London’s office districts have an eerie air to them at this time of year as workers pack off for their summer vacations. It’s a sure bet many of them will be in Spain – where tourists have been arriving in record numbers, but at a growing cost to local people.
The impact of short-term holiday lets on housing markets in places like Ibiza has caused chaos, forcing some hospitality workers to live in caravans and tents. Amid wider concerns about mass tourism, including the insensitive behaviour of some visitors, large protests have taken place in Spain’s big holiday towns.
There are fears demonstrations could soon extend across Europe. This week, Clea Skopeliti and Ashifa Kassam find growing disgruntlement among those living in the continent’s visitor hotspots, who want a better balance between mass tourism and its impacts.
England itself is not immune to such problems. Tanya Gold’s long read from the picturesque Cornish town of St Ives shows how wealthy holidaygoers are ruining life for many local residents.
Visitor controls are often mooted as a solution, but in Venice – the world’s archetypal overcrowded tourist city – Angela Giuffrida finds a mixed reception for recently introduced measures.
Then, much farther afield in the Galápagos Islands, Kimberley Brown learns how overtourism and population growth are straining the archipelago’s delicate ecosystems.
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Five essential reads in this week’s edition
1
Spotlight | On the road: Kamala Harris and Tim Walz re-energise Democrats
The US vice-president and her running mate have hit the ground running in their campaign for the White House. Can they keep the momentum going, asks Lauren Gambino.
2
Technology | The fragile world of underwater internet cables
Deep-sea wires are the veins of the modern world. What if something were to happen to them? Jonathan Yerushalmy investigates.
3
Feature | Beautiful, bruising and complex female friendships
Ahead of her new book examining women’s friendships, the Observer’s Rachel Cooke reflects on two pivotal ones of her own, as well as some notable literary attachments.
4
Opinion | The Olympics showed France’s far right what true patriotism is all about
Despite a febrile political backdrop, the Paris Games reminded a nation of what it means to be proud of one’s country, says French sports writer Philippe Auclair.
5
Culture | The second act of Sam Neill
He is one of the world’s most famous actors, but the New Zealander – whose cancer is thankfully in remission – can still go to Starbucks without anyone recognising him, finds Zoe Williams.
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What else we’ve been reading
With the Premier League season about to kick off, this timely feature by Tim Adams explores the important role Arsenal have played in the integration of Black people and culture in football. It focuses on a new book that pays homage to the influence of players like Ian Wright and Thierry Henry, and the club’s position as a gamechanger on and off the pitch. Anthony Naughton, assistant editor
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Other highlights from the Guardian website
• Gallery | Postcards from Paris: iconic scenes at the Olympic Games
• Audio | Is AI a bubble? – podcast
• Video | How Bangladesh’s ‘gen Z revolution’ forced the prime minister to flee – video explainer
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