I really outdid myself this year. Barcelona? Check. Venice? Check. Amsterdam? Check. Dubrovnik? Check. I visited three of the most often named destinations suffering from mass tourism.

There’s the ecologic effect, certainly for Venice, but mostly tourism affects the normal way of life in Barcelona, Venice and Amsterdam. Housing becomes unaffordable for locals, shops you need in every day life make way for tourist-orientated businesses such restaurants and souvenir shops. That sucks.

Is it noticeable?

The irony is one doesn’t notice that when visiting. Yes, Venice was extremely busy. But I was in Barcelona with Oriol and we avoided the most touristy activities with the exception of the Sagrada Familia.

And Amsterdam? Once you go outside the core city centre in the vicinity of Amsterdam Centraal Station you’re fine, really. Although Amsterdammers will beg to differ, I’m sure. But are high housing prices the sole responsibility of tourists?

Dubrovnik suffering from ‘Game of Thrones‘? You bet. But I wonder if city officials really regret facilitating filming in the city. Way worse was Santorini. Certainly in the town of Oia the negative effects of mass tourism are palpable.

As we travel more and more people travel, there will be more mass tourism. You can more or less avoid crowds. But crowds are part of life. And mass tourism issues are not always where you expect them.