The rise of budget airlines, short-term home rentals and cruise ships are part of the problem, said
Lionel Saul,
a research assistant and visiting lecturer at EHL Hospitality Business School.
The rise of budget airlines, short-term home rentals and cruise ships are part of the problem, said Lionel Saul, a research assistant and visiting lecturer at EHL Hospitality Business School.
But social media, online influencers, movies and television shows are too, since they drive many people to the same places, said Tatyana Tsukanova, a research associate at the same school in Lausanne, Switzerland.
“They just come, take a nice selfie, publish them on social media, increase the popularity of this place … and leave,” she said.
The pool of travelers is growing. According to the United Nations, there will be 8.5 billion people on earth by 2030. And an additional 50 million international tourist arrivals are expected per year — mostly from Asia — between now and 2030, according to the U.N.’s World Tourism Organization.
What’s being done
Residents of the tiny Austrian village of Hallstatt — rumored to be the inspiration for Disney’s blockbuster “Frozen” franchise — built a wall at a popular lookout point after tourism hit fever pitch following the town’s appearance in a South Korean television series, said Tsukanova.
“They faced maybe around 1 million tourists a year for … 800 residents,” she said.
But the wall didn’t last long. After online backlash, village officials took it down, said Tsukanova.
Signs urged visitors to stay “Quiet Please!” and a driving barrier was installed at Hallstatt’s entrance before the Austrian town built a fence at a popular lookout point.
Reinhard Hormandinger | Afp | Getty Images
Other cities and sites are placing a cap on daily visitors (Machu Picchu in Peru, the Acropolis in Athens, Borobudur in Indonesia, beaches in Sardinia) and restricting large cruise ships (Venice, Bora Bora).
But one city goes even further than that, said Saul: Amsterdam. Graffiti on the wall of Malaga, a Spanish city. Spain and France are the countries that will have more international tourists in 2022. Venice fines travelers for consuming drinks or food on the ground, swimming in the canals and walking around in swimwear.
Tourists who sit or lie on monuments, bridges, steps or walkways in Venice can be banned from the area and subject to fines of 100-200 euros ($105-$210).
Luca Zanon/awakening | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Starting next year, the city is trialing a new tactic: a $5 fee for daytrippers.
New tourism taxes are set to start in Valencia, Spain; Manchester, England; Thailand; and Iceland, said Ivan Saprov, founder of the U.S.-based travel tech company Voyagu. Bali will also tax travelers $10.00 starting February 2024. “Almost 40% are in favor of the fee, because revenue can be used for creating enjoyable facilities and services both for tourists and locals. Sopa Images Others called it elitist. Since then, the country has reduced the fee twice to attract visitors.
“Finding the balance is very complicated,” said Saul.
Economic restrictions are just half measures, said Tsukanova, adding that research shows fines and fees alone don’t prevent overtourism. Collaboration — between cities, sites, local businesses and residents — is needed too, she said.
Managing ‘tourist flow’
The United Nations World Tourism Organization secretary-general, Zurab Pololikashvili, told CNBC Travel that the key to overcoming overtourism lies in “tourist flow.” “The problem is managing the flow of people,” said Pololikashvili, adding that technology can help. Saul, in an article on EHL Insights, wrote that Lidar sensors are used in autonomous vehicles to manage the flow of tourists.
The 9th-century temple of Borobudur — which recently introduced visitor limitations and visiting times — is outside of Yogyakarta, one of Indonesia’s “5 new Balis,” along with Labuan Bajo, Lake Toba, Mandalika and Likupang.
Jon Hicks | Stone | Getty Images
To tackle crowding without sacrificing tourist dollars, some countries are enticing travelers to visit less-traveled areas.
Indonesia introduced its “10 New Balis” in 2016 — later reducing it to “5 New Balis” — to introduce travelers to other beautiful places in the country.
And Japanese tourism officials are pushing travelers to visit the country’s rural areas, where half of municipalities are at risk of vanishing by 2040 owing to depopulation, according to The Japan Times.
Using tourism for good
Tourism must evolve and become regenerative, said Darrell Wade, co-founder of Intrepid Travel.
“One of the problems with tourism at the moment is that it is the opposite of regenerative,” he said. Darrell Wade, co-founder of Intrepid Travel, said that tourism must evolve and become regenerative. Saul said that his team is researching a regenerative business model for hospitality, in which tourists assist the communities they visit. The signs included “Visitors limit, reclaim the habitat” and “Tourism yes.” “Mass tourism no. “
Reinhard Hoermandinger | Afp | Getty Images
“You don’t just come … visit and then leave,” he said.
He said travelers can restore coral reefs, plant vegetation, or ensure their money stays at the local level by choosing smaller hotels and family-owned restaurants.
Travelers also need to change their mindsets, said Tsukanova.
“We have the app where we can count how many countries we visited, how many percentage of the available surface we covered,” she said. “We have an app that allows us to count how many countries we visited, and what percentage of the available surface area we covered,” she said. “