Zakynthos, a Greek island renowned for its iconic Navagio beach and as a key nesting area for endangered loggerhead turtles, has been ranked Europe’s most overcrowded tourist destination, according to a new study.
The report by "Which? Travel" indicates that Zakynthos has the highest visitor-to-resident ratio in Europe, with nearly 150,000 overnight stays per 1,000 permanent residents — roughly 150 tourists for every local.
While tourism provides a boost to the local economy, the island’s aging infrastructure struggles to keep pace.
Residents point to a port and airport that have seen little change in decades, strained water and sewage systems, and overwhelmed roads and waste management facilities.
The island previously gained notoriety for piles of uncollected trash, overshadowing its popular attractions.
Meanwhile, accommodations continue to increase, driven by short-term rental platforms, despite limited capacity elsewhere.
Experts warn of "overtourism," a situation where the negative impacts of excessive visitor numbers outweigh the economic benefits.
Similar issues affect Croatia’s Istria (133 tourists per resident) and Spain’s Fuerteventura (119 tourists per resident).
In contrast, Eastern European regions such as Targovishte in Bulgaria and Rybnik in Poland face significantly less tourism pressure.