Travel Alert: 40 Top Cities Ranked in a New Overtourism Index

Is your next vacation overcrowded? See which cities are overwhelmed by tourists—and discover surprising hotspots topping the new global overtourism rankings.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, April 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Wellness Retreats Magazine has released its highly anticipated Overtourism Statistics Report, shining a spotlight on the world’s 40 most visited cities. Drawing on new data, the publication identifies three clear front-runners for overtourism challenges: Orlando (USA) leads in tourist-to-resident ratio with 36 tourists per resident, Macau (China) tops tourist density with over 547,000 visitors per km², and Shanghai (China) takes first place in total annual arrivals at nearly 397 million tourists. Notably, Europe dominates the rankings with the largest share of overtourism hotspots in the top 10 spots.

“Overtourism continues to be a major global challenge, affecting travelers, local communities and the environment,” said Julianne Kim, Co-Founder of Wellness Retreats Magazine. “By creating these rankings, our goal is to give travelers a clear picture of where overtourism pressures are most intense—so they know what to expect and can make more conscious choices about when and how they visit. Informed travelers can help foster a more balanced, sustainable approach to tourism.”

Key Findings
• Rome hosts the fourth-largest tourist influx, welcoming 51.4 million visitors per year.
• Barcelona, which has seen anti-tourism protests, stands third in tourist density at 152,110 visitors per km², highlighting local residents’ growing frustration.
• Several European destinations (e.g., Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Venice) consistently appear near the top of these overtourism indicators.
• Orlando leads in tourist-to-resident ratio with 36 tourists per resident.
• Macau has the highest tourist density, surpassing 547,000 visitors per km².
• Paris ranks second in tourist density, with over 442,000 visitors per km².
• Shanghai remains the most visited city worldwide, receiving 396.7 million tourists annually—accounting for over 34% of total travelers among these top 40 cities.

What’s Driving the Rankings
According to the report, pandemic-related “revenge travel,” expanding budget airlines, and influencer-driven social media hype have all contributed to record-breaking visitor numbers in 2024–2025. Many popular destinations, including those in Europe and Asia, have responded by implementing new visitor caps, tourist taxes, and stricter regulations on short-term rentals to mitigate harmful environmental and social impacts.
Full Overtourism Rankings and Report

For an in-depth look at city-by-city data, methodology, and detailed discussions on sustainable tourism strategies, access the full report here.

Methodology
The Overtourism Rankings assess three core metrics—tourist-to-resident ratio, tourist density per square kilometer, and total tourism volume—across 40 of the world’s leading destinations. Data was compiled from official tourism boards, government statistical bureaus, and private sector travel reports.

Juan Fajarfo
Wellness Retreats Magazine
juan@wellnessretreatsmagazine.com