According to the EU’s Eurostat, 2024 was a year for the record books, as tourists spent a combined 1.2 billion nights in the Old Continent soaking up its sights and history. Great news for these countries’ coffers, not so much for locals facing more tourists than their cities can handle.
Anyone who visits Europe’s major attractions will notice that it’s really crowded. Unsurprising since these are gorgeous places. But they are also victims of their success — everyone wants to be there, turning them from living, breathing cities into open-air museums. Local small businesses and cultural institutions meant for the inhabitants are nowhere to be found. This takes away from the whole point of tourism — to experience new cultures and meet the people to whom they belong. Readers might notice that smaller places not on par with the big cities like Rome and Amsterdam face these problems and more — think literal destruction or cultural and environmental degradation from tourism’s homogenizing effects.
But Europe is jam-packed with hidden gems where local cultures survive and thrive. If you know where to look and are ready to sacrifice the trendy destinations, not only will you get to experience the country and its people beyond the homogenized glitz and glamor of tourist traps — but your wallet will probably thank you as well.
Source: travel.yahoo.com
