Katie Bryant

Arrivals haul: anti-tourism’s folly

Jason Palmer, Corbyn Duncan, Katie Bryant, Annie Crable

Recent analysis projects global tourism arrivals will surpass 2019 levels at 1.5 billion, yet rising anti-tourism sentiment in destinations like Barcelona and Greece is driving policy shifts toward tax hikes and rental restrictions to manage overcrowding and housing costs. Simultaneously, Russia faces its highest casualty rates since the war began, prompting a Kremlin pivot to volunteer recruitment driven by substantial financial incentives while obscuring death tolls through obituary bans. In the consumer technology sector, a growing backlash against smartphone overuse is fueling the revival of "dumb phones" among Gen Z, parents, and tech-savvy individuals seeking to reclaim attention through devices like the Light Phone.