Overtourism is becoming an increasing issue across Europe, with cities becoming inundated with holidaymakers throughout the year. The rise of tourists has seen locals priced out of popular areas, sparking protests across the continent.
While holiday hotspots such as Amalfi, Rome and Venice have suffered from overtourism for years, there were areas of Italy that remained unscathed. However, panicked locals in the region of Puglia, which has way fewer tourists, believe the situation is changing.
As reported by the Telegraph, Alessandra Tasca grew up in Monopoli, a coastal town in northern Puglia, and is now the head of wine at OMA restaurant in London. She said that her friends at home are now concerned about overtourism.
She said: “When I first moved to London 12 years ago, nobody had heard of Puglia. Fast forward 12 years and people have either been or they have a holiday booked. The change has been rapid and Puglia has not handled it well. My friends living there are concerned about the future.”
Puglia, located at the heel of the Italian boot, is known for its amazing beaches and stunning properties, attracting tourists who are after a mix of relaxation and exploration. The region is also famous for its olive oil production, with over 50 million olive trees.
Allesandra explained how the town is already feeling the effects of overtourism. She said Puglia has “lost its identity” due to the influx of tourists.
“The identity of the town is not alive anymore,” she said. “Business owners here were surprised by the explosion in tourist numbers. They saw opportunities for short-term gain and things weren’t managed well. I know lots of people who are concerned.
“At the moment it’s too early to say what the effect of more tourists will bring to our region but in places like Rome, Tuscany, Venice and Amalfi it has become unbearable.”
From this summer, tourists will be able to get a direct flight from the US to the region with low-cost airline Neos. The first flight will go from New York to Bari, the capital of Puglia, on June 3. They will then operate twice a week until October.
Livia Angelini, of luxury operator Scott Dunn, said: “Over the last few years, Puglia has been one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in Europe. We’ve had a steady increase of approximately 16 per cent year-on-year in enquiries for the region.”
A total of 10 million people flew in and out of Puglia’s three airports last year. This was a 10% increase on 2023 and airlines easyJet and Ryanair have since increased the frequency of their flights to the region.
Oliver Bell, co-founder of UK-based Oliver’s Travels, said: “Puglia is a fast-growing market for us. Historically, Tuscany, Umbria and Sicily have been popular with the UK market, while for the US market it’s The Lakes and the Amalfi Coast.
“While these destinations still hold their ground, Puglia has climbed to the second most-booked region for 2025, tying with the Italian Lakes – a remarkable leap from fifth last year, thanks to growing awareness and better air connectivity.”
Puglia is home to ancient ruins and medieval castles, as well as Baroque cities. It’s unique architectural styles appeal to tourists from all over the world.
A tourism campaign held in London during the Covid-19 pandemic has conributed to the rise of Puglia as a tourist destination. The region was celebrated by posters on the underground network, promoting it’s remoteness and great food.
Meanwhile, the G7 summit was held at Borgo Egnazia, a hotel just outside of Bari, in 2024. This helped put Puglia on the map and gave it attention from across the world.
A number of tourists have recently given Puglia glowing reviews on TripAdvisor. They described it as an “amazing discover” which compared to “bucket list” holiday spots.
One said: “Having been all over the globe, I was running out of ‘must see’ places on my ‘bucket list’. Then someone recommended visiting the Puglia region of Italy. Never heard of it.” They added: “We were NOT disappointed. The region is Italy’s secret…but not for long!”
A second wrote: “This was an amazing discover. A region of Italy which honestly we didn’t know it existed and Tours of Puglia made it alive for us. Although it was winter and the weather a little chilly, we had an opportunity to explore without any crowd or cue. We did a week, but next time we will extend at least to 10 or 11 days.”
However, others believe Puglia will not become another Amalfi Coast. Marcelo Martinez, who built hotels in the southern part of the region, explained: “Amalfi is unique in that it is tiny and the roads are not designed for so many people. There is still so much of Puglia – especially in the south where we are located – that feels untouched.
“Of course Polignano a Mare, Ostuni, Monopoli and Alberobello – where the famous trulli houses are located – have lost a bit of their charm because of tourism, but when friends visit us we like to take them to places that are off the beaten track.”
