Tag: Valletta

  • Cruise Ships Plugged in Grand Harbour Onshore Power Supply Only 9% of Time in First Year

    Cruise Ships Plugged in Grand Harbour Onshore Power Supply Only 9% of Time in First Year

    By Joanna Demarco

    • Cruise ships in Malta’s Grand Harbour connected to the onshore power supply system just 9% of the time in the first year
    • Cruise vessel traffic and arrivals continue to rise annually, now at over 940,000 visitors, raising doubts about whether overall air pollution is actually decreasing compared to the years prior.
    • Shorter stays saw higher OPS use: 19% of ships berthed for a day or less plugged in, while none of those docked for longer than two days did.
    • MSC World Europa accounted for just over half of OPS connections, yet failed to plug in on several occasions.
    • Carnival Corporation’s liners used the technology only 6 times out of 58 calls, despite contractual obligations and available equipment.
    • The 45% of port arrivals occur at 7am or earlier, intensifying early-morning noise and air pollution in nearby communities.
    • The Senglea air monitoring station — which tracked near- real-time particulate matter — was removed in October 2024, reducing both monitoring of a ‘crucial’ pollutant and transparency in air quality monitoring around the Grand Harbour.
    • Local residents continue to raise health concerns, with the Southern Harbour region recording the highest asthma hospital discharge rate in Malta between 2017 and 2022.
    • Costs, grid stability, and outdated ship technology as possible reasons for low OPS uptake.

    After a year in service, Malta’s Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system was used by cruise ships just 9% of the time, according to an analysis by Amphora Media.

    That translates to roughly five and a half minutes per hour for every cruise ship berthing in the Grand Harbour. 

    Using publicly available data from the Valletta Cruise Port website and records on OPS (shore-to-ship) connections obtained from Transport Malta through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, Amphora Media was able to calculate the total percentage of time vessels plugged in between July 2024 – when the ship-to-shore system in the Grand Harbour kicked off – and July 2025. 

    The data also shows that, as the number of cruise ships plugging into the OPS continues to gain momentum, the flow of cruise ships berthing in Malta’s Grand Harbour is also increasing annually.

    The OPS system at the Valletta Cruise Port. Image credit: Kian Bugeja/ DOI

    The technology for cruise liners, launched by the government in 2024 and co-funded by the European Union, allows vessels to plug into the national power grid, instead of generating power from their own engines, slashing harmful pollutant emissions.

    It was launched nine months prior to the EU setting a 2030 deadline for maritime ports to install onshore power supply infrastructure and for vessels to plug in.

    Shore-to-ship promises to slash 90% of air pollution from berthed cruise ships in the Grand Harbour for roughly 17,000 people who live in the surrounding areas. 

    Research by the organisation Transport & Environment shows that the shipping sector is one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution.

    It is estimated to be responsible for more than 250,000 premature deaths per year worldwide, from cancer and cardiovascular diseases alone. And while all ship types have an environmental and climate impact, air pollution from cruise ships is particularly worrying, Transport & Environment highlights.

    OPS Was Not Used for Longer Stays

    Within the one-year period analysed by Amphora Media – between July 10th 2024 and July 10th 2025 – there were 373 cruise ship berths in the Grand Harbour. Out of these, the vessels plugged into the shore-to-ship technology 67 times, and not always for the complete duration of the stay.

    Out of the total number of vessels at the port (without calculating power supply usage):

    • 312 were berthed for one day or less 
    • 38 were berthed between one and two days
    • 23 were berthed for between two to four days

    Our analysis shows that cruise ships were more likely to plug into the onshore power supply when berthing for one day or less (19.6% compared to 16.2% and 0%). No cruise ships that were berthed for two to four days used the technology.

    Shipping giant MSC, which co-owns Palumbo Malta Shipyard LTD, located within the same waters, plugged into Malta’s system over half (35) of the total 67 instances in which the system was used, with its MSC World Europa cruise ship. However, the same cruise ship did not plug into the OPS on another 16 occasions when it was berthed. 

    Asked by Amphora Media why they would decide to plug-in on some occasions but not on others, the company did not reply.

    Since signing a ‘‘shore power agreement’ with the Maltese government, Carnival Corporation’s cruise liners only made use of the technology 6 out of 58 times berthing in the Grand Harbour, even in the cases where the vessel has shown the capability to plug in.

    For example, the cruise vessel Costa Fascinosa plugged into the OPS technology on 13th June 2025, however, it did not make use of the technology during its following three berths in the port between June and July. Similarly, Aida Diva plugged into the system on 1st April 2025 but not on 8th April 2025.

    In a request for comment, Transport Malta explained that Carnival Corporation connected to the OPS infrastructure for “testing and commissioning purposes to obtain the necessary certification” as “Onshore Power Supply ready”, adding that “once this process is completed, the vessels will be able to use the system routinely.” Carnival Corporation echoed the same justification.

    Transport Malta turned down Amphora Media’s request for a copy of the shore power agreement, citing “strict” confidentiality due to its “commercial nature”.

    Images of cruise vessels emitting fumes taken by a Floriana resident.

    Number of Cruise Ships and Passengers in Grand Harbour on the Rise Again

    Following a near-standstill of cruise ship activity during the COVID-19 year 2020, the number of cruise ships berthing in the Grand Harbour have been increasing annually, with the number of passengers hitting record figures in 2024 and registering quasi-pre-pandemic levels in terms of cruise vessel calls.

    Valletta Cruise Port figures show 357 cruise liner calls in 2024. That’s up from 312 calls in 2023 and 283 in 2022, and slightly lower than the 372 calls logged in 2019.

    Meanwhile, passenger numbers also hit new all-time highs: 940,915 in 2024, compared with 889,336 in 2023 and just 147,132 in 2021, and more than the 902,425 recorded in 2019.

    This means that for overall air pollution in the area to decline, the emissions avoided through OPS must outweigh the added emissions from the rising number of berthed ships

    The government celebrates this constant growth in cruise arrivals. However, residents in the area who are concerned about the impact fumes spewing out of the ships are having on their health do not share the same jovial tone.

    For Alex, a resident who has been living in Floriana for over a decade, the growing presence of cruise ships has led to increased noise pollution and a growing concern about the impact this surge in numbers is having on his own health and that of the rest of the community. 

    “Now they [cruise ships] come in at 5:30am in the morning,” he told Amphora Media. “Sometimes the whole building shakes … just to give you an idea of the impact”.

    Data collected by Amphora Media indicates that 45% of port call arrivals occur at 7am or earlier, with the earliest port arrivals occurring at 4:30am.

    Together with other residents, Alex started a Facebook group called ‘Clean Air for the Grand Harbour’, and since then has lent an ear to residents, who have noticed a decline in their respiratory health, among other concerns.

    Figures can back up the reality of respiratory issues for residents surrounding the Grand Harbour. 

    Data on asthma as a primary or secondary discharge diagnosis from Mater Dei Hospital between 2017 and 2022, made available to Amphora Media, shows that on average, the Southern Harbour region – which includes Floriana, Valletta, The Three Cities, and other towns surrounding the Grand Harbour – was the district with the highest discharge rates.

    The region experienced 1.18 diagnoses per 1000 people over the six years, followed by an average of 0.95 in the Northern district and 0.91 in the Northern Harbour district.

    Infrastructure Malta, the agency overseeing the shift to OPS technology, had in fact stated in 2023 that “17,000 families residing around the Grand Harbour area” would benefit from cleaner air through the investment. 

    The Environment Ministry did not reply to questions by Amphora Media on the matter.

    Prime Minister Robert Abela and Carnival UK & P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow shake hands at the signing of the agreement. Image credit: DOI

    The reasons not to use the OPS system today may vary.

    Francisco Ferreira, President of the Portuguese NGO Zero, which closely monitors the development of OPS systems in Portugal, explained that vessels are not yet equipped with the technology or choose not to connect, as plugging in is often more expensive than running on their own fuel.

    Transport Malta reiterated that before the 2030 obligation designated by the new EU law, “subject to the condition that vessels comply with emission requirements, connecting to the onshore power, at this stage, remains the prerogative of the shipping line.” According to Ferreira, one of the biggest challenges for cruise lines is retrofitting their fleets.

    “In many cases, if you have an old ship, it’s better to scrap it than retrofit it. It’s better to buy or build a new one. (…) The problem we see in this industry is the very slow pace of transformation from the current fleet to one capable of connecting to onshore power supply.”

    He also stressed the importance of competitive pricing for OPS. “If the cost difference is too high, retrofitting becomes more attractive to operators than continuing to rely on diesel while at berth,” he said.

    The Transport Ministry did not reply to Amphora Media’s questions on the prices Malta has currently for the use of the OPS infrastructure.

    Senglea Air Monitoring Station Removed, and Particulate Matter Monitoring Removed With It

    As cruise ships in the Grand Harbour increase, and OPS technology use remains low, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA)’s mobile air monitoring station in Senglea has been removed, along with its near-real-time monitoring data, which was available for the public to view online.

    Questioned about the absence of the monitor, a spokesperson for ERA confirmed the removal to Amphora Media.

    “The mobile station was intended to be located there for a specific period to collect enough samples to be able to perform a study on any impact shipping in the Grand Harbour may have on air quality,” the spokesperson said. “This monitoring exercise was completed and removed from Senglea at the end of October 2024.”

    The air quality in the area is now only monitored through the passive diffusive tube network, meaning that as of October last year, residents surrounding the Grand Harbour do not have access to monitor air pollution in the area in real-time.  

    The passive diffusion tube network monitors the Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Benzene levels around the island. The mobile monitoring stations, meanwhile, additionally calculate Particulate Matter (PM) levels and Ozone (O3) levels, among others. 

    In a conversation with Amphora Media, BirdLife Malta’s Head of Conservation, Nicholas Barbara, explained that monitoring particulate matter is “crucial” for monitoring the impact of the air pollution on the health of people in the area, and there is no other way to monitor PM levels other than through live monitoring. 

    BirdLife Malta has been one of the local NGOs at the forefront of advocating for clean air in the area.

    “If they are going back to the diffuser only, they are not measuring the particulate matter at all.” he said. 

    Barbara argued that the government should now be thinking of a more permanent setup to continue the monitoring efforts that were covered by the Senglea monitor, since “the cruise ship industry is not going to go [anywhere], for sure, in the coming years”.

    By the time of publication, ERA did not reply to questions on the absence of monitoring particulate matter in the area and the Environment Ministry did not reply to questions about the decrease in monitoring in the area.

    Potential Strain on National Grid Could Be Legitimate Reason Not to Connect to OPS Under New EU Law

    Concerns about the stability of Malta’s national grid in relation to OPS technology have been raised since the introduction of the new system.

    Last year, it made headlines after Prime Minister Robert Abela pointed to it as one of the reasons why the power grid was under pressure.

    In July, the Nationalist Party also questioned the stability and reliability of the shore-to-ship power supply after alleging that cruise liners suffered power outages while connected to the national grid – allegations that Transport Malta and Enemalta denied. 

    Under the new EU law, vessels will be allowed not to plug in to OPS systems in cases where they are “unable to connect to OPS because, exceptionally, the electrical grid stability is at risk, due to insufficient available shore-power to satisfy the ship’s required electrical power demand at berth.”

    This investigation is part of Senza Segnale, a collaborative project that reconnects news deserts in the Mediterranean.

    Senza Segnale is a project by Amphora Media and IrpiMedia; in collaboration with Fada, Facta, Indip, Infonodes, Centro di Giornalismo Permanente; in cooperation with the Allianz Foundation.

  • Short lets In Numbers: How Tourist Rentals Reshaped Malta

    Short lets In Numbers: How Tourist Rentals Reshaped Malta

    By Daiva Repečkaitė, Julian Bonnici and Sabrina Zammit
    Photo credit: Joanna Demarco

    • Tourism has more than doubled in a decade. Now at 3.5 million a year, or an average of 62,000 extra people per day.
    • Today, there are more than 9,300 active listings on Airbnb.
    • Short-term rentals now make up a third of the tourist accommodation market.
    • The market generates an estimated €47 million over a year.
    • Sliema’s Airbnb market is the largest, worth €7.3 million, followed by St Julian’s (€5 million) and St Paul’s Bay (€3.8 million).
    • In Valletta alone, 1 in 6 homes is part of the tourism market. In tourism hotspots, like Sliema, Gżira and others, that number is now at 1 in 10.
    • Nearly 200 clusters where multiple short-lets are concentrated in a single building or street.
    • Four main arteries in Sliema, Tower Road, The Strand, Triq Robert Arrigo, and Triq Manwel Dimech, host 401 Airbnb listings.
    • Local councils report mounting complaints over waste, noise, vandalism, and safety, while revenues eclipse budgets.

    Malta now boasts more than 9,300 active listings on Airbnb alone, a figure that underscores just how deeply short-term rentals have reshaped the island’s housing landscape, with some localities carrying a disproportionate share of the burden.

    Amphora Media’s latest investigation, carried out with support from Journalismfund Europe and in collaboration with Centro di Giornalismo Permanente, analysed data collected from Airbnb and provided by an activist-led platform, Inside Airbnb, to offer a closer look at a booming industry reshaping Malta’s tourism accommodation sector and fuelling growing tensions within residential communities.

    Photo credit: Joanna Demarco

    Malta’s tourism, one of the seven priority sectors promoted by the government, has doubled in a decade. The number of visitors has soared from around 1.6 million in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2024, equivalent to an extra 62,000 people in the country every day.

    Accommodating this surge has pushed thousands to convert private residences into tourist lets. According to NSO, in 2024, the number of tourists staying in ‘other rental accommodation’, under which short-lets fall, exceeded a million.

    It now accounts for 33% of the total market, and the figure is growing. The number of tourists staying at hotels and other collective accommodation has also increased over the period, but their share has dropped by 10% over the last five years.

    The market can be highly lucrative. Inside Airbnb data reveals that Malta-based listings generate an estimated €47.3 million annually.

    Yet, most of the money fails to reach the localities and communities.

    For example, estimates based on Inside Airbnb’s data show that the Airbnb market in Sliema, one of the localities overburdened by tourism, generates an estimated revenue of over €7.3 million – dwarfing the 2024 Sliema local council’s annual budget of around €1.6 million. The 2024 budget for local councils was €48.4 million across 68 localities.

    The strain is being felt at the community level. 

    From waste to noise complaints, alleged vandalism and fears over public safety, frustrations are mounting, with residents in Swieqi even taking to the streets in protest.

    “Malta has a reputation abroad as a place where everyone does what they want – everyone smokes cannabis, everyone breaks things – that’s the reputation Malta has,” says St Julian’s mayor Guido Dalli.

    Marsaskala. Photo credit: Joanna Demarco

    “[Short lets are] the most difficult thing, not only in Marsaskala, but around Malta,” Marsaskala mayor Mario Calleja told Amphora. In 2022, his local council was receiving 16 weekly complaints about rubbish on average. 

    “And why do we have these mishaps? The owners of these apartments do not inform tourists of the proper days to dispose of waste. They just take it out on whatever day. This is the most common problem for local councils.”

    In response to parliamentary questions about Airbnbs disrespecting municipal waste collection schedules, Owen Bonnici, in charge of local government, replied with promises to distribute information stickers and increase enforcement.

    Swieqi: A residential neighbourhood transformed

    “If residents are happy, tourists will come,” says veteran hospitality expert Marie Avellino. But protests, petitions and media reporting about locals’ grievances show that for many locals, mingling with tourists is less than a happy experience.

    Even the government’s tourism 2021-2030 strategy acknowledges that the “signs of uneasiness by local residents having to cohabit with tourists accommodated in residential apartment blocks or similar” is one of the ‘areas of concern’ 

    Swieqi, once a quiet residential suburb neighbouring St Julian’s, has morphed into a hotspot for short-term rentals, a byproduct of its proximity to Paceville, Malta’s nightlife capital, which has gained notoriety online for clips of rowdy tourist behaviour. 

    Over a third of Swieqi listings mention Paceville in their description. Some listings even warn that the proximity to Paceville makes the place unsuitable for families and older people.

    Airbnb did not reply to Amphora Media’s questions about these developments.

    Our analysis shows 432 active Airbnb listings in Swieqi, accounting for approximately 6% of all livable residences in the area. That figure excludes other platforms such as Booking.com, for which we could not obtain comparable data. 

    Davcar Developments Ltd, whose brand is Holiday Letting Malta, is a major player, with 80 active listings, 62 in Swieqi. 360 Group comes next with 24 properties in Swieqi, but their estimated revenues are the largest, approaching €99,000 in Swieqi alone.

    Cross-checking the numbers with Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) records suggests that, by conservative estimates, more than 9% of Swieqi rentals are unlicensed.

    In August, weeks before a protest over the issue took place, an activist who asked to be called JC reached out to Booking.com and Airbnb to complain about suspicious listings and the negative impact of short-lets.

    In response to our questions, Booking.com said, “In the very rare instance that we are made aware of any unlawful behaviour taking place at a property listed on our site – including house parties – we investigate thoroughly, cooperate with local authorities or law enforcement, and when necessary block the customer account from our platform.”

    “We also have a solid process in place for authorities to report any concerns, taking swift action to remove properties if they are found not to be operating in compliance with local laws.”

    MTA did not reply to Amphora Media’s questions.

    Valletta: built by gentlemen, housed for short lets

    The rise of short-term rentals has reshaped neighbourhoods while directly draining the supply of homes available to residents.

    Historically, tourist accommodation in Malta concentrated along the coast, as tour operators channelled their sun-seeking clients for standard-length holidays at beachside hotels.

    Photo credit: Joanna Demarco

    However, in 2006, low-cost airlines began operating in Malta, attracting city break seekers. To keep up with the demand, short-term rentals have soared, now comprising a third of the market.

    In Valletta, Malta’s state and cultural capital, nearly 570 properties are listed on Airbnb, meaning around one in six liveable homes in the city is now part of the tourism market.

    According to official statistics, Valletta is in second place in terms of tourism intensity, with its effective population in 2023 nearly doubling.

    This is mainly driven by tourists. Census data shows that as of 2023, Valletta has just over 5,000 residents, smaller than what it was in 2013. A fifth of them are over 70 years of age.

    The five largest operators have 130 listings among them.

    VREM Ltd has the largest portfolio in Valletta, with an estimated annual revenue of around €108,000 from the city. Valletta Vintage emerged as the highest earner, estimated to generate over €324,000 per year with just 10 listings.

    The combined revenue of the top 10 earners from Airbnb exceeds the 2024 allocation to the Valletta local council from the central government.

    “The private sector is proliferating in residential zones, which is clashing with the community,” says Valletta resident Billy McBee, who founded Residenti Beltin and unsuccessfully ran for the last local elections with this movement.

    “I remember a time when we used to have good quality tourists. I mean, very respectful ones, they used to leave tips, they used to go for retail, but the quality kind, you know, they never gave any problems to anyone. Nowadays, you get horrible quality tourists.”

    “Waste management is quite an issue. If the private sector truly honours the private collection, then there wouldn’t be any problem. But during summer, you’ve got pests, cockroaches, rats, smells, and liquids. These are really, literally getting out of hand,” he says.

    In 2024, 44 waste contraventions were issued in Valletta, and three resulted in court cases. Valletta’s budget for waste disposal and refuse collection was €120,000 in 2024.

    We asked 12 major operators about their approach to licensing, neighbourhood disturbance policy, and waste management. None of them replied.

    “You have nightlife, without ensuring enforcement,” McBee continued. “They [policymakers] keep adding so many things to the pot, which is now boiling. People are getting fed up. Valletta is not managing its infrastructure, like energy, electrical waste management, drainage system, and traffic.”

    MTA did not reply to questions about licensing so many short lets in Valletta.

    Sliema, St Julian’s, Gżira and St Paul’s Bay: Localities overwhelmed

    Swieqi and Valletta, however, are far from the worst affected. Sliema tops the list with 1,268 Airbnb properties, followed by St Paul’s Bay with 1,007 and St Julian’s with 947. The next highest concentrations are in Gżira (684) and Valletta (569).

    In Gżira, Sliema and St Julian’s, roughly one in ten liveable homes is now listed on Airbnb.

    Gżira. Photo credit: Joanna Demarco

    Estimates from Inside Airbnb data show that Sliema’s Airbnb market is the largest, worth €7.3 million. Airbnb listings are estimated to generate around €5 million in St Julian’s and €3.8 million in St Paul’s Bay.

    The numbers also reveal heavy clustering. In nearly 200 cases, multiple listings are concentrated within the same location, suggesting that operators may run residential buildings as de facto hotels, but with fewer regulations or oversight than traditional accommodation providers must follow.

    St Julian’s, Sliema and St Paul’s Bay top that list with 69, 68, and 68 listings in such clusters, respectively.

    The concentration of short-term rentals is starkest at street level. In Sliema alone, four main arteries, Tower Road, The Strand, Triq Robert Arrigo and Triq Manwel Dimech, account for 401 listings between them.

    Photo credit: Pablo L. Mendoza

    Tower Road tops the national list with 145 Airbnbs, followed by The Strand with 114. Similar patterns emerge elsewhere: Triq d’Argens in Gżira hosts 70, while St Julian’s has three streets, Ġorġ Borġ Olivier, St George and Triq Spinola, each exceeding 50 listings.

    Gżira Mayor Neville Chetcuti warns that, similar to Valletta, there is a larger transformation of his locality set in action.

    “It’s an ageing population in Gżira. There aren’t many young people, obviously, because every place is being demolished and rebuilt into hotels or flats or guesthouses. So they move out of here, and the number keeps going down,” he told Amphora Media.

    Credit: Joanna Demarco

    A Battle on Two Fronts: Poor Enforcement In Communities Facing Overtourism And Overpopulation

    Many localities facing the burden of over-tourism are facing challenges from a ballooning population, despite significant gaps in enforcement.

    St Julian’s and Swieqi fall under the same police district, yet between 2013 and 2025, the number of officers assigned there fell by four despite the locality being under “very high risk” of crime. This decline comes despite a sharp rise in demand: police reports in the district increased by 2,670, from 5,937 in 2020 to 8,607 in 2024.

    Sliema. Photo credit: Roberto Sorin
    Sliema. Photo credit: Roberto Sorin

    Meanwhile, across Malta, the number of noise complaint reports has increased over the years, climbing from 341 in 2021 to 473 in 2024. 

    Nowhere is the strain felt more than in Paceville. Despite being Malta’s nightlife hub, notorious on social media for clips of drunken brawls, vandalism and public urination, it has no police station of its own.

    Instead, the St Julian’s station and Swieqi officers serve as first points of contact for those requiring police intervention in the area.

    The government has refused to disclose exactly how many officers are deployed in Paceville. Replying to a parliamentary question in May, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said only that numbers “vary according to the need and particular circumstances”, noting that patrols there include district and community police as well as the Rapid Intervention Unit.

    He also promised that a CCTV network for Paceville would finally be operational by next summer.

    Valletta, which has become its own entertainment hub in the years before and following V18, faces similar shortages. Police numbers in its district fell by 32 between 2013 and 2025, even as incident reports to the police rose by 797 between 2020 and 2024.

    Sliema, Gżira and Msida, grouped together in Police District 7, are also under strain. The district, which combines dense residential areas with heavy tourist inflows, has 67 officers in total. 

    With a total population of 49,000, that means there’s one officer for every 731 residents. According to Euronews, the EU had an average of 341 police officers per 100,000 people, or one officer every 293 residents.

    Photo credit: Joanna Demarco

    In response to parliamentary questions about Airbnbs disrespecting municipal waste collection schedules, Owen Bonnici, in charge of local government, replied with promises to increase enforcement for those disposing of waste on the wrong day.

    “I’m not saying Maltese don’t litter, because they do as well, but the majority for sure are tourists. Especially those in short lets, they’re the ones who cause the most problems,” Gżira mayor Neville Chetcuti told Amphora Media.

    Tourism researcher Avellino cautions against blaming tourists for the waste problem when the door-to-door collection system confuses them. 

    “Imagine that as a tourist, I don’t know what to do with the garbage bag. I walk along the streets and see garbage bags outside. ‘Ah, that’s what people do there! Okay, I will do the same.’ And they think they’re doing a good thing,” she said.

    Tourism’s growth “places stress on key resources”, Deloitte acknowledged in a carrying capacity study, published in 2022. “Already at 2019 tourism levels, tourists’ and residents’ satisfaction were impacted by excess volume,” the study’s authors noted.

    “Key issues impacting both residents and tourists (to varying degrees) include traffic, littering, waste management, poor urban environment (overcrowding, overdevelopment and uglification) and the lack of authenticity of experience,” Deloitte noted. In response to the negative effects, there are increasing calls to calculate touristic locations’ carrying capacity again. 

    Avellino warns that this may not be a silver bullet.

    “Carrying capacity changes. It’s not like you’ve got an apartment with three bedrooms, therefore the carrying capacity of that apartment is six persons.”

    She says that coming up with an objective figure of how much tourism the islands can sustain is very difficult, and even if it could be done, it may upset some:

    “Governments and politicians traditionally went by volume. So if the carrying capacity exercise had to be done – and it’s very complex to do it – and all of a sudden the carrying capacity, for example, turns out to be two million tourists – it hurts them.”

    This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.