Furešti, ahoj, arrivederci, goodbye, auf Wiedersehen!

T thousands of protesters took to the streets of Barcelona in the second week of July in resistance to mass tourism in Spain, with similar protests occurring in the Canary Islands and Mallorca due to the impact of tourists on the cost of living and quality of life for local residents. Nearly three thousand protesters gathered in Barcelona, who, among other things, sprayed tourists with water to drive them away. While many might not mind being sprayed with water on the beach, the hosts sprayed their guests in restaurants, hotels, and on the streets, carrying banners with a clear message: ‘Tourists go home!’

Economic monoculture

Not only Catalans are protesting; the Japanese, in a show of resistance, erected a massive barrier a few months ago that blocks the view of Mount Fuji, an essential photo spot for all tourists due to the magnificent cherry trees that stretch at its foot. They blocked the view due to tourists leaving trash, polluting the environment, and ignoring regulations. Japan recorded a record three million foreign tourists in March, and this was the fourth protest against mass tourism there. While some protest, others have decided to regulate the influx of tourists; for example, Venice introduced an entry fee to the city during peak periods starting in January. The scheme does not apply to guests who ‘stay overnight in the city’, i.e., pay for accommodation, local residents, or people who travel to Venice daily for work.

All these side effects of mass tourism or overtourism were commented on by Josip Mikulić, a regular professor at the Department of Tourism at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb.

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Josip Mikulić

foto Dražen Lapić

—– To begin with, it should be said that resistance is still concentrated on a few mega-popular destinations and that this resistance is still relatively benign. Although tourists who are ‘attacked’ with water guns as in Barcelona or those who see graffiti saying ‘Go home, tourists!’ after getting off the plane may perceive it differently. Resistance to tourists is not a new phenomenon; it has existed before, e.g., in party destinations like Mallorca or Zrće, and in destinations that are occasionally overwhelmed by tourists whose numbers periodically far exceed the number of local residents. Often, these are destinations that have undergone significant social and economic transformation, cultivating economic monoculture due to rapid capacity growth, especially in short-term rental apartments, where part of the population increasingly realizes that they do not benefit directly from tourism but face significant negative consequences, such as reduced housing affordability, rising prices, and the inability to use public services during peak times and, let’s say, lead a normal life. This has happened before, but through years of uncontrolled sharing economy,’Airbnb-ization’, it has taken on new dimensions – explains Professor Mikulić.

The misery of mega-popularity

Nina Marić, director and owner of Oltre Hospitality Consulting, a consulting firm focused on tourism, also commented on the protests.

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Nina Marić

—– In cities like Venice or Amsterdam, we have experienced similar protests in the past. Specifically, in Venice, they were somewhat more intense when citizens blocked large cruise ships entering their lagoon with their bodies and boats. In Croatia, the loudest protests have come from Dubrovnik and its residents. Over the last decade, complaints about mass tourism leading to overcrowding, straining infrastructure, and increasing living costs through rising real estate prices and basic necessities have become increasingly vocal – added Marić.

And it’s not that we are immune to the mass of tourists; we struggle in several coastal cities, with Dubrovnik certainly facing the most problems due to mass tourism.

The question of responsibility

However, Dubrovnik is specific in terms of Croatia, and Mikulić classified it among mega-popular destinations. This city, explains Mikulić, has an airport, is globally known, and is even more famous than Croatia itself.

– Split may be another such destination in Croatia. Makarska has long been a prime example of over-tourism, but it has shaken off the effects. Besides the process of gentrification, the decline of old city centers due to the disappearance of local residents, as it is more profitable to rent to tourists, housing affordability is the main problem. If a teacher, professor, or doctor can no longer afford housing in these cities, and with the salaries and square meter prices we have, it is difficult unless they have inherited something, these cities do not have a good future. That is,’we will sell’ them to those who can afford it, locals and foreigners, and slowly decline until one day we will regret it. Sometimes it seems to me that we are not even aware of the wealth we have and that we are easily giving our most valuable family silver to tourism, simply because it is a very simple and lucrative business, and we are not inventive enough, turning a blind eye to everything that is not good. That is the price of Croatia’s beauty, which cannot be preserved permanently without regulation. And this has nothing to do with interference in the free market, as some might say; it has to do with common sense and responsibility towards current and future generations if we care about them – explains Mikulić.

A better kind of tourist

And that is precisely why resistance is occurring, as everyone would like to profit from a large number of tourists, yet everyone somehow finds them bothersome, regardless of the reasons for it, which is not surprising because, according to Marić, global travel is becoming increasingly accessible and affordable, and the number of tourists continues to grow.

– Without proper management, the negative impacts on local communities become more pronounced, and destinations become less attractive. Cities that heavily depend on tourism are now dangerously struggling to balance economic benefits with the quality of life for residents, leading to increased tensions and resistance. Therefore, I am sure that more destinations, even in Croatia, will face similar resistance from local populations in the future – claims Marić.

Because in the end, all that local residents want is for tourists to respect their land, which was also one of the banners at the protest in the Canary Islands in April – ‘Tourist: respect my land!’. Protesters in the Canary Islands emphasized that they want a ‘better kind of tourist’, one who respects local culture and nature, rather than one who drinks cheap beer on the beach and then leaves an empty bottle in the sand. This is, of course, nothing new; it is just now noticeable because there are more tourists than ever. ‘Creative’ solutions for mass tourism are coming from all over the world, and the Spaniards, besides loving water guns, have decided to make life difficult for tourists by removing bus routes from Google Maps so they do not board the buses used by locals, creating congestion and disrupting routines. The Balearic Islands, where Ibiza is located, have introduced alcohol restrictions, and Bali has announced new taxes for tourists and has even engaged special police to ensure they behave according to local rules.

Soon also by-laws

Although temporary, these measures could raise awareness that a vacation does not mean behaving like in the wild, but the real question is whether we can somehow cure this, or can we put an end to mass tourism.

– Given its economic importance, abolishing mass tourism is now almost unachievable, especially in some destinations. Tourism generates significant revenue, creates jobs, and stimulates local economies, which we all welcome. Since it is a generator of such prosperity and positive effects, we should not even think about abolishing it, but exclusively about sustainable management. The key is to find a balance that allows tourism without overloading local infrastructure or alienating residents. There are so many positive and successful examples from practice, both from around the world and Europe, from which we in Croatia can learn a lot, and which we can simply copy – says Nina Marić.

Mikulić tells us that Croatia has started moving towards reducing the mass of tourists, and the first steps have been made with the new Tourism Act and by-laws that will soon see the light of day.

Housing strategy

The issues with tourists will be addressed with the first housing strategy of the Republic of Croatia, whatever it may be, says Mikulić, who also notes that the housing problem, partly driven by tourism, is a European problem.

– It is absurd to talk about any development, especially sustainable, if today we do not even know how many tourists can objectively fit into a destination, ensuring that all guests have at least minimal beach space, a place in a café and restaurant, parking, that electricity and water do not fail, and that local residents are satisfied, and not just those who have direct benefits from tourism. By calculating the carrying capacity, we will find out. We in Croatia, like many other destinations around the world, have had a long period of uncontrolled growth, not sustainable development. Primarily, landlords, supermarkets, and fast-food establishments have profited and continue to profit. The gap between those who have and those who do not is widening, and people are moving away. We are increasingly realizing this, and I would say it is still not too late to start slowly regulating and changing some things – says Mikulić.

Be that as it may, there are more tourists than ever, and as much as locals complain, they may not realize, as Marić says, that once a destination begins to decline, it happens very quickly and is almost impossible to prevent.

– There are numerous examples of destinations that have experienced a decline, which are no longer interesting, which are avoided even by those who own property there. Reviving such destinations is a huge and long-term job. To prevent a decline, years of quality investments, meaningful planning, and politically ‘unpopular’ moves are needed. Given the speed of decision-making that generates changes, I would dare to say that we are significantly lagging in Croatia. What can be done now involves drastic decisions that would certainly not enjoy the popularity of citizens, but in the long run would bring benefits – concludes Marić.