And first the good news. Greece does not seem to be affected by the drought situation that we have been seeing lately in other southern European countries. It has not been overly affected by the drought. The water reservoirs, which cover the water supply needs of Athens, among others, are full. In relation to some islands of the southern Aegean on the other hand, the problem is well known. Drought has always been a problem, and on some islands, such as Folegandros, water is transported by ships, or on others seawater is desalinated, which is used for drinking, with the help of photovoltaic systems. But even in Greece, the consequences of climate change cannot be hidden and are troubling experts. Extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, a winter with unusually heavy snow and extreme heat in the summer have increased recently, but at least for now they do not appear to jeopardize this year’s water-restricted tourism season.

Are the pools empty?

However, the picture is different in Spain. Whoever is in Barcelona these days, the temperatures are well over 20 degrees. This is in principle a positive for anyone coming from the still wintry northern Europe, but on the beaches tourists will have to queue to take a shower after swimming. The capital of Catalonia has set restrictions and has put into operation only one shower per beach. The reason; The extreme drought that the region has been experiencing for several months has inevitably led to restrictions on water consumption in more than 200 municipalities in northeastern Spain. Similar, although less serious problems are faced by Andalusia and other regions that are classified as European holiday paradises.

Just before the start of the summer season, it is not only the tourism industry that is worried. More and more lovers of the Mediterranean summer are wondering if they will find full swimming pools or if they will have to shower with the …bill. The fears are not out of place. In Catalonia water reservoirs are only 26% full on average. And to have a measure of comparison, last year it was at 58%. Since autumn 2021 rainfall has decreased and is rare. Experts are talking about the worst drought in Catalonia since records began in 1914. Experts attribute this negative development largely to man-made climate change. “Due to climate change, we must expect droughts to become more frequent, more intense and longer in the coming decades,” warns Javier Martín Vide, Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Barcelona. “Even in the short term,” he says, “the situation is not rosy, there is no end in sight to this drought”.

Despite the water saving measures adopted at the end of February, the water level continues to decrease at a rapid rate. Farmers must consume 40% less water, industry 15%. Among other things, the watering of public and private green spaces and the cleaning of streets with potable water are prohibited. Plans to ban the filling of hotel and swimming pools have recently been shelved. But private households in the areas with prolonged drought and with a total of six million inhabitants will hardly be able to enjoy swimming in private pools due to the consumption limit of 230 liters per inhabitant per day. And if the situation is so bad now, one can imagine what it will be like in the summer, when there will be little or no rain, tourists will arrive en masse and water consumption will skyrocket. This year Spain is expecting a record number of visitors. In Lloret de Mar, just outside Barcelona, ​​a resort that attracts mainly young tourists, and is also popular with Germans, the 40,000 inhabitants will be joined by 100,000 tourists in the summer.

They “emerged” new tourist attractions

Across the Costa Brava, the “population” rises from 265,000 to around 1.2 million in August. The Catalan Water Authority ACA has given an end to the alarm, at least for now: The restriction measures have also taken into account the summer tourist flows, so that the water is sufficient, as its head Samuel Reyes said. But guests are likely to face the problem, for example in hotels, which have already reduced the water pressure. A short “wander” to other popular tourist destinations also shows the seriousness of the problem.

In Italy the inhabitants of the north are particularly worried. In Lake Garda, a popular destination, and in the Po, Italy’s largest river, water levels are alarmingly low. But the tourism industry is fixated on profits, talking about risk and complaining about what it calls a “drought campaign” that has damaged the region’s image and caused a drop in visitor numbers. “No one hides the fact that this is an emergency situation, but the current water level of Lake Garda does not endanger any of the main tourist or sports activities that take place here,” L’Adige newspaper quoted a spokesperson as saying. tourism association of the area around the lake However, visitors and workers are asked to conserve water.

But the drought has another side, because it even creates new attractions that attract tourists. Last summer the Catalan authorities were forced to restrict access to the Sau reservoir north of Barcelona due to the number of people who wanted to see the 11th-century church of Sant Romá, which would otherwise be covered in water. In Lake Garda at the beginning of the year the island of San Biagio suddenly became accessible on foot due to the lack of water to the great excitement of many. But it is undeniable that tourism increases pressures on biodiversity and water resources.

In France also most vacationers come just when water is scarcest in the summer. In a section of the Calanques National Park near Marseille the overcrowding of visitors has led to severe erosion, visitors can only visit Sugiton Bay by reservation. However, people in the industry do not lose their optimism. “Last year, the drought was already a concern and yet professionals in water activities knew how to adapt. The season was very good,” Francois de Canchon, president of the French tourism association ADN Tourisme, said of the situation in southwestern France. . And so this year professionals are called to adapt. In any case France, where individual regions are highly dependent on tourists, is trying to make tourism sustainable. Majorca is on the same track, wanting to strengthen its ecological footprint and invest more in sustainable tourist infrastructure.