Spain tightens traffic controls and warns of tourism crowds this summer

Mass tourism driven by social‑media trends has turned many popular destinations into overcrowded sites, with residents in places such as Santorini, Italy’s Cinque Terre, Thailand and Tenerife complaining about endless queues, litter and loss of local enjoyment.

In Spain, the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) has issued a series of safety recommendations for the expected record‑high summer travel volume, urging drivers to check tires, brakes, fluids and emergency kits, to rest every two hours, and to avoid distractions such as mobile phones. The agency has also launched “Operation Summer 2026”, deploying additional speed‑control points, AI‑enabled cameras to detect mobile‑phone use and seat‑belt compliance, and imposing fines for violations. The measures coincide with a solar eclipse on 12 August that may cause extra traffic congestion.

These combined efforts aim to mitigate the safety risks of millions of holiday journeys while addressing the broader strain on popular tourist sites worldwide.