In short: Understanding and measuring tourism saturation
Urban overtourism refers to exceeding the reception capacity of a destination, leading to a deterioration in the quality of life of residents and the experience of visitors. It is calculated via precise indicators of intensity, pressure and spatial density.
- Official definition: concept formalized by LOMT from 1981 via the reception capacity (Carrying capacity).
- Tourist pressure: Venice reaches a ratio of 1.08 tourist bed per inhabitant in its historic center.
- Extreme density: Paris recorded 442,125 visitors per km², against 152,110 in Barcelona.
- Legal thresholds: Amsterdam caps its attendance at 20,000,000 overnight stays per year.
What is overtourism in major European cities?
Urban overtourism is a phenomenon of geographical and social saturation occurring when the tourist presence exceeds the critical threshold of acceptability of a territory. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO / Une Tourism) laid the conceptual foundations for this dynamic from 1981 through the notion of tourist reception capacity (Carrying capacity). LOMT defines this concept as the maximum number of visitors who can simultaneously stay in a place without causing physical, socio-economic or cultural degradation, and without causing an unacceptable decline in the satisfaction of the visitors themselves.
In European metropolises, this phenomenon is not explained solely by the overall volume of arrivals. It is therefore manifested when tourist flows modify access to housing, clog public transport and impose themselves in the face of neighborhood life. The overtourism reflects a break in balance between the economic activity of travel and daily sustainability for the local populations.
The three official indicators to measure saturation
To overcome the visual crowd printing, urban planning research and statistical organizations rely on specific quantitative ratios retained by the European Commission, Eurostat and LOMT.
the tourist pressure indicator (Tourism Pressure): Defined by LOMT and Eurostat in 2024, it soaks by dividing the number of tourist beds available by the local resident population. This ratio measures the transformation of the housing stock in favor of passing accommodation.
The tourist intensity indicator (Tourism Intensity): Established by Eurostat in 2024, this indicator divides the total number of overnight stays over a given period by the number of permanent inhabitants. It highlights the continuous exposure of residents to the presence of visitors.
The tourist density indicator (Tourism Density): Developed by the European Commission in 2022, this ratio is reduced by dividing the total number of overnight stays (or visitors) by the area of the territory expressed in square kilometers (km²). It reflects the physical saturation of the public space.
Comparative data of tourist pressure in Europe
The data collected from municipalities and statistical institutes make it possible to map the actual tourist load in the main destinations of the continent.
| City / Zone | Measured indicator | official value | Institutional source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubrovnik (center) | Tourist/inhabitant ratio | 27.4 tourists per inhabitant | Euromonitor / Org. Dubrovnik Tourism (2023) |
| Venice (Historical Center) | Resident population | 48,489 inhabitants | City of Venice / Istat (2024) |
| Venice (Historical Center) | Annual overnight stays | 9,376,638 overnight stays | City of Venice / Veneto Region (2025) |
| Venice (Historical Center) | tourist pressure (beds / inhab.) | 1.08 bed per inhabitant (60,638 beds / 56,165 inhab.) | City of Venice / Ociovenezia (2023) |
| Venice (Historical Center) | Daily tourist density | 5,048 tourists / km² | Federalberghi / Sociometrica (2023) |
| Amsterdam | Legal overnight ceiling | 20,000,000 overnight stays / year | Damsterdam City Council (2021) |
| Amsterdam | Recorded nights | 23,700,000 overnight stays | Damsterdam City Council (2025) |
| Paris | Tourist density | 442,125 visitors / km² | Wellness Retreats Magazine / Tourism Analytics (2025) |
| Barcelona | Tourist density | 152,110 visitors / km² | Wellness Retreats Magazine / Tourism Analytics (2025) |
Case studies: concrete regulatory measures
Faced with exceeding tolerance thresholds, several municipalities apply strict action levers to regulate flows.
Venice: density regulation and access rights
The historic center of Venice illustrates a major demographic tension. According to data published by Ociovenezia and the city of Venice in 2023, tourist pressure has passed a critical milestone there with 1.08 tourist bed per inhabitant (60,638 beds for 56,165 residents at this time). Before the permanent population fell to 48,489 according to LISTAT in 2024. To limit the flow of excursionists without overnight stay, the city of Venice applies in 2026 a right of access on high-crowd days: €5 for An early reservation and 10 € in the event of a last minute purchase.
Amsterdam: Dimmer ceilings and dissuasive taxation
In 2021, the Damsterdam Municipal Council introduced a municipal tourist ceiling, set at 20,000,000 annual overnight stays. However, the Damsterdam balance sheet for 2025 shows 23,700,000 overnight stays, far exceeding the legal limit. In 2024, the city Damsterdam applies a hotel tax rate at 12.5% of the room price (excluding VAT), which is both the highest in Europe. In addition, the Port Damsterdam in 2026 applies a flat-rate tourist tax of €15.00 per maritime or river cruise passenger for each 24-hour installment.
Dubrovnik: instant attendance thresholds
In Dubrovnik, the Deuromonitor and local tourism organization analyzes indicate a ratio of 27.4 tourists per capita in the city in 2023. As of 2017, the municipality reacted via its program Respect The City By imposing a strict limit of 8,000 simultaneous visitors to the old town. This ceiling is controlled in real time using counting cameras positioned at the access doors of the historic center.
Frequently asked questions about overtourism
What is the official definition of the reception capacity of a tourist site?
According to LOMT (1981), reception capacity refers to the maximum number of simultaneous visitors a site can receive without degrading the physical, socio-economic or cultural environment, and without deteriorating the level of visitor satisfaction.
How to calculate the tourist pressure of a city?
The tourist pressure indicator (WTO/Eurostat, 2024) is calculated by dividing the total number of tourist beds available by the local resident population. For example, Venice recorded a ratio of 1.08 per capita in its center.
What is the difference between density and tourist intensity?
The tourist density measures the number of overnight stays or visitors per square kilometer (km²). Tourist intensity, for its part, relates the number of annual overnight stays to the number of residents of the territory studied.
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