Anti-tourism movements around the world are growing louder and more visible. From Venice’s famous canals to Barcelona’s bustling streets, locals frustrated by the impact of mass tourism are taking to creative and disruptive protests.
Scenes include locals dragging hundreds of noisy roller bags through cobblestone streets to draw attention to their cause, water guns sprayed to inconvenience and put-off tourists and graffiti telling them in no uncertain terms to “go home”🚷. These acts aren’t just vandalism; they’re manifestations of communities pushed to their limits by overtourism’s strain on infrastructure, housing and cultural identity.
These protests highlight an urgent question: How can tourism evolve to respect and support host communities rather than exhaust them?
Amid these tensions, a growing movement seeks to transform tourism from extraction to contribution - inviting travelers to actively support the communities and environments they visit.
According to a 2023 report by Tourism Cares, 76% of travelers want their spending to create positive change in destinations. Contribution-based travel offers a tangible way to rebuild trust and sustainability between hosts and visitors. Gen Z and Millennials are embracing such initiatives and leading the way forward.
“When you’re a good traveler, you leave a place better than you found it.”
"The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see." (G.K. Chesterton, English Writer and Journalist)
Take the Faroe Islands’ “Closed for Maintenance” program, which pauses tourist access to sensitive areas to enable volunteer restoration. Since 2019, almost 40,000 applicants have been whittled down to 687 tourism volunteers from 50+ countries who have participated in 62 projects, helping repair trails and protect bird habitats. This approach has helped reduce environmental damage while generating around €22 million in local economic benefit.
How Travelers Can Get Involved ✈️
"Instead of looking for hope, look for action. Then, and only then, hope will come." (Greta Thunberg, Activist)
For travelers eager to make a positive impact, several platforms connect visitors with authentic contribution opportunities worldwide; there is a need gap for others to join and fill:
Worldpackers: Hosts a myriad of eco-conscious projects globally
Workaway: With over 50,000 hosts, travelers can join community projects ranging from wildlife conservation to permaculture farming
WWOOF: Focused on organic farms, this network spans 130+ countries and facilitates immersive tourist volunteer stays
Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Map: Curates social enterprises and conservation projects in the Americas
Urban Initiatives: Giving Back in the City 🏙️🌳
Even high-traffic cities are adopting contribution programs.
Amsterdam’s “Give Back Tourism” initiative encourages tourists to join canal clean-ups and other community efforts, offsetting some of tourism’s environmental footprint.
Is There Hope? YES.
The disruptive anti-tourism actions sweeping global destinations in 2025 underscore the urgent need for a new tourism paradigm - one centered on reciprocity, respect and regeneration. Contribution-based tourism is a practical, scalable answer that turns tourists from unwelcome invaders into valued partners, helping destinations while offering travelers deeper, more meaningful experiences.
Before your next trip, consider how you can be part of the solution - not the problem. 🌍✈️💙
"I don’t want your hope. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act." (Greta Thunberg, Activist)
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