Spain’s Canary and Balearic islands top the list of EU regions with 83.2 and 61.7 million nights spent in 2023 by foreign tourists, while the Greek island of Zakyinthos and Croatia’s Istrian peninsula are those suffering the highest pressure compared to the number of residents.
Mallorca was the favourite destination by foreign tourists in 2023, according to new data released by Eurostat that considers the number of nights tourists spend in the location.
Spain’s Balearic island tops the list of EU destinations with over 47 million nights.
Second and third place can also be found in the southern European country — Tenerife and Barcelona — followed by Venice, Paris, and Rome.
The Canary Islands — a Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean facing the Moroccan coast — is the most popular geographical area, with three destinations in the top 20, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, and a total of 83.2 million overnight stays.
However, the Canary Islands are also one of the areas facing the highest pressure from tourism compared to the number of residents.
Among all EU countries, Greece is suffering the highest pressure from tourism, with six out of ten locations on the list of most overcrowded.
Paris leads in terms of pressure per square kilometre, followed by Athens, Copenhagen and Munich.
For more information, watch the Euronews video in the player above.
Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz
