Market Data 
- Tourists flock to Venice, Italy, for its canals and historic architecture, causing overtourism.
- Locals are frustrated by overcrowded streets, environmental damage, and rising living costs.
- I visited Venice in 2022 and saw how mass tourism negatively impacts residents, so I won’t return.
The reasons tourists travel to Venice, Italy, are obvious. The city known for its canals and historic architecture feels like a fairytale.
Still, an influx of tourists comes each year, overcrowding streets, causing environmental deterioration and higher living costs. After visiting for myself in 2022, I saw the reasons locals are fed up — and two years later, those issues haven’t been resolved.
I loved Venice. It’s perhaps the most unique destination I’ve been to, with its boats in place of cars and vibrant buildings.
But seeing the European destination firsthand helped me see how overtourism impacts residents — and how I was part of the problem.
