Last year 10,000 residents of Palma de Mallorca complained to their government about the negative impact of tourism by signing a petition calling for a curb on mega-cruise ships visiting the port. They are following similar protests around Europe from residents in Amsterdam, Venice and Barcelona angry with over-tourism and the problems it is creating in their cities.

In 2020 Engage is choosing the theme of tourism and it’s impact on residents as the subject for our seminar series next year. We are currently in conversation with city leaders about how we will formulate the seminars. Let us know what you think should be included in the debate. How does tourism impact on your life? Do you have any health and well-being concerns for now or in the future?

You can listen to a fascinating programme on BBC Radio 4 A Point of View broadcast on Sunday 28th July 2019 entitled: Leaving Florence – Sarah Dunant on the tourist overload that’s led her to abandon her beloved city of Florence.

Europe:

  • The Guardian 25.01.20 HERE Over-tourism in Europe’s historic cities sparks backlash

You can follow some of the stories from various cities below:

Bruges:

  • The Independent 13.06.19 HERE Bruges cracks down on over tourism to avoid becoming ‘complete Disneyland’
  • The Guardian 16.06.19 HERE ‘It’s getting like Disneyland’: Bruges pulls up drawbridge on tourists

Palma:

  • The Guardian 25.07.19 HERE Mallorca residents call for cruise ship limit of one a day in Palma
  • The Telegraph 16.07.18 HERE Hotels targeted in Majorca as anti-tourist protests hit airport

Barcelona:

  • Forbes 12.07.19 HERE Barcelona is threatening to shut out tourists
  • The Guardian 30.08.18 HERE How tourism is killing Barcelona
  • Independent 09.08.17 HERE Why Barcelona locals really hate tourists

Venice:

  • The Guardian 03.08.19 HERE  Venice asks other ports to help find solution to cruise ship problems
  • The Guardian 30.04.19 HERE Sinking city: how Venice is managing Europe’s worse tourism crisis
  • The Guardian 06.01.19 HERE The death of Venice? City’s battles with tourism and flooding reach crisis level
  • The Guardian 23.07.17 HERE ‘Imagine living with this crap’: tempers in Venice boil over in tourist high season

Amsterdam:

  • CNN 23.05.19 HERE How Amsterdam is fighting back against mass tourism
  • DW.COM 07.03.19 HERE How Amsterdam is fighting mass tourism
  • The Guardian 08.08.18 HERE My Amsterdam is being un-created by mass tourism
  • Independent 23.10.17 HERE Amsterdam has a new solution to overtourism

Prague:

  • The Guardian 25.08.19 HERE The Fall of Prague: ‘Drunk Tourists are acting like they’ve Conquered our City’

Edinburgh:

  • The Guardian 05.01.20 HERE Rebel Alliance ready to put a halt to ‘disneyficatin’ of Edinburgh