Many regions in Europe are groaning under masses of tourists. A data analysis shows which destinations are particularly popular, and which might be lesser-traveled gems.
Statisticians keep close watch on tourist flows.
Illustration Joana Kelén / NZZ
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In many popular destinations this year, the topics of overtourism and mass tourism once again dominated the headlines. Anti-tourist protests continue in Mallorca and Barcelona, and Dubrovnik on Croatia’s Adriatic coast is bursting at the seams every summer. More and more Alpine regions are sounding the alarm as well.
To dig deeper into this issue, the NZZ has analyzed figures from Eurostat, the EU statistics authority, that indicate which regions were the most popular with tourists in 2023. In some cases where data was not yet available, we looked at 2022. Counting the absolute number of overnight stays in hotels, vacation homes, campsites and similar locations, the Antalya region in Turkey is clearly in the lead, with over 100 million overnight stays. But the Adriatic coast, Catalonia and the greater Paris area are also among the top regions, each with 80 to 90 million stays. With around 38 million stays, Austria’s Tyrol region is in the upper middle of the group.
However, when these absolute numbers are assessed in relation to the specific regions’ population size, a different picture emerges. Using this measure, Greece’s Ionian islands and South Aegean region take the lead. The latter even cracked the hundred mark, with over 117 overnight stays per resident in 2023. Croatia’s Adriatic coast remains in the top four both in absolute terms and in stays per resident.
Tyrol also remains a popular vacation region on a per capita basis. However, it is outstripped by Italy’s South Tyrol (also known as the autonomous province of Bolzano), which recorded more than 67 overnight stays per resident, compared to just under 50 in Tyrol, Austria.
Germans are drawn to the Baltic Sea
When looking at the distinction between domestic and foreign tourists, it can be seen that domestic tourism is a particularly important factor in France, Spain and Germany. In addition to the Alps and the Côte d’Azur, French tourists visit their own capital city with particular frequency. For Spanish tourists staying in their own country, Catalonia and Andalusia are the favorite regions.
Among German tourists, the Upper Bavarian Alps, the metropolis of Munich and the Baltic Sea coast are all particularly popular. For those heading to the seaside, the states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania take the top spots. However, it must be borne in mind that these three countries all have large overall populations. Thus, comparisons between individual countries can be drawn to only a limited extent.
International tourists love the Mediterranean
If overnight stays by domestic tourists are relatively evenly distributed, international tourism is much more heavily skewed. A few key destinations clearly dominate here. In this regard, seaside regions are particularly popular, as Europeans still like to spend their long summer vacations in the heat and on the beach.
From Antalya, the Greek islands and Croatia’s Adriatic coast to Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Andalusia, the frontrunners all have sun and sea in common. Among mountain destinations, only Austria’s Tyrol region can keep up with regard to the absolute number of overnight stays by foreign tourists. Venice, Paris and Amsterdam are also visitor magnets, mainly attracting classic city-loving tourists.
The Swiss love vacationing in Ticino
The number of overnight stays by foreign tourists per resident is the best indicator of what many consider to be one of the most visible effects of tourism – that is, hardly any locals to be seen, but lots of foreigners. Islands in the Mediterranean are particularly prone to this situation. In the South Aegean islands, there are 108 overnight stays by foreign tourists each year for every island resident. On the Balearic Islands this figure is 51, while in Tyrol it is 45, and in Italy’s province of South Tyrol, it is almost 48 overnight stays per mountain inhabitant.
The rate of domestic tourists per capita is particularly high in sparsely populated regions. In Italy, such regions include South Tyrol and Trento, while the island of Corsica qualifies in France. In Switzerland, Ticino is also well ahead of any rivals, with just under 10 overnight stays by domestic tourists per resident.
However, many regions are well equipped to cope with masses of tourists. Especially in densely populated regions, infrastructure that is also used by the local population is already in place. A look at the numbers of domestic and foreign tourists per resident shows that in many regions of Spain and Italy, popular vacation regions are also population centers. The effects of overtourism are thereby cushioned to some degree.
Few Greeks vacation in Crete
Tourists who want to spend their vacations abroad alongside not only other tourists who have come from far away, but also with people who are relaxing in their own country and know their way around, may want choose one of the green-colored regions as their next destination. These are places in which the majority of vacationers are travelling within their own country. Moreover, none of these areas are major mass-tourism destinations. Visitors may even discover some insider tips there.
Conversely, the purple-colored regions are not necessarily subject to diverse international flows. High numbers of foreign tourists may be due to visitors from just a few countries, or even just a single nation. Moreover, even within a single region, significant local differences may occur. Anyone who has visited Mallorca for the Ballermann – a particularly German form of alcohol-fueled partying – or gone for an après-ski drink in the Alps will be able to confirm this.
Many measures have been put in place aimed at addressing mass tourism and overtourism, as well as the negative consequences. In Mallorca, the Balearic government has imposed a ban on drinking alcohol in public streets. In Venice, the government has begun charging entrance fees for the city. Barcelona is cracking down on the use of apartments for vacation rentals.
Given that tourism is very multifaceted, with both positive and negative consequences, there will probably never be a single solution. Any possible restrictions must always be carefully considered, because tourism remains a important source of income while also producing nerve-racking disruptions for the locals.
Where did you spend your vacation this year? Use the search function below to see whether your impression of the number of tourists in your vacation region matches the statistical values in the table.
Additional contributor: Joana Kelén
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Publish date : 2024-12-23 01:56:00
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