Articles tagged “overtourism”

For all its imperfections, Valencia still has its spirit and a sense of authenticity that other destinations have lost in some ways in the age of overtourism. As the city fights to maintain equilibrium, it has a unique opportunity to set an example via the proper management of tourism. Don't put doors in the field. Set up bike lanes instead.

Many travelers are glued to their phones, so why not put them to even greater use? That's what London tourism officials are hoping to do but whether this will actually help disperse tourism throughout the city rather than generate revenue for already crowded attractions remains to be seen.

Iceland doesn't believe it's overrun with tourists but it's also been proactive in managing tourism growth. That's in sharp contrast to many other destinations only focused on higher numbers with no long-term game plans.

As travelers’ desires change and concerns about the impacts of tourism grow, the role of destination marketing organizations is also evolving. Today, DMOs have more to think about than just marketing.

Lisbon's post-crisis evolution and corresponding tourism boom show the dramatic impact and lasting ramifications of overtourism. Efforts have centered on sustainable tourism and limiting tourism's potential negative impacts, but, in our view, the focus has been all wrong. Sustainable tourism should be about sustainable cultures, and we all have a role to play.

For a city that's afraid of becoming a theme park, it's certainly starting to look more like one with turnstiles and fast passes to get in the door. The summer travel season is just starting to heat up.

Long overshadowed by "Old Europe" for tourism, the Balkans are emerging as the center of "New Europe." But you better book now since the travelers' secret is out.

The Airbnb effect has helped transform many neighborhoods around the world, and some before they were fully ready for mass tourism. The company is acknowledging that it knows it has an impact. But let's see if major cities where the real problems exist will get the same treatment as rural villages in Africa.

It took years for overtourism to happen in some destinations and the problem won't be solved overnight or this year. But to start, destinations could begin paying tourism workers more fairly and give locals more access to programs and services that tourism revenue supposedly helps to fund.

We've been talking about overtourism for a while now and it's good to see cities getting more creative when it comes to managing numbers. Visitors are going to keep coming to the likes of Barcelona, Dubrovnik, and Amsterdam, and therefore these places are going to have to get smarter about managing the flow of people, whether they already live there or not.