Overtourism rallies have erupted across Europe in recent weeks, as locals voice their anger over the increasing volume of holidaymakers visiting their home towns and cities.

Demonstrations have taken place across Spain, Italy, and Portugal, as locals protest that the excessive number of holiday visitors is making town and city centres unusable. Protesters, angry at almost year-round overcrowding, are calling for a curb on mass tourism, saying it has driven locals out of affordable housing and raised their cost of living.

In the last week, anti-mass tourism demonstrations have taken place in Barcelona, where organisers encouraged protestors to make the strength of their feelings known by bringing water pistols to spray at holidaymakers.

Cruise ship companies have also been under fire, with some of the more popular cruise destinations struggling to cope with the volume of passengers disembarking at one time.

With the cruise industry continuing to grow, and single ships capable of carrying up to 7,000 passengers, it appears the problems will only get worse. In Europe, Dubrovnik, Barcelona and Venice are frequently “overwhelmed” by visiting tourists.

PortMiami in Florida, considered the cruise capital of the world, broke all visitor records in February 2025 when it received ten ships in a single day, carrying a total of 68,000 passengers.

The following are the ten busiest cruise ports in the world, which those who prefer less overpopulated holiday destinations may wish to avoid.

1. PortMiami, Florida: 8.23 million cruise passengers per year.
2. Port Canaveral, Florida: 7.60 million cruise passengers per year.
3. Port of Nassau, Bahamas: 5.65 million cruise passengers per year.
4. Port of Cozumel, Mexico: 4.57 million cruise passengers per year.
5. Port Everglades, Florida: 4.01 million cruise passengers per year.
6. Port Barcelona, Spain: 3.66 million cruise passengers per year.
7. Port of Civitavecchia, Italy: 3.46 million cruise passengers per year.
8. Out Islands, Bahamas: 2.55 million cruise passengers per year.
9. Port of Marseille, France: 2.54 million cruise passengers per year.
10. Balearic Islands, Spain: 2.50 million cruise passengers per year.