Countries around the world are clamping down on overtourism (Image: Getty)
Last year’s rampant protests against the strain of foreign visitors on struggling housing markets and infrastructure has evolved into new regulations on .
Governments in countries including Spain, France and Italy have been forced to reckon with widespread anger about the influx of footfall that’s making it harder for locals to buy a property, get a good job and go about their day-to-day life without encountering huge hoards of people.
While the panicked measures some authorities have taken focus on introducing controversial , others have reacted to the discontent by bringing in bans on , in a bid to stem the growing tide of visitors fuelled by cheaper travel and social media-inspired wanderlust.
Brits planning to swan around the French Riviera could have their plans disrupted this summer after the mayor of Nice announced that a full ban of ships carrying over 900 passengers would come into force at the city’s port, as well as the nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer, from July 1.
Christian Estrosi derided the huge vessels as “monsters of the sea”, taking a swipe at tourists too by suggesting that the ships “pollute and dump their low-cost clientele” on French shores.
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Ports on the French Riviera are introducing new limits on cruise ships (Image: Getty)
Villefranche-sur-Mer in particular is a popular stop-off for Mediterranean cruise companies including Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises – likely leaving them scrambling to adjust their schedules accordingly.
As with other efforts to stem visitor numbers, the move hasn’t been without its critics, with the most vocal opposition coming from those who insist that discouraging tourists could damage holiday towns and cities’ vital hospitality industries.
The opposition to large cruise ships dwarfing the ports they regularly bring swarms of visitors to isn’t contained to the traditional sunsoaked holiday destinations.
A ban on vessels carrying over 50 travellers is being drawn up for the New England port of Belfast in Maine, according to the Bangor Daily News, while Iceland’s introduction of a daily passenger tax of around £14 is expected to significantly increase prices for travellers this year.
It’s a problem that certainly doesn’t seem to be going away – with last year’s protests not getting in the way of record visitor numbers and cruise ship capacity continuing to grow.
Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, which can hold up to 6,988 passengers, was dwarfed by the company’s Icon of the Seas last year – the world’s biggest cruiser, with a 7,600 capacity and onboard ice rinks, parks and multiple swimming pools.
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Venice introduced limits on cruise ship arrivals in 2021 (Image: Getty)
Which countries have already introduced restrictions on cruise ships?
Venice
The beautiful Italian city banned cruise ships weighing over 25,000 tonnes from docking in 2021, due in part to environmental and safety concerns for the so-called floating city.
Barcelona
The awe-inspiring architecture of Barcelona draws around 30 million visitors every year – making a clampdown on overtourism a popular prospect for locals. The Spanish city capped the number of cruise ships allowed to dock at its ports to seven in 2023 and also closed one of its terminals at the same time. Authorities are planning to close another terminal by 2026.
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands, including Majorca and Ibiza, saw Europe’s most publicised anti-tourism protests last year – and the archipelago’s government has reacted by considering a range of measures to discourage ever-increasing footfall. No more than two ships are currently allowed to dock in Ibiza and a 2021 agreement meant only three vessels could call at Majorca’s capital city, Palma, within 24 hours.
Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer
The ban on cruise ships carrying over 900 passengers in the French ports will come into effect on July 1 – just in time for peak holiday season.
Santorini
The gorgeous Aegean island of Santorini has suffered from overdevelopment and congestion, thanks in part to going vital online as the epitome of a Grecian seaside island. Authorities have introduced a cap of 8,000 on cruise passenger arrivals, coming into force this year, as well as a £16.51 ($20) visitor charge.
Mykonos
In a similar vein, the Greek island known for its nightlife and party scene has also introduced a $20 per-head charge for cruise ship visitors, though no cap on passengers is yet in force.
Dubrovnik
The Croatian city of Dubrovnik is one of the country’s most prominent tourist destinations, recording a 26% rise in visitors in 2024, according to the Dubrovnik Times. Authorities have reacted by enforcing a limit on cruise ship arrivals, capped at two a day with no more than 8,000 passengers.
Zeebrugge
The Belgian seaside resort of Zeebrugge, close to the UNESCO city of Bruges is a staple stop-off for cruise liners including Disney, Virgin and P&O. Efforts to combat a rise in visitors saw the port introduce a cap of two ships a day to avoid overwhelming its population of around 4,000.
Iceland
Iceland’s authorities introduced a daily passenger tax of around £14 (2,500 krona) on January 1 – potentially charging some cruise ship tourists over £100 for multi-day stays.
Maine
The issues of overtourism stretch far beyond Europe – and across the Atlantic ocean to our friends in the States. Residents in the Maine port city of Belfast have voted to ban ships with over 50 passengers and cruise visitors were limited to 1,000 a day in 2022.
Bora Bora
The French Polynesian island of Bora Bora is known for its long sandy beaches and turquoise water, but such attractions have also made it a particular victim to overtourism. The small landmass, which has a population of around 10,000 people, introduced a daily limit on cruise passengers of 1,200 in 2021.
Alaska
The US mountainous region’s capital city Juneau has a population of around 32,000 – but welcomed 1.6 million cruise ship tourists in 2023. It has prompted authorities to crack down even further on growing visitor numbers, on top of an existing limit of five large ships docking in the state each day. From 2026, holidaymakers arriving by boat will be capped at 16,000 daily and 12,000 on Saturdays.
Locals took to the streets of Majorca in protest against overtourism last year (Image: Getty)
Which countries are planning to clamp down on cruise ships?
Amsterdam
Another Brit-favourite city break has also suffered from tourist overcrowding, and has reacted by bringing in a cap on cruise ships of 100 per year from 2026. There are also plans to ban them from docking in the city completely after a new terminal opens nearby in Holland before 2035.
Bordeaux
France’s famous wine-growing region is following in Amsterdam’s footsteps and attempting to direct visitors away from its immediate vicinity by proposing a new cruise dock on its outskirts. Like other spots, locals have complained not only about overcrowding, but also the pollutant effects of huge cruise ships.
Marseilles
While no restrictions are yet in force for France’s oldest city, locals have called for urgent measures to combat growing footfall, with a petition reaching 50,000 signatures in 2022.
Valencia
While the measures are yet to come into force, officials in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia are planning to bring in a ban on mega cruise ships from 2026. The city’s mayor María José Catalá was unapologetic in describing the “floating cities” as “bad” while laying out the plans last year.
Norway
Visitors to the Nordic fjords will be curbed by the Norwegian government from next year, with a ban on anything but zero-emission cruise ships under 10,000 tonnes. Larger vessels have been given a deadline of 2032 to make the same changes, and authorities are reportedly also considering introducing a separate tourism tax.
Mexico
Another travel destination that will bring in new restrictions to coincide with this year’s peak summer season is Mexico, where a controversial £33.37 ($42) “immigration fee” will come into force on July 1.
Key West
The island city of Key West in Florida could be the next major US region to approve regulations clamping down on cruise ship arrivals – though a battle continues to rage between overstretched residents and governor Ron DeSantis, who approved a long-term lease for huge vessels docking in Florida ports in 2021.