’s La Sagrada Familia are all overloaded with tourists almost every day of the year.  Attraction employees are bombarded daily with thousands of visitors, and the local residents have to endure packs of tour groups clogging up their neighborhood streets. However, the management (and ticket-sellers) are not too concerned because they continue to oversell tickets.

I was in Paris last week with a group of students.  These kids have worked and planned for a year for this tour, and now they are here experiencing Europe for themselves.  All went well, we successfully experienced The Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Mont Saint-Michel, Giverny, The Musée d’Orsay, and Versailles with no difficulty.  Yes, there were some crowds, but nothing was clogged and overcrowded.

The Louvre was a different story.  I worried about our reserved entry tickets because there was a recent protest and shutdown at the Louvre due to employees walking out because of overcrowding and understaffing. We arrived early, before the underground Carousel entrance opened, and were some of the first to form a queue. Soon, guards showed up and ushered us through the security check. Then we walked right into the underground pyramid and the ticket checkers.  Booking our tickets months in advance and getting the earliest (9:00 a.m.) entrance time is the way to go! However, by 10:00 a.m., the crowds were terrible and only worsened throughout the day.  Onlookers, photo-takers, and selfie-posers jammed the major art pieces such as Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.  My advice is to go early, go late, or take advantage of the late-night opening hours.

Then there are the museums and attractions that are nigh impossible to pre-book online tickets. These places usually put their tickets on sale only 60 to 90 days in advance, and within minutes of going on sale, they sell out.  Many, like me, believe bots and resellers are waiting daily with bated breath to snatch up as many tickets as possible, leaving the legitimate buyers without a chance.  The worst sites are: the Eiffel Tower, the Alhambra, the Vatican Museum, La Sagrada Familia, the Colosseum in Rome, and Florence’s Uffizi Gallery and Accademia.  My best advice is to hire a local guide and have them get tickets for you.  Or, travel with me and we’ll do all the work for you, ensuring you have a hassle-free experience!

A headline popped up on my Insta, “Rome is Full-Italy Isn’t.”  Is Siri reading my mind?  Because that’s precisely my point.  Yes, you’ve got to see, visit, and experience Europe’s “must-see” destinations.  But for most travelers, the off-the-beaten-path destinations and impromptu experiences make the most vivid and life-changing memories.  I’ve designed thirty tour routes visiting most of Europe. Without exception, all include a well-balanced mix of small towns, unique experiences, outdoor activities, free time, big cities, and the biggie must-see sights. So, yes, “Get out of Rome,” ninety percent of Europe is wide open and waiting for you!