A newly released DW Travel video looks at how Madeira is dealing with record visitor numbers and the strain they place on popular areas. In 2024, the island welcomed over 2.2 million tourists for about 250,000 residents, creating heavy crowds in places such as Funchal’s old town, the Mercado dos Lavradores, and the Monte toboggan rides. The report also includes an interview with regional secretary Eduardo Jesus, who discusses how tourism is being managed on the island. To respond to overtourism, authorities have limited new short-term rentals in Funchal and introduced paid time-slot systems for well-known hiking routes like the 25 Fontes levada. The 10 minute video presents Madeira as an island with accommodation spread across different areas, which, according to Eduardo Jesus, helps avoid a harmful concentration of visitors. He says there is no negative impact because the island has places to stay all over and that Madeira does not face the same level of crowding seen elsewhere. The video is available on Youtube under the title Too Many Tourists? How Madeira Deals with the Crowds.
