Articles tagged “overtourism”

While once seen as just cold weather destinations, certain mountain towns in the Alps, the United States, and beyond are evolving their cultures and economies into year-round destinations with no compromise on things to do. Can they handle the crowds?

We came up with “overtourism,” a simple portmanteau to appeal to people's baser instincts with an element of alarm and fear in it. That is the biggest reason why the term and its exploration by everyone has caught on.

UNESCO sites have to follow conservation and management criteria to maintain their designations, but many have slacked off over the years and put themselves at risk. Albeit, the organization doesn't view many of its most iconic sites most at risk from crowds as the most problematic.

The travel industry is still trying to figure out the best way to deal with overtourism — but just the fact that so many players are talking about the issue is a good thing.

Norwegian Air CEO Bjorn Kjos doesn't care that some in Barcelona would prefer that the tourists stop coming. He can fill Boeing 787s at decent fares with Americans and Europeans who want to visit Spain. He has a business to run. Can we blame him for trying to maximize profits?

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.