CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, CA – The Carmel City Council has unanimously blocked a $292,947 tourism marketing allocation from its new fiscal budget after local residents voiced intense frustration over severe traffic gridlock and overcrowding.
The Budget Decision
During its June 2 meeting, the City Council approved a $42 million total budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. However, leaders chose to completely exclude the near $300,000 promotional funding usually designated for See Monterey, a nonprofit group responsible for marketing the Monterey Peninsula.
Local officials noted that residents are pushed to their limit by the sheer volume of visitors entering the historic beach town.
Over-Tourism Sparking Local Anger
“Visitors are welcome here, but tourism also creates unwelcome impacts for our residents. Congestion, pollution, noise and trash are daily realities,” stated Councilmember Robert Delves.
Councilmember Hans Buder echoed the sentiment, noting that residents feel there is a clear contradiction between experiencing “over-tourism” and spending taxpayer dollars to attract even more crowds.
Business Owners Push Back
The sudden funding freeze has sparked an intense debate, enraging several downtown business owners who rely entirely on visitor foot traffic to survive.
A general manager of a Downtown Carmel restaurant, who has worked in the area for nearly 30 years, argued that traffic has always been a localized issue. “We need always to be marketing, and to lose that would be huge,” he warned.
What’s Next?
The decision is not entirely final. While the funding was stripped from the initial budget, the City Council plans to continue formal discussions with See Monterey representation ahead of the city’s next official meeting scheduled for July 7.
