Locals Fight Overtourism with Creative, Unconventional Tactics
From water buckets in Rome to fake signs in Mallorca, residents are devising novel ways to deter overwhelming tourist numbers.
Overtourism is prompting some European residents to adopt unconventional methods to reclaim their communities. In Rome, one resident has resorted to strategically placing buckets of water outside her apartment window to deter rowdy tourists late at night. Simonetta Marcellini, a 74-year-old retired medical radiographer, stated that she first attempts to politely ask disruptive tourists to quiet down, explaining that residents need to sleep and have various personal circumstances that require respect.
However, if her polite requests are ignored or met with arguments, Marcellini admitted to resorting to pouring water on them. She is part of a local group, Comitato Emergenza Trastevere, with around 1,000 members who meet to discuss the challenges posed by overtourism and explore potential solutions. Some residents have adopted Marcellini's water bucket tactic.
Similar acts of protest have emerged in Spain. In Barcelona, activists were observed using water pistols against tourists in popular areas last year. Mark Meader, vice-president of the US ASTA travel association, noted that such incidents have deterred some American tourists from visiting Barcelona, who feared they might be targeted.
Another tactic observed in Mallorca involves the use of fake warning signs. The activist group Caterva reportedly installed signs on beaches with warnings in English, such as 'jellyfish' and 'falling rocks.' These signs, however, included an explanation in Spanish that they were intended to discourage tourists and that no real dangers were present.
These localized actions reflect a growing frustration among residents in popular European destinations like Italy and Spain, who are seeking to mitigate the impact of large tourist influxes on their daily lives and local environments.