Planning a trip isn’t just about picking scenic spots anymore. Where you’re actually wanted matters. Some destinations roll out the red carpet with genuine warmth, while others are practically putting up barriers to keep the crowds at bay. The difference between feeling welcomed and feeling like an inconvenience can define your entire travel experience.
Tourism recovered to record levels following the pandemic, yet not every place is celebrating the return of visitors. Let’s be real, the relationship between locals and tourists has become strained in certain hotspots, while other countries continue to embrace visitors with open arms.
Portugal: The Warm Welcome That Keeps Getting Warmer
According to the 2024 InterNations survey, which garnered more than 12,500 respondents representing 175 nationalities across 174 different countries, Portugal consistently ranks among the friendliest nations. The Portuguese have built a reputation for genuine hospitality that goes beyond tourist formalities. Walking through Lisbon or Porto, you’re likely to encounter locals who genuinely want to help, even if language barriers exist.
Portugal saw a 26% increase in arrivals in 2024, and its popularity shows no signs of waning. Despite this surge, the Portuguese maintain their welcoming attitude, though housing pressures have begun emerging in Lisbon. Still, compared to other European destinations experiencing backlash, Portugal remains remarkably hospitable to visitors who inject billions into the local economy.
Iceland: Small Population, Big Hearts
Iceland welcomed 2.26 million international tourists in 2024, up 2.3% from 2023 and exceeding the 2019 figure by 12.4%. For a nation of fewer than 400,000 people, that’s a staggering ratio. Yet Icelanders have embraced tourism as both an economic lifeline and a way to share their extraordinary landscape with the world. The country has invested heavily in eco-lodges, geothermal resorts, and wellness tourism.
What makes Iceland special isn’t just tolerance but active welcome. International tourists generated $4.20 billion in expenditure while visiting Iceland in 2024, representing a 35.5% increase from 2023, with visitors spending about $1,858 per trip on average. The Icelandic government has channeled tourism revenue into preserving natural sites while maintaining infrastructure that benefits both residents and visitors.
Mexico: Where “Mi Casa Es Su Casa” Is More Than a Saying
Panama topped the list as the friendliest country for expats in 2024, pushing Mexico to spot #2, where nearly 9 in 10 expats say they’re happy living there, thanks to friendly locals, a strong sense of welcome, and a culture that’s easy to adapt to. Mexican hospitality runs deep in the culture. From bustling Mexico City to quiet beach towns, locals often go out of their way to make visitors feel at home.
Over 90% of expats feel genuinely welcomed by locals. This isn’t just about politeness. It’s about a cultural pride in sharing traditions, food, and celebrations with outsiders. Mexico’s tourism industry thrives partly because visitors sense they’re not just tolerated but genuinely embraced as temporary members of the community.
Japan: Hospitality With High Standards
Japan saw some of the highest growth rates in arrivals, with an 18% increase recorded in the first nine months of 2025. Japanese hospitality, known as “omotenashi,” represents a cultural philosophy of anticipating guests’ needs. According to the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index, Japan ranks among the top three best-placed countries for travel and tourism, alongside the US and Spain.
Here’s the thing about Japan. It’s not that they hate tourists, but according to a survey examining congestion in residential and workplace areas, 59.7% of respondents reported that living in traditional neighborhoods has become unbearable for locals dealing with constant crowds seeking the perfect Instagram shot. Despite growing pains from overtourism in specific areas like Kyoto, the fundamental culture of welcoming guests remains strong across most of the country.
Spain: Where the Welcome Mat Has Been Pulled Back
Beginning in April 2024, protests erupted against overtourism in Spain, and over the course of 2024, 94 million tourists visited Spain, compared to its 48 million population. The numbers tell a stark story. In July 2024, thousands marched down Barcelona’s La Rambla carrying signs reading “Tourism kills the city” and “Tourists go home, you are not welcome,” with some demonstrators using water pistols to spray unsuspecting visitors.
In June 2025, large demonstrations were reported in Barcelona, where thousands of residents marched chanting slogans such as “Your holidays, my misery,” with similar demonstrations occurring in Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, San Sebastián and Granada. Barcelona’s mayor announced plans to end short-term rentals by 2028 and raised the tourist tax on cruise ship visitors. The frustration is real, rooted in skyrocketing housing costs and overcrowded public spaces that have fundamentally altered daily life for residents.
Venice, Italy: The City That’s Charging You to Enter
Around 250,000 people live in Venice, yet the Italian city accommodates 20 million tourists per year, and in 2024, Venice introduced a €5 fee for visitors accessing the city center between 8:30 am and 4 pm during peak travel season. Picture living in a city where you’re outnumbered by tourists roughly 80 to 1. In April 2024, Venice introduced this fee for day-trippers, with protest groups marching through narrow streets holding banners like “Welcome to Veniceland,” and in 2021, cruise ships were banned from docking in the city center after years of protests.
Venice represents an extreme case where tourism has essentially hollowed out a living city. Locals have been leaving for decades, priced out by the very industry that was supposed to sustain them. The city has become more museum than metropolis, and residents who remain feel increasingly like props in someone else’s vacation photos.
The relationship between tourists and locals is shifting across the globe. Some countries continue to welcome visitors with genuine enthusiasm, seeing tourism as both economic opportunity and cultural exchange. Others have reached a breaking point where the negative impacts outweigh the benefits. Honestly, the destinations struggling with overtourism aren’t rejecting visitors out of rudeness but desperation to preserve their quality of life. For travelers, choosing where to go increasingly means considering not just where you want to visit but where you’re genuinely wanted. Did you expect the divide to be this stark?
<p>The post Not Every Country Loves Tourists—Here Are the Ones That Do (and Don’t) first appeared on Travelbinger.</p>