Published on
August 16, 2025
European tourism has certainly been on the rise, with borders reporting more arrivals than ever before. However, the cheerful numbers hide a quieter drama in some older resorts. Town squares that once hummed with visitors now echo with empty space, and even the most charming inns find it hard to fill a single block of rooms. Ongoing wars, new airline prices, rooftop protests about too many people, and the ever-rising cost of living are each nudging the map of where and how people choose to travel.
Spain and Greece still draw huge crowds, but a few resorts are now seeing fewer visitors. Places like Rhodes, parts of Bulgaria, the Costa del Sol, some areas of Estonia, and Cyprus have lost some of their summer buzz. This shift shows how quickly tourism can turn. It’s not just about the perfect weather or a pretty beach; decisions made far from the shore, like local rules and political choices, play a huge role, too.
Faliraki, Rhodes, Greece
The party capital of Rhodes was once seen as a rite of passage for young British travellers. Streets were crowded with school leavers and club-goers, and business owners thrived during a six-month season. That era was reshaped in 2003 when strict rules were enforced by Greek officials to end the unruly nightlife culture. Pub crawls were banned, and curbs on late-night behaviour were applied. Streets became cleaner and safer, but the flow of money slowed dramatically.
Local businesses saw a steep decline, with some reporting losses of up to 90 per cent compared with the boom years. A high season that once stretched from May to October was shortened to July through September. Faliraki today appears tidier, yet its atmosphere feels unsettled—bars stand half-empty, and a clash of family karaoke crowds and leftover partygoers has created an unclear identity. The development of large all-inclusive resorts in other parts of the island, combined with recent wildfires during extreme summers, has also contributed to the downturn.
Bulgaria’s Black Sea Resorts
Bulgaria’s coastline was once promoted as an affordable alternative to Mediterranean destinations. Resorts such as Varna and Golden Sands became popular among both Western and Russian tourists. A boom was even strong enough to inspire a UK reality show about Sunny Beach. Yet, in the past three years, a new story has been told.
According to the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, occupancy rates have fallen by around 40 per cent in several resorts. Sunny Beach remains an exception, but towns like Varna have felt the emptiness sharply. The shift has been driven largely by the collapse of the Russian visitor market. In 2019, around half a million Russian tourists arrived each year. By 2024, that figure was reduced to just 50,000. Air connections were cut after the invasion of Ukraine, and many Russian-owned holiday homes along the coast were put up for sale.
Despite this, overall tourism in Bulgaria has grown with arrivals from other European markets. The Ministry of Tourism has reported new records in both arrivals and revenue, showing that the void left by Russians is gradually being filled. Even so, the once lively nightlife strips in certain towns now feel quiet compared to the pre-war years.
Marbella, Costa del Sol, Spain
Across Spain, record tourist arrivals have been reported. Yet Marbella has bucked the trend. In June 2024, domestic Spanish tourism dropped by 34 per cent compared to the year before. Visitors reported that high hotel prices and weak public transport links between Malaga and Marbella were major barriers.
Although overall visitor numbers are down, hotel occupancy in Marbella still reached 80 per cent last summer, with average stays close to four nights—the longest since 2016. Luxury travellers continue to arrive, but middle-income domestic visitors have been more cautious. Some restaurants and shops now report unpredictable business, with busy weekends followed by sudden lulls.
By early 2025, tourism authorities revealed that 182,000 people had visited Marbella in the first four months of the year, an increase compared to the previous year. Employment in hospitality rose by 10 per cent, and hotel prices remained at record levels. These mixed signals show how Marbella remains popular, though its reliance on domestic tourism has been shaken by rising costs.
Tallinn and Estonia’s Lake Regions
Estonia has been experiencing one of the slowest recoveries in Europe. According to EU tourism data, arrivals are still 22 per cent lower than in 2019. Hotels across the country reported an average occupancy of just 40 per cent this summer.
In Tallinn, visitors often note that the mediaeval old town appears stunning but strangely deserted. Cruise ship stops have been reduced, and fewer day trippers now disembark in the capital. Beyond the city, lakeside resorts around Peipus and Pihkva suffered from unusually cool weather in early summer.
The drop has been linked partly to the war in Ukraine. Estonia’s border location has caused hesitation among some tourists, while Russian visitors have been blocked entirely. The result is a quieter experience that some travellers appreciate, but many businesses find difficult to sustain. Even so, Estonia has been recognised internationally as one of the cleanest and most walkable countries, showing clear potential for future revival.
Cyprus – North and South
Cyprus is no stranger to political division. The resort town of Famagusta has remained abandoned since the 1970s conflict between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. For decades, that ghost town has symbolised the fragile balance on the island.
Tourism in the Greek-controlled south grew steadily until 2023, when strains began to appear. By 2024, a 70 per cent drop in Russian visitors was recorded. Hotel occupancy in June fell below 50 per cent, the lowest level in three years. The growth of short-term holiday rentals such as Airbnb also diverted travellers away from hotels while increasing rents for locals.
Northern Cyprus, under Turkish control, has seen visitor numbers double in recent years. This shift has drawn more holidaymakers away from the south. Officials have warned that around 30,000 fewer tourists would arrive during the summer season, cutting £20 million in expected revenue. The downturn has been compounded by fewer British and Israeli visitors due to economic pressures at home.
Meanwhile, life for locals continues with its own rhythm. In August, inland cities such as Nicosia are left almost empty as residents move to the coast to escape the heat. For travellers, this seasonal emptiness can make parts of the island feel strangely abandoned.
Conclusion
Europe’s tourism headlines say things are great, but many places that used to be packed are now quiet. In Faliraki, officials tightened rules on nightlife and behaviour, which scared off the party crowd that used to fill the bars. Bulgaria’s seaside resorts used to thrive on Russian holidaymakers, but now the planes just don’t land. Marbella used to ride the wave of Spanish family trips, but rising prices and shorter vacations mean fewer locals are showing up. In Estonia, nearby conflicts and a colder, wetter summer have kept visitors at home. Finally, Cyprus is caught in a split; the south is humming while the north waits for investments that still haven’t arrived.
These examples highlight how tourism definitely reacts to government choices, politics, and changing global trends. Some parts of Europe are booming, while others now face the challenge of reinventing themselves to keep the visitors—and the income—coming in a new travel age.
