The Guardian

Europe's beauty spots plot escape from the too-many-tourists trap

Tourism bosses are testing ways to soothe local anger while keeping the visitors coming
FABIO MUZZI 2012 / Getty Images

The fury rippled across Europe during a summer from hell in 2017. In Barcelona, they held up a tourist bus and slashed bike tyres. In Venice, they marched against the cruise ships and raised rents. In some Spanish cities, the writing was on the wall quite literally, as locals told travellers in the boldest fonts: “Tourists go home.”

So now, with the summer season just around the corner, tourism bosses across Europe are frantically trying to implement new measures that will keep locals happy and economies afloat.

“Someone said there is no overtourism, only undermanagement,” said the World Tourism Organisation secretary general, Zurab Pololikashvili, when asked

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