Skift Take
It's not that the travel industry doesn't understand that overtourism is a problem. It's an issue that at times might conflict with their bottom lines, and there is a lack of thoughtful and effective plans on how to deal with it. Guevara is already working on the topic — and we'll be watching to see how creative she and the WTTC can be.
In a sign that overtourism is becoming an unavoidable issue for the global travel industry, the World Travel & Tourism Council is planning to release a report on recommendations for travel brands on how to tackle the question.
Although many residents of destinations confronting the problem in their daily lives may not agree, the WTTC report would also communicate the benefits of tourism in cities like Venice and Barcelona, which both have been focal points for headlines about overtourism.
That's the word from Gloria Guevara after her first week as the WTTC's new CEO. During that initial week, she watched anti-tourism protests take root in European destinations such as Barcelona and sadly had to issue a statement condemning the August 17 terrorist attacks in Spain.
Diversifying destinations' offerings are key to managing tourism growth no matter how their residents feel about visitors, Guevara told Skift August 22. "The governments don’t create jobs," she said. "The private sector creates the jobs but we need to work with the government to create those jobs. The government wants to reduce poverty for their citizens and we want the same. We need to both have the same priorities to succeed."
The WTTC isn't known as an activist can-do organization so it remains to be seen what the contents of its upcoming recommendations on overtourism might be and whether they balance the needs of the tourism industry and
