Booking Holdings chief executive Glenn Fogel has called on Spain to consider using pricing mechanisms and lottery systems to manage visitor overcrowding at popular destinations, saying multiple models from around the world show the problem is solvable.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Fogel said global travel demand will continue to rise and that Spain remains one of the world’s most sought-after destinations. He warned that when demand exceeds supply, prices rise but the wider costs to local communities are rarely factored in, making active management tools necessary.
International models cited
Fogel pointed to three examples of demand management already in use elsewhere. In Botswana, the government chose to limit visitor numbers while protecting revenue by setting very high fees for safari tourism. Mount Everest permits carry significant costs yet demand still outstrips availability, leading authorities to allocate places by lottery. The New York City Marathon uses the same lottery approach to control participation numbers.
“There are many ways to manage excess demand,” Fogel said. “Different places do it in different ways.”
Equity argument for lotteries
Speaking separately to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Fogel said a lottery-based system combined with higher pricing would prevent access to iconic destinations from becoming the exclusive preserve of wealthy travellers.
“Even though you may not be wealthy, you should still get a chance to visit some of those beautiful and great places in the world,” he said.
Spain’s growing tourism pressure
Spain received a record number of international visitors in 2025, with the tourism sector accounting for an estimated 13 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. Anti-tourism protests have taken place across Barcelona, the Canary Islands and Mallorca, with residents citing housing costs, congestion and pressure on public services as key grievances.
Fogel acknowledged the political difficulty of implementing demand management measures, noting that policy decisions are often driven by electoral considerations rather than the most effective solutions.
Industry criticism
The proposals have drawn criticism from some quarters. One industry figure told The Independent that Fogel “doesn’t seem overly concerned about the impacts of overtourism on residents and tourists” and that as a global platform operator, he has little personal stake in any individual destination.
Booking Holdings, headquartered in Amsterdam, is the world’s largest online travel company by market capitalisation.
