July 11, 2025, 12:21 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
European mass tourism is increasingly focusing on specific regions, with significant consequences for the local population. The imbalance between tourists and locals is particularly severe in one specific area.
In Europe’s vacation hotspots, millions of tourists meet relatively few residents each year–with increasingly noticeable consequences. A new analysis by the Federal Statistical Office now shows which regions have the most imbalanced ratio of locals to tourists and where the impact on residents’ daily lives is most evident (BILD reported). There are also remarkable differences within Germany.
Southern Aegean at the Top
The Federal Statistical Office has published a comprehensive analysis of tourism intensity in the European Union based on Eurostat data–highlighting the imbalance between tourists and locals. With an average of 117 overnight stays per resident, the Southern Aegean was the region with the highest tourism intensity in the European Union in 2023.
Close behind are the Ionian Islands around Corfu with 98 overnight stays per capita. In South Tyrol (68), along the Croatian Adriatic coast (67), and on the Balearic Islands (57), the number of tourists relative to the population is also particularly high. Recently, protests against rising rents and living costs have occurred in Mallorca and other parts of Spain as a result.
Canary Islands as Most Popular Destination by Absolute Numbers
In terms of total overnight stays, the Canary Islands topped European vacation regions with 95.6 million in 2023. On average, about 262,000 tourists stayed there daily. They were followed by the Croatian Adriatic coast (87.3 million), Catalonia (85.6 million), Île-de-France (85.2 million), and Andalusia (73.9 million). In Germany, Upper Bavaria with Munich was the most visited region–ranking 14th in the EU comparison with 41.6 million overnight stays.
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Low Tourism Intensity in Parts of Eastern Europe
In Eastern European regions such as Masovia and Opole in Poland, as well as in South and Northeast Romania, tourism intensity was the lowest in 2023. There, only one overnight stay per resident occurred on average throughout the year. In Germany, few regions are heavily affected by tourism. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania led the German list with 18 overnight stays per capita, ranking 17th EU-wide.
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Tourism as an Economic Factor, with Significant Differences
Tourism significantly impacts the economic performance of several countries. In 2023, the hospitality industry contributed most to the gross value added in Greece at 7.1 percent, followed by Spain at 6.7 percent and Croatia at 6.4 percent. In Germany, the share was significantly lower at 1.5 percent, marking the lowest value in the EU comparison.
The surveys only consider overnight stays in hotels, guesthouses, vacation rentals, and campsites–private accommodations and specialized clinics were not included.