Tourist Numbers Drop in Spain, Italy and Croatia Amid Rising Costs and Competition

Popular Mediterranean destinations are seeing fewer visitors this summer. In Spain, German and British arrivals fell on the Balearic Islands, with Mallorca down 2‑4 % in May‑June and Ibiza losing about 10 %. Italy reported a decline in domestic beach trips, citing higher living costs and inflation. "Since winter we have reservations from regular guests, but last‑minute and one‑week‑ahead bookings have vanished completely," said Virginia Torre, president of the Lazise hoteliers association, noting 20 % of rooms remain empty at Lake Garda.

Croatia, after a record 3.5 million German tourists in 2022, now sees a slight downturn, attributing it to renewed competition from new destinations. The U.S. travel market also faced a "Trump slump," with the U.S. Travel Association cutting its 2025 visitor forecast from 67 million to 64 million. In Germany, the Baltic Sea coast reported empty beach chairs, partly due to blue‑green algae warnings that deterred swimmers. The combined effect of rising accommodation prices, competitive alternatives, and health concerns is creating a broader tourism slump across several European regions.