How can we preserve the vitality and liveability of European regions, which are under threat from overtourism or a decline in their population? This was the focus of a debate organised on 28 October in Strasbourg by the Congress’ Chamber of Local Authorities, during its 51st session.
In Capri, Italy, which attracts more than 2.5 million visitors a year, the pressure from tourism is overwhelming the infrastructure. Its mayor, Paolo Falco, is calling for greater powers to regulate visitor numbers. In Saint-Tropez, France, where 70 per cent of homes are second homes, soaring property prices are forcing families to leave. Its mayor, Sylvie Siri, is seeking legal and fiscal solutions from the State to preserve this human capital.
Rethinking tourism also means giving residents a voice. Cara Borg-Aquilina (Malta), a Congress youth delegate, cited initiatives in Copenhagen, which encourage exploring the city by bike, and in Barcelona, which restricts holiday rentals. Others advocated for ‘slow tourism’, prioritising a patient exploration of local areas rather than their rapid consumption.
Overtourism and population decline can, paradoxically, affect the same areas: visitors flock in whilst residents move away. But population decline also affects regions far removed from tourist circuits. Māris Sprindžuks, Deputy Mayor of Riga, Latvia, described a vicious circle: fewer residents, more expensive services, followed by further departures. Affordable housing, employment and safety are essential to halting this trend. In Guben, a German town on the Polish border, Mayor Fred Mahro is relying on a welcome agency that helps new arrivals find work and offers them the chance to try out local life for a month.
Retaining residents also means involving young people in the future of their local area. Youth delegates Virág Komenda (Hungary) and Elvira Mentzelioti (Greece) called for spaces where young people can meet and for greater youth participation in local decision making.
From these contrasting realities, a shared ambition emerges: to secure recognition of a genuine ‘right to stay in one’s own home’. For the future of a region is also measured by its ability to offer prospects to those who live there.
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