Travel
‘Plague of locusts’: Which European cities are stopping the swarm of cruise passengers?
Destinations struggling with overtourism are putting a stop to ships that bring toxic emissions and millions of passengers.
Every year, more than 20 million passengers take a cruise.
Before the pandemic, that number was even higher sitting at around 30 million.
As passenger numbers look to breach this pre-pandemic number once again, many European ports where these ships drop anchor are re-evaluating their presence. Some are looking to ban them altogether, citing environmental, social and economic concerns.
The 218 cruise ships operating in Europe in 2022 emitted over four times more sulphur oxides than all of the continent’s cars, according to Transport & Environment. The NGO found back in June this year that these toxic air pollutants from ships are now higher than they were before COVID-19.
And, with their benefit to the local economy up for debate, the millions of passengers they bring to Europe’s cities each year are causing problems for the people that live there.
Venice wants to keep cruise ships out of the city
In 2021, Venice barred large cruise ships from anchoring in its historic centre.
Damage to the lagoon saw UNESCO threaten to put the city on its endangered list unless they were permanently banned.
They argue that the big ships cause pollution and erode the foundations of the city – which already suffers from regular flooding. The ban means that large cruise and container vessels can no longer enter Venice’s Giudecca canal.
There were attempts to stop the large ships before with previous legislation overturned. But pressure mounted when in 2019 a cruise liner crashed into a harbour in Venice, injuring five people.
And by the time of the 2021 ban, even cruise companies were on board. After it was announced, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said it had “been supportive of a new approach for many years” calling it a “major step forward”.
The reality of barring large ships from Venice has turned out to be more complicated than it may have first seemed, however. Without a new hub outside of the city’s lagoon for cruise lines to use, many are still docking there two years after the ban was brought in.
Which European cities are banning cruise ships?
Pollution and overtourism aren’t just a problem in Venice, however.
Barcelona – as it moves to tackle its own issues – closed its North terminal to cruises on 22 October. Around 340 ships a year will now have to dock at the Moll d’Adossat pier instead which is the furthest from the city’s residential areas.
Following the closure of another terminal located in the Maremagnum and the introduction of a one-ship per terminal rule, just seven cruise ships can now dock in Barcelona at one time.
These measures follow an agreement with local authorities to relocate cruise ships outside of Barcelona’s city centre in an attempt to mitigate the impact of overtourism.
By 2026, the South terminal will also close and all cruises will operate from the Adossat wharf.
The Mediterranean is the second-largest market for cruises outside of the Caribbean and rising passenger numbers are putting increasing strain on local populations.
In 2022, 50,000 people in Marseille – France’s biggest cruise port – signed a petition against cruise ships, according to campaign group Stop Croisières.
Passengers have been met with protests in the Balearic city of Palma de Mallorca and new limits which only allow three ships in its port at once have been introduced.
Santorini and Dubrovnik have also tightened restrictions on cruise companies.
Where else are cruises causing problems?
A crackdown is also taking place at popular ports outside of the Mediterranean.
Cruise ships visiting Scotland will be charged a new tax under plans recently announced by the country’s Green Party. It says the levy will tackle the “twin challenges” of emissions and overtourism.
Lorna Slater, Scottish Green co-leader, also said that she hoped the cruise tax would encourage companies to use less polluting vessels, claiming one ship produces the same emissions as 12,000 cars.
“Operators have been allowed to get away with polluting for too long,” Slater added.
In Amsterdam, the city council has just voted to shut down its cruise terminal in a bid to curb pollution and reduce tourist numbers.
Moving the terminal outside of the centre looks like the most likely resolution. But the vote indicates the city’s feelings about these large passenger ships.
Earlier this year, local political leader Ilana Rooderkerk compared cruise passengers who descend on the city to a “plague of locusts”.
Amsterdam introduced a tax on cruise ship passengers in 2019 – a move that saw some companies replace or cancel stops in the city. More than 100 vessels dock in the Dutch capital every year and they have become symbolic of local overtourism issues.
Do cruise ships bring in money where they dock?
One of the biggest arguments supporters make for keeping cruise ships is their contribution to the local economy.
But do guests on these giant vessels actually spend money in the towns they dock at?
Several studies have shown that passengers disembarking from ships don’t contribute as much to the local economy as you might think. With all the food, drink and souvenirs they could ever want available on board, the money stays at sea.
It’s unsurprising when you learn that the world’s biggest cruise ship, the Wonder of the Seas, has a staggering 20 restaurants, a 1,400-seat theatre and shops selling everything from fine watches to high fashion. Depending on which package you pick, food and drink are often included and purchases are tax and duty-free.
An even bigger ship, the 365-metre-long Icon of the Seas, is due to launch next year.
A study from Bergen, Norway – a popular stop for fjord tours – found that up to 40 per cent of people never left the ship. For those who did go ashore, their average spend was less than €23.
More research from the Norwegian city in 2013 discovered that length of stay was probably one of the biggest factors in how much passengers spend.
The average port stay lasts around eight hours but this can vary massively depending on the itinerary of the ship. For some – like Barcelona – it can be as short as a four-hour stop.
And spending remains low even when passengers are given more opportunities to splash their cash.
The cruise industry argues that a passenger’s average contribution to the local economy is much higher than the Bergen estimate at around $100 (€91) a day.
One way to bridge the gap would be to raise the passenger tax levied at ports, which currently tends to be around €4 to €14 per person.
The cruise industry says it is making moves to improve both its environmental and social impact.
Cruise lines were among the first companies in the maritime sector to commit to cutting carbon emissions by 40 per cent by 2030, according to CLIA. Some have even signed up to pledges to reach net zero by 2050.
The electrification of ports so that ships can turn off their engines and limit toxic emissions could also help. It is something Barcelona is factoring into its plan to move cruise ships outside of the city by 2026 by allowing vessels to plug in at Adossat Wharf.
Whether these targets will be enough to appease fed-up locals in port towns, however, is yet to be seen.
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China’s rapidly expanding visa-free scheme aims to boost tourism.
China’s visa-free list continues to grow, with eight more European countries being added.
Citizens of Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia and Latvia have now been granted visa waivers for the Asian nation.
Tourists from these countries, as well as Japan, will be able to enter China visa-free from 30 November 2024 until 31 December 2025.
Passport holders from Andorra, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovakia and Norway were recently added to the list, which grants them stays in China of up to 30 days without a visa.
Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Portugal and Slovenia were granted the access in October.
It brings the total number of European countries granted visa-free access up to 38.
In July, tourists from Poland, Australia and New Zealand were also granted unrestricted entry to China until the end of 2025.
Since the start of 2024, the scheme has been announced in stages, with various European nations and Malaysia also gaining visa-free access. It aims to encourage more people to visit China for business and tourism, and promote exchanges between Chinese citizens and foreign nationals.
Which European countries can travel to China visa-free?
Citizens of 38 European countries can stay in China without a visa for up to 30 days.
The full list of European countries now includes Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Tourists from these countries will be allowed to enter China for short stays without a visa until the end of next year.
The aim is “to facilitate the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a briefing on the initial announcement made in November.
International travel to China is still bouncing back
China’s strict pandemic measures, which included required quarantines for all arrivals, discouraged many people from visiting for nearly three years. The restrictions were lifted early last year, but international travel has yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels.
China previously allowed citizens of Brunei, Japan and Singapore to enter without a visa but suspended that after the COVID-19 outbreak. It resumed visa-free entry for Brunei and Singapore in July but has not done so for Japan.
In 2023, China recorded 35.5 million entries and exits by foreigners, according to immigration statistics. That compares to 97.7 million for all of 2019, the last year before the pandemic.
From July to September this year, China recorded 8.2 million entries by foreigners, of which 4.9 million were visa-free, the official Xinhua News Agency said, quoting a Foreign Ministry consular official.
The Chinese government has been seeking foreign investment to help boost a sluggish economy, and some businesspeople have been coming for trade fairs and meetings, including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook. Foreign tourists are still a rare sight compared to before the pandemic.
How else is China simplifying travel for Europeans?
Last year saw a surge in interest in China as a tourist destination among Europeans.
Data from online travel agency Trip.com showed a 663 per cent increase in overall bookings from Europe to China compared to 2022, and an almost 29 per cent increase on 2019.
The United Kingdom and Germany were among the top 10 sources of inbound travellers to China globally, the data shows.
Shanghai remains the most popular destination among Europeans with its alluring blend of modernity and tradition, followed by Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Sanya, a beachside city on the southern end of China’s Hainan Island, and Chengdu – the capital of southwestern China’s Sichuan province – are emerging destinations.
Beyond it’s new visa-free schemes, the country is further encouraging inbound tourism by promoting cultural and historical attractions in partnership with Trip.com. China is also enhancing tourism infrastructure by investing in technology, travel guides and e-payment systems.
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Trains to and from the airport are cancelled.
Part of the UK’s second-busiest airpoort has been evacuated after police found a suspicious item in a piece of luggage.
It has created travel chaos on one of the busiest days of the week for travellers.
Most flights are delayed by anywhere between one and five hours.
Some passengers have taken to social media to say they have boarded flights that have then sat on the tarmac for upwards of an hour.
Gatwick airport has advised passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport. This can be done via airline websites, apps and social media channels.
Rail and road transport around the airport is severely disrupted due to the incident.
Authorities were called to the terminal at 8.20am local time after the discovery of a “suspected prohibited item,” Sussex Police said in a statement.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with,” police said in a statement. “As a precaution, an EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) team is being deployed to the airport.”
Are Gatwick flights cancelled and what is the advice to passengers?
Almost all departing flights from Gatwick South Terminal are delayed by at least an hour for the rest of the afternoon and into this evening.
Arrivals are also impacted, with some expected to land four hours late.
Spanish airline Vueling ordered two flights from Barcelona to Gatwick, as well as a single flight from Seville, to turn around and return to their starting points. The corresponding outbound flights to Spain will also be grounded.
It is not yet clear whether passengers will be issued with refunds if they choose not to fly. It is worth checking your travel insurance policy to see whether it covers expenses during delays.
The airport has confirmed that flights to and from the North Terminal are unaffected.
The train station serving Gatwick has also been closed, Britain’s rail network operator said. Social media posts also show the roads around the airport severely congested.
“We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” the airport said.
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Travel
A 4-year cruise or a €1 house in Italy: Inside the schemes helping Americans skip Trump’s presidency
Searches by Americans for moving abroad soared in the 24 hours after the first polls closed, according to Google data.
Following the recent US election result, Google searches for ‘how to move to Europe’ increased by more than 1,000 per cent in some countries.
Searches by Americans for moving to Canada and Australia soared by 1,270 and 820 per cent respectively in the 24 hours after the first polls closed, according to Google data.
The interest in leaving the States has not gone unnoticed by marketing firms.
A residential cruise ship is now offering Americans a four-year ‘escape’ trip while a Sardinian village has relaunched its €1 house scheme.
Cruise company offers four-year escape from Trump
Cruise firm Villa Vie Residences is marketing a four-year round the world trip to Americans looking to skip Donald Trump’s second term as president.
The Tour La Vie programme offers passengers a stay of up to four years onboard while visiting 140 countries – which doesn’t include the US.
The irreverently named packages include a one-year ‘Escape from Reality’ cruise, a two-year ‘Mid-Term Selection’ option, a three-year ‘Everywhere but Home’ cruise, and the four-year ‘Skip Forward’ trip.
Guests would join the Villa Vie Odyssey, a residential cruise ship which set sail from Belfast in September, several months into its voyage.
“We came up with this marketing campaign before we even knew who would win. Regardless of who would have won, you would have half of the population upset,” CEO Mikael Petterson told US news site Newsweek.
“Quite frankly, we don’t have a political view one way or the other. We just wanted to give people who feel threatened to have a way to get out.”
Prices start at a little under $40,000 (€38,000) a year. For those opting for the full four-year escape, single-occupancy cabins start at $256,000 (€243,000) while double-occupancy costs up to $320,000 (€303,000).
The price includes all food and drinks (alcohol only at dinner), WiFi, medical visits, weekly housekeeping service and bi-weekly laundry.
Sardinian village relaunches €1 house scheme for Americans
In rural Sardinia, the village of Ollolai has revived its €1 house scheme, now targeting Americans exhausted by the election.
The homes-for-the-price-of-an-espresso offer has been relaunched for US citizens “worned [sic] out by global politics” and “looking to embrace a more balanced lifestyle”, local authorities write on the village’s website.
“Of course, we can’t specifically mention the name of one US president who just got elected, but we all know that he’s the one from whom many Americans want to get away from now and leave the country,” village mayor Francesco Columbo told US news site CNN.
“We have specifically created this website now to meet US post-elections relocation needs.”
Those needs include slowing down and recharging with Ollolai’s dreamy Mediterranean lifestyle.
“Nestled in pristine nature, surrounded by incredible cuisine, and immersed in a community with ancient traditions in the rare Earth’s Blue Zone, Ollolai is the perfect destination to reconnect, recharge and embrace a new way of life,” the website claims.
Available properties will soon be listed online with prices ranging from €1 for houses needing substantial renovations to €100,000 for those that are ready to live in.
This is not the first time the village in Sardinia has put houses for a pittance on the market. In a bid to halt a steep population decline, Ollolai began selling off abandoned homes in 2018 to people willing to carry out $25,000 (€24,000) of renovations within a three-year timespan.
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