Traveling is something that is increasingly within everyone’s reach. There are many destinations that become famous and become a trend throughout the world among the population. However, this massive movement of people traveling to well-known tourist destinations causes what is known as overtourism. It is about this overcrowding of people in very common tourist places that makes it impossible to enjoy them and it is impossible to manage them properly so that the impact is as little as possible. This overtourism occurs both in natural environments, causing damage to the environment and biodiversity, and in human environments where it is more difficult to preserve cultural wealth.
In this Evidence Network article we are going to teach you What is overtourism, its causes, consequences and solutions.
What is overtourism or overtourism?
Overtourism is a neologism that refers to the large number of tourists in a tourist destination. The term was first included in Oxford Dictionaries in 2018, where it was nominated for word of the year. Overtourism, literally “too much tourism”is a complex phenomenon that we must analyze from different angles. Essentially, we can summarize this concept into a problem. Is the location affected by more tourists than the location and residents can support?
When it comes to natural tourism destinations, tourism must respect the flora, fauna and microclimate. When the destination is a city, tourism must above all respect the inhabitants, as well as the local cultural and archaeological sites. The latter, in particular, is a small microcosm of the timely closure that the tourism industry must protect. If that doesn’t happen, we’re talking about overtourism, or unsustainable tourism for the place, nature and the people who live there.
It’s not always easy to determine how much is too much, but there are some clear signs that a destination is suffering from overtourism. Signs of overtourism include feelings of irritation and annoyance due to increasing numbers of tourists, cultural change and loss of authenticity, deterioration of quality of life in host communities and the excessive presence of tourists, which puts pressure on local resources and facilities.
Destinations that have suffered the consequences of overtourism include Maya Bay in Thailand, Barcelona, Machu Picchu and Mount Everest. In some cases, attempts have been made to reverse or mitigate the damage caused by tourism by limiting the number of visitors, increasing taxes or closing attractions.
The opposite form of tourism, more balanced and healthy for the environment and the locals, is known as responsible, sustainable tourism or ecotourism. Here you can learn more about Responsible Tourism: what it is and examples.
Causes of overtourism
There are several causes that contribute to the rise of overtourism. One of them is the exponential growth of the tourism industry in recent decades. Tourism has become one of the main sources of income for many countrieswhich has led to intense promotion and marketing of tourist destinations globally. This has led to a significant increase in the number of people traveling who want to experience popular and renowned places.
Another cause of overtourism is easier and cheaper access to transportation. Technological advances and the emergence of low-cost airlines They have made it easier for people to travel to distant destinations at more affordable prices. This has democratized tourism and allowed a greater number of people the opportunity to explore the world. However, it has also contributed to a disproportionate increase in visitors in certain places.
Furthermore, the rise of social networks and the influence of the media have also played an important role in this trend. Platforms like Instagram have created a culture of sharing travel experiences and seeking out “Instagrammable” destinations. This has created a huge demand to visit iconic places and take eye-catching photographs to share online. As a result, some destinations have become extremely popular and have fallen victim to overtourism.
Finally, economic factors They also influence a lot. Tourist destinations rely heavily on revenue generated by visitors, which can create constant pressure to attract more tourists. This can lead to excessive exploitation of natural resources, a lack of adequate planning and saturation of tourism infrastructure, which in turn can have negative impacts on the environment and the quality of life of local communities.
Consequences of overtourism
One of the main consequences is the degradation of the natural environment. The massive influx of tourists can endanger fragile ecosystems, damage local flora and fauna, contaminate bodies of water and generate an accumulation of waste that negatively affects the landscape. This not only compromises the beauty and authenticity of a place, but also affects biodiversity and natural resources in the long term.
Additionally, you can have a negative impact on quality of life of local communities. Excessive tourist pressure can cause a loss of cultural identity, accelerated gentrification and saturation of basic servicessuch as water, electricity and public transportation. Housing prices They may increase due to tourist demand, making it difficult for local residents to access affordable housing. Furthermore, intensive tourism activities can displace local inhabitants and affect their traditional ways of life and work.
Another consequence is congestion and saturation of tourist destinations. Tourist crowds can make it difficult to enjoy attractions and points of interestgenerate long lines and waiting times, and reduce the quality of the tourist experience. Tourism infrastructure can be overwhelmed, leading to traffic problems, lack of parking and deterioration of facilities.
Overtourism can also have long-term negative socioeconomic impacts. Overdependence on tourism as the only source of income can make a community vulnerable to economic fluctuations and seasonality. Furthermore, excessive concentration of tourists in a destination can lead to an unequal distribution of economic benefits, with the majority of profits and jobs concentrated in international tourism companies, leaving local companies with limited participation.
After seeing all this, we recommend that you also read this other article on Why sustainable tourism is important.
Solutions to overtourism
Through careful tourism planning and management, we can limit the negative impacts of overtourism or prevent them from occurring. The adoption of sustainable tourism principles It is essential to manage excess tourism.
From a top-down perspective, policies must be developed to manage issues such as overcrowding. For example, this could include change fares or limit ticket sales.
From a grassroots perspective, tourists can do a lot to help prevent overtourism. Tourists can choose Visit off-peak destinations or in fairly quiet hours of the day, visit lesser known destinations and demonstrate throughout your journey responsible traveler behavior.
Now that you know better what overtourism is, we encourage you to read about How to do sustainable tourism to start practicing it.
If you want to read more articles similar to Overtourism or overtourism: what it is, causes, consequences and solutionswe recommend that you enter our Tourism category.
- OverTourism: What is it and how do we address it? Responsible tourism partnership. Available at: https://responsibletourismpartnership.org/overtourism/
