With 100 million visitors last year, France is the world\u2019s top tourist destination \u2013 and major attractions such as the Louvre are complaining that demand is unsustainable. How then has France avoided the public protests against over-tourism happening in other European countries?<\/p>\n
Across parts of southern Europe<\/a>, summer protests against over-tourism have become an annual fixture.<\/p>\n In almost 20 cities across Spain<\/a>, Italy<\/a> and Portugal<\/a> this year, demonstrators gathered on June 15 to protest overwhelming visitor numbers that they say are degrading quality of life for locals.<\/p>\n \u201cYour wealth is our misery,\u201d read a sign at a march that attracted thousands of people<\/a> in the Mallorcan capital of Palma \u2013 the first of many planned across Spain<\/a> this summer.<\/p>\n A major complaint among the attendees was the deluge of tourist accommodation listed on sites such as Airbnb<\/a>, driving up housing prices, forcing residents out of their neighbourhoods and hollowing out the very culture and communities that many visitors hope to experience.<\/p>\n Domestic travellers are likely to behave in similar ways as locals and speak the same language.<\/p>\n Read more on FRANCE 24 English<\/a><\/p>\n Read also:
Overwhelmed Louvre workers strike to protest overtourism, shutting down world’s most-visited museum<\/a>
France again tops list as world\u2019s favourite tourist destination<\/a><\/p>\n