Zakynthos Tourists Outnumber Locals On ‘crammed’ Greek Island Named Most Crowded In Europe, As Residents Warn Of Vanishing Culture And Unbearable Pressure

Published on September 18, 2025

Commentators had been emphasizing that overtourism successful Europe could nary longer beryllium regarded arsenic a short-term seasonal nuisance. As nan summertime of 2023 ended, its consequences crossed Spain, Portugal, and Greece became highly visible. Streets erstwhile defined by local culture, vicinity life, and historical charm were now being dominated by unending flows of tourists.

It was being explained that this imbalance betwixt residents and visitors had started to create friction, not only affecting really locals lived but besides really travelers knowledgeable their trips. Analysts were pointing retired that overtourism had shifted into nan halfway of world debates astir sustainable travel, highlighting it arsenic 1 of nan top challenges facing nan manufacture today.

They referred many times to nan lawsuit of Zakynthos, besides called Zante, to exemplify nan crisis. With conscionable 40,000 residents, nan land had been attempting to accommodate millions of travelers each year. Observers suggested that specified an utmost mismatch betwixt section organization and world request revealed really easy a destination’s taste equilibrium could illness nether overwhelming pressure.

Mounting Pressure Across nan Mediterranean

Reports were circulating that crossed nan Mediterranean, section communities had begun expressing their discontent much visibly. In Barcelona, it was noted that immoderate residents had moreover taken to spraying disruptive visitors pinch h2o guns successful a symbolic protest. In Madrid, ample demonstrations were said to person erupted complete inflated rental prices, which galore blamed connected nan increasing power of short-term vacation rentals.

Similar strains were being reported successful towns and cities crossed Spain, Portugal, and Greece. Residents were described arsenic uncovering it progressively difficult to unrecorded normal regular lives amidst swelling visitant numbers.

A broad study was said to person revealed nan astir affected regions, identifying Zakynthos arsenic nan astir utmost case. It had earned nan title of nan “capital of overtourism,” having recorded astir six cardinal overnight stays successful 2023, contempt its mini resident population. Analysts calculated that this translated to a singular ratio of astir 150 overnight guests for each section inhabitant.

Fresh figures released by Greece’s tourism office indicated that nan problem was only escalating. With a 7.3% summation successful arrivals compared to nan erstwhile year, nan strain connected Zante had continued to intensify. Experts were noting that while nan land was not nan astir visited destination successful Europe by sheer numbers, nan imbalance it suffered was among nan astir severe.

Zante’s Appeal and Its Problems

Observers were describing Zante arsenic a paradox: an land of breathtaking beauty, yet progressively burdened by its ain popularity. Its moonlike beaches, turquoise waters, and nan vibrant nightlife of Laganas were many times cited arsenic irresistible draws for world travelers.

At nan aforesaid time, nan very qualities that erstwhile defined its charm were reportedly being eroded. Many visitors, alternatively of interacting pinch locals, were uncovering themselves surrounded almost exclusively by different tourists. Businesses specified arsenic restaurants, bars, and moreover taste attractions were said to beryllium adjusting almost wholly toward catering for outsiders, often charging inflated prices.

Feedback from travelers illustrated nan problem vividly. Laganas Beach was often described arsenic overcrowded, messy, and moreover polluted pinch cigaret butts, leaving small room for relaxation. Zante Old Town was criticized for its traffic congestion, scarce parking, and streets packed to nan constituent of discomfort. What had erstwhile been appreciated arsenic a taste wealth was now seen arsenic commercialized and chaotic.

Measuring Overtourism

To supply clarity connected what overtourism really meant, nan European Commission was said to person outlined 3 indicators:

• The number of tourist stays per resident (commonly called tourist pressure).
• The total number of overnight stays recorded successful a location.
• The count of overnight stays per quadrate kilometer, which measured density.

When examined nether these criteria, Zakynthos was reported arsenic ranking highest successful tourer pressure, reaching astir 150,000 stays per resident. In position of wide overnight stays, Mallorca led nan database pinch complete 51 cardinal visitors successful 2023, contempt its organization being nether 1 million. Meanwhile, Paris was described arsenic holding nan grounds for density, pinch much than 418,000 stays per quadrate kilometer. Analysts concluded that these figures demonstrated really tourism had grown to predominate definite places almost entirely, leaving constricted abstraction for nan original personality of nan destination.

Escaping nan Crowds: Suggested Alternatives

Specialists were recommending that travelers seeking authenticity and bid should see destinations little overwhelmed by wide tourism. They based on that specified places offered a equilibrium of culture, history, and earthy beauty, without nan suffocating pressures seen successful hotspots for illustration Zante.

Highlighted alternatives included:

• Logroño (Spain): Described arsenic a paradise for nutrient enthusiasts, this municipality was known for its tapas traditions and for serving arsenic a gateway to nan La Rioja vino region. Its medieval streets and nan striking Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Redonda added humanities extent to its culinary charm.
• Skopelos (Greece): Recognized from nan movie Mamma Mia!, nan land was praised for retaining its tranquility owed to limited ferry access. Its highlights included white pebble beaches and nan melodramatic Chapel of Agios Ioannis, perched connected a cliff.
• Estepona (Spain): Tucked on nan Costa del Sol, this municipality was celebrated for its flower-filled squares, accepted streets, and sandy beaches for illustration Playa de la Rada. Despite its location successful a engaged region, it was considered to person preserved its authenticity.
• Naxos (Greece): Known arsenic nan largest land of nan Cyclades, it was lauded for historical landmarks specified arsenic nan Portara, while still offering a consciousness of authenticity absent successful neighboring Mykonos.
• Tavira (Portugal): Nicknamed nan “Venice of nan Algarve”, this riverside municipality mixed historic plazas, relaxed charm, and expansive beaches, offering a unsocial blend of civilization and leisure.

Experts were saying that by choosing specified alternatives, travelers could still bask authentic taste encounters while relieving unit connected destinations already astatine their breaking point.

The Global Impact connected Tourism

Analysts were many times stressing that nan implications of overtourism stretched acold beyond nan Mediterranean. They were portraying it arsenic a turning constituent for nan world tourism industry, 1 that could change traveler expectations, reshape demand, and toggle shape really destinations planned their futures.

They were predicting respective shifts successful world travel:

• A growing liking successful hidden destinations, wherever travelers could flight overwhelming crowds and reconnect pinch authenticity.
• A broader take of sustainable tourism practices, designed not only to protect vulnerable ecosystems but besides to safeguard taste heritage.
• An intensified focus connected organization well-being, ensuring that locals benefited from tourism alternatively than being priced retired aliases displaced.

Commentators believed that if specified changes unfolded, travelers successful nan early would bask much personalized and meaningful journeys. However, for destinations already suffering from excess numbers, nan situation was expected to impact balancing nan economical profits of tourism pinch nan urgent request to preserve taste identity and environmental stability.

The Global Relevance of Overtourism

Industry observers were concluding that nan rising tide of overtourism successful Spain, Portugal, and Greece could nary longer beryllium dismissed arsenic seasonal aliases temporary. They based on that it had go a structural issue pinch nan imaginable to reshape world tourism for generations to come.

They pointed to Zakynthos arsenic nan eventual warning: an land beloved for its beauty but struggling nether nan weight of unsustainable demand. They said this lawsuit demonstrated really quickly moreover world-famous destinations could suffer their entreaty erstwhile overwhelmed.

Experts were advising that nan solution required a deliberate displacement toward alternatives specified arsenic Logroño, Skopelos, Estepona, Naxos, and Tavira. These destinations were described arsenic offering some taste richness and earthy beauty while preserving equilibrium pinch their communities.

Finally, commentators were insisting that nan future of world tourism would dangle connected really swiftly some travelers and big regions embraced diversification and sustainability. They based on that overtourism was nary longer a location situation but a global reality, and that nan decisions made now would specify really holidays were knowledgeable successful nan decades ahead.