In Spain, residents are expressing their discontent over the influx of tourists. While the country doesn’t rank among the highest for tourists per capita, with Croatia and Montenegro taking the lead, Dubrovnik is highlighted as a notorious example by Deutche Welle.

When discussing “overtourism,” many immediately think of destinations like Mallorca, Venice, or Barcelona. However, in recent months, citizens in Spain’s major tourist hotspots have taken to the streets, using sometimes drastic measures to protest against the tourists who they claim are encroaching on their living space.

Dubrovnik at the Top

Interestingly, Barcelona does not appear among the top 18 cities listed on the European Lolida portal for tourist visits per capita. Dubrovnik leads this list with 27 tourists per resident, followed closely by Greece’s Rhodes with 26, and Venice in third with 21. Paris only ranks 12th, while Barcelona, a city known for its efforts to control tourist activities, sits at a modest 20th place.

Berlin, where locals have complained of being overwhelmed by tourism, ranks 33rd with a mere 2 tourists per resident.

When considering overnight stays relative to population, the Aegean Sea’s tourist hotspots, particularly the island of Santorini, currently dominate.

Croatia and Montenegro in the Spotlight

As of 2023, Croatia achieved 16.9 million tourists according to the United Nations Tourism data, falling short compared to leading countries like France with 85.2 million, Spain with 66.5 million, the USA at 66.5 million, and Italy with 57.2 million.

However, in terms of tourists per capita, Croatia tops the list with 4.3 visitors per resident, a figure also closely matched by Montenegro. Austria follows with 3.4, and Greece with 3.1 tourists per capita. These high figures are evident in regions with relatively small populations, such as Croatia’s 3.8 million and Montenegro’s 600,000. Other notable small destinations include Monaco, Andorra, and Vatican City.

In contrast, countries like Spain, with about 48 million inhabitants, see only 1.8 tourists per capita. Italy has an equal ratio of 1:1, while Germany, with its 82 million residents, reports no tourists per capita.