Interview: WTTC’s New CEO Knows Overtourism Will Top Her Agenda
Photo Credit: Gloria Guevara Manzo, pictured here, said WTTC will work with destinations to help them develop plans to manage overtourism. World Travel & Tourism Council / World Travel & Tourism Council
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
