Fears anti-tourism protests will spread to Paris as iconic neighbourhood feels the strain
Another European city battles overtourism
- Residents of Montmartre in Paris are raising alarms over escalating overtourism, fearing their neighbourhood could become like Barcelona or Venice.
- Locals report that the historic area now resembles a theme park, with essential food shops being replaced by souvenir and snack stalls.
- The Vivre à Montmartre association has proposed measures such as limiting tour groups to 25 people, banning loudspeakers, and increasing the tourist tax.
- Concerns also include rising real estate prices, up 19 per cent in a decade, with the mayor of the 18th arrondissement advocating for stricter controls on short-term rental platforms like Airbnb.
- Paris tourism reached 48.7 million visitors in 2024, with Montmartre receiving around 11 million annually, and a further 20 per cent rise in bookings is anticipated for 2025.