Crowded beaches: Zakynthos fights the onslaught of tourists!

Crowded beaches: Zakynthos fights the onslaught of tourists!

According to a recent study by the British portal Which? has become the most crowded destination in Europe. With a record-breaking ratio of 150 tourists or overnight stays per resident, the Greek island is at the top of the overtourism rankings. The impact of tourism is clearly noticeable, both for the residents and for the island's infrastructure.

Holiday resorts in Zakynthos experience a massive overload of their services during peak season. Residents report rising rent prices and constantly overcrowded traffic in summer. The environment also suffers greatly from the crowds. The overloading of the infrastructure is leading to ever greater challenges for the local population, which have worsened significantly in recent years. This problem does not only occur on Zakynthos, but also affects other European destinations.

General problems caused by overtourism

Overtourism is not only a problem for large cities like Venice and Paris, but also for smaller destinations. A detailed analysis of the impact was published in Which? Travel's study, which took into account three main metrics: the total number of overnight stays, tourist density per square kilometer and the ratio of tourists to residents. These factors illustrate the severity of the situation in the affected regions.

The islands in the Mediterranean region are particularly affected. For example, Istria in Croatia has a ratio of 133,467 tourists per 1,000 inhabitants, while Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands has a ratio of 120:1. These conditions show the extreme strain placed on the infrastructures of these regions.

Cities with the highest tourist density

Interestingly, Paris tops the ranking of cities with the highest tourist density, with an impressive 418,280 visitors per square kilometer. Athens and Copenhagen follow with 88,535 and 63,944 tourists per square kilometer. In contrast, less affected destinations such as Targovishte in Bulgaria with a ratio of 332:1 or Rybnik in Poland with 351:1.

The data from this study is alarming and indicates that overtourism has not only overwhelmed the most attractive destinations in Europe, but is also affecting the living standards of many residents. Authorities are under pressure to find solutions to address these challenges, but so far there has been little progress in many places.

In summary, the increasing number of tourists to Zakynthos and other European destinations shows an urgent need for action. How schwaebische.de and euronews.com report, it is essential that those responsible take measures to sustainably minimize the negative effects of mass tourism.