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Overtourism and its Impact on Transport and Sustainability in Coastal Destinations: Evidence From Southern Europe Cover

Overtourism and its Impact on Transport and Sustainability in Coastal Destinations: Evidence From Southern Europe

International Journal of Contemporary Management
AHEAD OF PRINT
By: Joanna Kizielewicz and  Agnieszka Niezgoda  
Open Access
|Jan 2026

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Qualitative Research ProcessSource: Author's own elaboration based on: (Bell & Brymann & Harley, 2019).
Qualitative Research ProcessSource: Author's own elaboration based on: (Bell & Brymann & Harley, 2019).

Figure 2.

Statistics of cruise ship calls to the surveyed tourist destinations in the years 2013–2024Source: Own elaboration on the base of: (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; MedCruise, 2023, pp. 91–111; MedCruise, 2018, pp. 64–67; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).
Statistics of cruise ship calls to the surveyed tourist destinations in the years 2013–2024Source: Own elaboration on the base of: (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; MedCruise, 2023, pp. 91–111; MedCruise, 2018, pp. 64–67; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).

Figure 3.

Percentage share of the number of tourists visiting the surveyed destinations in relation to the number of inhabitants in 2024.Source: Own elaboration on the base of: (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).
Percentage share of the number of tourists visiting the surveyed destinations in relation to the number of inhabitants in 2024.Source: Own elaboration on the base of: (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).

Figure 4.

Comparison of the number of residents of the city of Venice with the number of tourists and cruise travelers from 20130 to 2024.Source: Own elaboration on the base of : (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; MedCruise, 2023, pp. 91–111; MedCruise, 2018, pp. 64–67; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).
Comparison of the number of residents of the city of Venice with the number of tourists and cruise travelers from 20130 to 2024.Source: Own elaboration on the base of : (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; MedCruise, 2023, pp. 91–111; MedCruise, 2018, pp. 64–67; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).

Figure 5.

Comparison of the number of residents of the city of Barcelona with the number of tourists and cruise travelers from 2010 to 2022.Source: Own elaboration on the base of: (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; MedCruise, 2023, pp. 91–111; MedCruise, 2018, pp. 64–67; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).
Comparison of the number of residents of the city of Barcelona with the number of tourists and cruise travelers from 2010 to 2022.Source: Own elaboration on the base of: (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; MedCruise, 2023, pp. 91–111; MedCruise, 2018, pp. 64–67; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).

Figure 6.

Comparison of the number of residents of the city of Dubrovnik with the number of tourists and cruise travelers from 2010 to 2022.Source: Own elaboration on the base of: (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; MedCruise, 2023, pp. 91–111; MedCruise, 2018, pp. 64–67; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).
Comparison of the number of residents of the city of Dubrovnik with the number of tourists and cruise travelers from 2010 to 2022.Source: Own elaboration on the base of: (Croatian National Tourist Board, 2024; OTB, 2025; Memòria, 2014; Barcelona Tourism Statistics, 2013; MedCruise, 2023, pp. 91–111; MedCruise, 2018, pp. 64–67; City of Venice, 2021, pp. 69–72; City of Venice, 2023, pp. 83–86; City of Venice, 2018, pp. 63–65; Thomas, 2019; Croatiaweek, 2019; Thomas, 2021; Thomas, 2023; Croatian National Tourist Board, 2022; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2022, pp. 50–101; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2021, pp. 47–88; Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2020, Barcelona ciutat i regió, 2019, pp. 30–68).

The cruise ship traffic in the surveyed destinations from 2013 to 2024

YearThe City of Venice
The City of Barcelona
The City of Dubrovnik
No of cruise travelersNo of cruise ship callsNo of cruise travelersNo of cruise ship callsNo of cruise travelersNo of cruise ship calls
20131.815.8235482.599.2328351.136.503843
20141 733.8394882.364.292767894.216752
20151.582.4815212.540.302749830.684475
20161.605.6605292.683.594758831.730639
20171.427.8124662.712.247778748.918539
20181 560,585023 042,22830732,43414
20191,611,3415003,137,918800804,881622
20205,2376198,842535,04164
202131,68552520,854271116,975191
2022258,2942612,329,332805400,273403
2023541,3413673,568,901803549,041489
2024597,3514003,655,981791632,513625

The percentage share of cruise travelers in total arrivals in the surveyed destinations from 2013 to 2024 (in 1,000s)**

YearThe City of Venezia
The City of Barcelona
The City of Dubrovnik
Overnight touristsCruise travelersCruise travelers vs. Overnight touristsOvernight touristsCruise travelersCruise travelers vs. Overnight touristsOvernight touristsCruise travelersCruise travelers vs. Overnight tourists
20134 2521.81643%7 5722 59934%7331 137155%
20144 2811 73441%7 8002 36430%818894109%
20154 4961.58235%8 3032 54031%89083193%
20164 6461.60635%9 0652 68430%98783284%
20175 0351.42828%8 8842 71231%1 17574964%
20185 2551 56130%9 1173 04233%1 26573258%
20195 5231,61129%14 6003 13821%1 44080556%
20201 33850%3 2331996%22052%
20212 121322%5 10852110%47811724%
20224 6462586%10 7042 32922%1 02940039%
20235 66554110%12 1783 56929%1 23554944%
20245 87759710%12 7433 65629%1 35063347%
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ijcm-2025-0017 | Journal eISSN: 2449-8939 | Journal ISSN: 2449-8920
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Language: English
Published on: Jan 21, 2026
Published by: Jagiellonian University
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year
Keywords:
cruise transport,
sustainable development,
cruise shipping,
sustainability
Related subjects:
Business and economics,
Business management,
Management, organization, corporate governance,
Business management, other,
Industries,
Non profit organizations (NPO), foundations, charities, associations,
Public sector, public private partnerships, public administration

© 2026 Joanna Kizielewicz, Agnieszka Niezgoda, published by Jagiellonian University
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

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