‘Tourists Go Home’: Southern Europe pushes back against overtourism
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T3 examines how the backlash is shaping Indian traveller plans.
Thousands of residents in Spain, Italy, and Portugal rallied under the banner of SET alliance - Southern Europe Against Touristification, to voice frustrations over the mounting consequences of mass tourism. Local citizens took to the streets in Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Granada, Malaga, San Sebastian, Lisbon, Venice, Naples, Genoa, Palermo, and Milan, garnering headlines across global media channels. Slogans like “Tourists Go Home” and “Barcelona is not for sale”, echoed through streets, scrawled on walls, and shouted in protest marches.
The movement coincided with major attractions like Louvre Museum in Paris temporarily closing its doors when staff staged a walkout over overwhelming crowds, highlighting how tourism-related tensions have led to residents push back against what they see as the unsustainable commercialisation of their communities.
Asking the travel trade on current traveller sentiments and increasing itinerary preferences for alternative Asian destinations, T3 explores how this unrest is an opportunity more than a threat.
Changing travel mindsets
When it comes to European destinations, it has long been a dream for Indian travellers to visit and tick off experiences they've imagined since childhood, said Aseem Hattangadi, Founder of The Travel Therapist, adding that France, Switzerland, and Spain remain among the easiest countries to secure visa appointments.
“ Rampant rejections irrespective of complete documentation, no benefit of doubt given in case of additional documentation required, delays in processing that results in cancellation of trips or change in trip dates and no reasoning being given for visa rejections,” he pointed out. To make matters worse, destinations like Spain, Italy, and Switzerland have aggressively or passively been protesting against overtourism, despite already imposing tourism taxes through hotels and attractions.
Hattangadi also shared what he heard from his client base. “They will travel, of course, but many have put plans on hold for now, largely due to the uncertainty. They’d rather avoid the unnecessary rigmarole of cancellations, flight delays, changes, ” he said.
Nikita Thadani, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Nik N Ami Travels, noted a shift in the mindset of Indian travellers headed to Europe – they are more cautious yet determined. Countries like Spain and Italy are introducing stricter regulations to tackle overtourism, including higher tourist taxes, caps on visitor numbers, and tighter controls on short-term rentals. But Indian tourists, she said, remain largely undeterred. “They’re adapting - planning trips more carefully, applying for visas in advance, opting for multi-entry visas, and investing in travel insurance to stay flexible,” she explained.
Shifting EU focus
Cities like Barcelona or Venice, are still on the radar, Thadani said, but travellers are now making smarter choices, opting to stay in lesser-known towns nearby or timing their visits during off-peak periods to avoid unrest.
Also, geopolitical tensions, including boycotts of Turkey and Azerbaijan, have redirected Indian travellers toward alternatives like Greece, Egypt, Seychelles, and Morocco. “Despite these challenges, core European destinations like Switzerland, Italy, and France continue to see strong demand. Travellers are increasingly seeking sustainable, experience-rich, and well-organised trips,” she added.
Her other recommendations include Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary as fresh alternatives to Central Europe. She’s also seeing growing interest in Mediterranean cruises, and recommend for travellers seeking variety, luxury, and the convenience of visiting multiple destinations.
Given the mounting visa challenges and uncertainty around European travel, Hattangadi suggested it’s time for trade to pivot. “With plans for Europe either on pause or becoming increasingly difficult to execute, one should make most of it and start selling destinations in the Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific region, and Central Asia,” Hattangadi added. “Like I always say - make hay while the sun shines!”
