Tourism Overcrowding: Which places in Spain are struggling with an influx of tourists?

Spain, home to a population of 47 million people, anticipates hosting a staggering 85 million tourists in 2023, surpassing the pre-pandemic figures of 2019 by more than a million. Tourism plays a pivotal role in the country's economy, contributing to 61% of its economic growth in 2022 and accounting for 12.2% of its GDP. Nevertheless, this tourist influx is far from evenly distributed across the nation, causing significant strain on many cities and towns.

During peak holiday seasons, these locales find their streets teeming with visitors, leading to soaring rents that squeeze out locals and a noticeable dip in residents' overall quality of life. A comprehensive study by vacation rental search engine Holidu, analyzing places in Europe where tourists outnumber locals, provides valuable insights into the issue of ‘overtourism’. Rather than focusing on the raw number of tourists, Holidu's metrics examine the ratio of tourists to local residents.

Spanish Cities Grappling with Overtourism.
BARCELONA: As anticipated, Barcelona emerges as the Spanish city facing the most severe overtourism challenge. According to Holidu's data, there are 4.8 tourists for every resident of the Catalan capital.

Despite having a population of 1.45 million, Barcelona receives an average of 7 million holidaymakers annually. Remarkably, it ranks 20th in the European overtourism rankings, indicating more severely affected cities across the continent.

SEVILLE: Andalusia's capital claims the second spot among Spanish cities with the highest tourist-to-local ratio, standing at 31st in the European rankings. With two million annual visitors and 695,000 residents, Seville sees approximately three tourists for every "Sevillano".

MADRID: Madrid secures the third position in Spain and the 33rd rank in Europe. The Spanish capital welcomes two tourists per inhabitant, with an annual influx of 5.59 million travellers, even though its inner-city accommodates a population of 2.8 million.

The most overcrowded European cities are Dubrovnik in Croatia with 36 tourists per inhabitant, Venice (Italy), and Bruges (Belgium), both with 21 tourists per inhabitant. Other European destinations grappling with high tourist volumes include Rhodes, Reykjavik, Florence, Heraklion, Amsterdam, Dublin, and Tallinn.

In Spain, there are villages and towns where the number of tourists significantly surpasses the local population, providing a substantial income source for residents but also straining their infrastructure and purchasing power.

Spanish Towns and Villages Overwhelmed by Tourism.
PEÑÍSCOLA: In the town of Peñíscola in the Valencia province, every resident would have to invite 25 friends to provide a sense of the annual tourist influx. With a population of just 7,000 people, Peñíscola receives a staggering 200,000 visitors yearly, making it Spain's most overcrowded tourist destination, according to Holidu's rankings.

ALBARRACÍN: Located in the northern region of Aragón, Albarracín boasts a mere 990 inhabitants but plays host to an astounding 23,119 tourists, equating to 23.35 travellers per inhabitant annually.

SANT LLORENÇ DES CARDASSAR: Situated on the east coast of Mallorca, Sant Llorenç des Cardassar ranks as Spain's third most overcrowded town, with 21.19 tourists per inhabitant. Despite its tiny population of 1,519, the town welcomes 32,184 tourists each year.

OTHER OVERCROWDED DESTINATIONS: The fourth most overcrowded tourist town in Spain can also be found in Aragón, in the town of Sallent de Gállego, Huesca, with 21.19 tourists per resident. Following closely are Salou in Tarragona (16.44 tourists per resident), Mojácar in Almería (16.44 tourists per resident), Cangas de Onís in Asturias (14.57), Benasque in Huesca (14.29), Capdepera in Mallorca (14.06), and Vielha e Mijaran in Lleida (11.88).

The influx of tourists presents both opportunities and challenges for these Spanish destinations, highlighting the delicate balance between economic benefits and the preservation of local culture and quality of life.