overtourism

File:Trevi fountain with crowds.jpg in Rome]]

Overtourism is congestion or overcrowding from an excess of tourists, resulting in conflicts with locals. The World Tourism Organization defines overtourism as "the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that excessively influences perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitor experiences in a negative way".{{cite book |doi=10.18111/9789284419999 |title='Overtourism'? – Understanding and Managing Urban Tourism Growth beyond Perceptions |year=2018 |isbn=978-92-844-1999-9 |s2cid=169221525 }}{{page needed|date=February 2023}}{{cite book |title=Overtourism: Lessons for a Better Future |date=2021 |publisher=Island Press |isbn=9781642830767 |url=https://islandpress.org/books/overtourism}}{{cite journal |last1=Mihalic |first1=Tanja |title=Conceptualising overtourism: A sustainability approach |journal=Annals of Tourism Research |date=2020 |volume=84 |pages=103025 |doi=10.1016/j.annals.2020.103025 |doi-access=free}}{{cite book |last1=Volo |first1=Serena |title=Overtourism: Causes, Implications and Solutions |date=2020 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |location=Cham |isbn=978-3-030-42458-9 |pages=11–26 |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-42458-9_2 |language=en |chapter=Overtourism: Definitions, Enablers, Impacts and Managerial Challenges |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-42458-9_2}} This definition shows how overtourism can be observed both among locals, who view tourism as a disruptive factor that increasingly burdens daily life, as well as visitors, who may regard high numbers of tourists as a nuisance.

The term was only used infrequently before 2017, but is now the most commonly used expression to describe the negative impacts ascribed to tourism.{{cite journal |last1=Koens |first1=Ko |last2=Postma |first2=Albert |last3=Papp |first3=Bernadett |title=Is Overtourism Overused? Understanding the Impact of Tourism in a City Context |journal=Sustainability |date=23 November 2018 |volume=10 |issue=12 |pages=4384 |doi=10.3390/su10124384 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2018Sust...10.4384K }}

File:Times Square, New York City, 20231006 1916 2338.jpg has received more than 50 million tourists in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Genius |first=Road |date=August 5, 2024 |title=Road Genius |url=https://roadgenius.com/statistics/tourism/usa/new-york/#:~:text=A%20total%20of%2056.7%20million,of%2013.5%20million%20in%202019. |access-date=March 22, 2025 |website=New York Tourism Statistics}} Times Square (pictured) receives around 300,000 visitors each day.]]

Characterisation

File:Barceloneta 2007.jpg, 2007]]

File:Netherlands, Giethoorn (02), tourism.jpg is a picturesque village in the Netherlands of some 2900 inhabitants. It receives about 1.5 million tourists per year.]]

The growth of tourism can lead to conflicts between residents, commuters, day-visitors and overnight tourists.{{cite journal |last1=Dodds |first1=Rachel |last2=Butler |first2=Richard |title=The phenomena of overtourism: a review |journal=International Journal of Tourism Cities |date=2019 |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=519–528 |doi=10.1108/IJTC-06-2019-0090}} Although much attention is currently given to overtourism in cities, it can also be observed in rural destinations, or on islands.Sharma A & Hazan A. 2021. Overtourism as Destination Risk: Impacts and Solutions, Bingley: Emerald, pg.missing The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) found that a perception of overcrowding can prompt local residents to protest against tourism. The excessive growth of visitors can lead to negative effect for local residents, especially during temporary or seasonal tourism peaks. Therefore, the carrying capacity of a tourist destination is also measured in terms of social carrying capacity, and the behaviour of the tourists.{{Cite book|title= Marketing and Managing Tourism Destinations | author1=Alastair M. Morrison |publisher= Taylor & Francis |year=2023 |isbn= 9781000876161 | pages=}}

Overtourism is sometimes incorrectly equated with mass tourism. Mass tourism entails large groups of tourists coming to the same destination. While this can lead to overtourism, there are many destinations that host millions of visitors, yet are not seen as suffering from overtourism (e.g., London). Tourists usually use infrastructure and services designed for residents. If the carrying capacity is exceeded of the infrastructure and services tourists need to use as well, the service provision focuses on the priorities of the tourists. Residents may be forced to use the service provision intended for tourists.{{Cite book|title= Overtourism: Excesses, Discontents and Measures in Travel and Tourism | editor1=Claudio Milano | editor2=Joseph M. Cheer | editor3= Marina Novelli |publisher= CABI |year=2019 |isbn=9781786399823 | pages=2}}

In the 1990s local residents in Spain, Greece, Malta, and France started to oppose mass tourism, which was perceived as Fordist. In rural areas of Latin America, environmental concerns were the key driver for rising discontent and social campaigns against tourist real estate developments. In Mexico and Central America vehement protests were triggered by tourist real estate speculation alongside the exploitation of workers, and even dispossession or displacement of local residents.{{Cite book|title= Overtourism: Excesses, Discontents and Measures in Travel and Tourism | editor1=Claudio Milano | editor2=Joseph M. Cheer | editor3= Marina Novelli |publisher= CABI |year=2019 |isbn=9781786399823 | pages=3}}

In 2017 Europe saw a wave of residents' protests in cities, including Barcelona, Venice, and Palma de Mallorca. The problems arising from overtourism began to be discussed in academic publications, but no commonly accepted definition of the phenomenon has been agreed on.{{Cite book|title= Tourism Planning and Development in Eastern Europe | editor1= Dimitrios Stylidis | editor2= Hania Janta | editor3= Konstantinos Andriotis |publisher= CABI |year=2022 |isbn=9781800620339 | pages=2}}

Causes

File:Pattaya in daytime June 2017.jpg welcomed 9.44 million visitors in 2019.]]

Overtourism is observed mostly, but not exclusively, when the number of visitors to a destination, or parts thereof, grows rapidly in a short space of time. Also, it is most common in areas where visitors and residents share a physical space.{{Cite journal| last1=McKercher| first1=Bob| last2=Wang| first2=Dan| last3=Park| first3=Eerang| date=January 2015| title=Social impacts as a function of place change| url=http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/16067/1/16067.pdf| journal=Annals of Tourism Research| volume=50| pages=52–66| doi=10.1016/j.annals.2014.11.002| s2cid=154897811| archive-date=9 March 2023| access-date=14 December 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309063927/http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/16067/1/16067.pdf| url-status=dead}} In recent years, developments within tourism and outside of tourism have increased contact between residents and visitors and made the impacts of tourism more noticeable.{{Cite web|url= http://www.responsibletravel.com/copy/overtourism-documentary|title=Crowded Out: The story of overtourism|last=admin|website=Responsible Travel|access-date=2021-04-13}} In addition to the overall growth of tourist numbers, problems associated with overtourism have been exacerbated by the following developments:

= Enablers of overtourism =

Overtourism has developed into a widespread phenomenon. Governments and destination marketing organizations are attempting to address the problem. Enablers of overtourism include greater numbers of tourists, the affordability of travel, a mindset dominated by the wish for economic growth, short term focus on tourism, the competition for local services and amenities, and lack of control over tourist bookings.{{Cite book|title= Overtourism: Issues, Realities and Solutions | editor1=Rachel Dodds | editor2= Richard Butler |publisher= De Gruyter |year=2019 |isbn=9783110607369 | pages=6}}

There are currently more tourists than ever before in world history. In 1950 the number of international tourists was estimated to be 25 million. In 1963 Walter Christaller published on the negative effects of tourism. In 1987 Jost Krippendorf followed as international tourist travel increased. In 2016 tourists numbered over a billion, a 50-fold increase compared to 1950. Media coverage on overtourism has focused on Europe, which bears the brunt of tourism arrivals with 50 percent, and South East Asia, which sustains 25 percent of tourism arrivals. According to UNWTO there were 25 million international arrivals in 1950, which increased to 1.3 billion by 2017. The international tourism sector is expected to grow 3.3% annually, until 2030 a year at which point an expected 1.8 billion tourists will cross borders.{{Cite book |url=https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/book/10.18111/9789284420070 |title='Overtourism'? – Understanding and Managing Urban Tourism Growth beyond Perceptions, Executive Summary |date=17 September 2018 |publisher=World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) |isbn=978-92-844-2007-0 |editor-last=World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) |doi=10.18111/9789284420070 |editor-last2=Centre of Expertise Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality |editor-last3=NHTV Breda University of Applied Science |editor-last4=NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences}}

=Factors contributing to overtourism=

File:Easyjet map.svg

The rise of low-cost carriers (LCCs), the availability of inexpensive intercity bus service, and the popularity of cruise ship travel are assumed to have contributed to complaints about overtourism. In academic literature government policy, the ambitions of service providers in tourist destinations, as well as the influence of social media are considered enablers of overtourism.

Airbnb and similar online accommodation services have been accused of triggering an increase in tourists due to lower prices, compared to hotels or other establishments.{{cite web | last=Manjoo | first=Farhad | title=‘Overtourism’ Worries Europe. How Much Did Technology Help Get Us There? | website=The New York Times | date=2018-08-29 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/29/technology/technology-overtourism-europe.html | access-date=2025-01-31}} Airbnb claims it attempts to route guests to less crowded destinations.{{cite web | last=Luscombe | first=Belinda | title=Airbnb Made Overtourism Worse. Now It Wants to Fix That | website=TIME | date=2022-05-11 | url=https://time.com/6175183/airbnb-aims-to-solve-overtourism-are-tweaks-to-its-app-enough/ | access-date=2025-01-31}} There is also the issue of Airbnb's leading to fewer affordable housing opportunities for residents, increased rent prices, and loss of social community within neighborhoods.{{Cite journal |last=Gold |first=Allyson |date=1 December 2019 |title=Community Consequences of Airbnb |url=https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wlr/vol94/iss4/2 |journal=Washington Law Review |volume=94 |issue=4 |pages=1577}}

The experience economy and changing lifestyle patterns have been blamed for the increased use of leisure facilities, contributed to a monoculture of hospitality facilities.{{citation needed||date=July 2023}}

Examples

As of 2017, several media outlets published lists of destinations that are not recommended because of an excessive number of tourists.{{cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/overtourism-and-safety-cited-in-fodor-s-where-not-to-go-list-1.3736384|title=Overtourism and safety cited in Fodor's 'where not to go' list|date=27 December 2017|work=CTV News|location=Toronto|publisher=Bell Media|agency=Associated Press|access-date=2018-05-08}}{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/places-to-avoid-2018/index.html|title=12 destinations travelers might want to avoid in 2018|author=Joe Minihane|date=3 February 2018|work=CNN|location=Atlanta|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery|access-date=2018-05-08}}

= Antarctica =

According to CNN, environmentalists are concerned about the effect of tourism on Antarctica, which steadily increased during the 2010s. The total number of visitors to Antarctica, as registered by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) in the 2023-24 summer season was 122,072. Cruise-only vessels (i.e. vessels not putting travelers on shore) accounted for 35% of the visitors.[https://documents.ats.aq/ATCM46/ip/ATCM46_ip101_e.docx Report of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) 2023-24], Document IP101, 10 May 2024.

= Aruba =

In Aruba, the chemical Oxybenzone in sunscreen is harming coral reefs and marine life. In 2019 a proposed law called "Choose Zero" was introduced, which includes a ban on importing, selling, or distributing single-use plastic products and products containing Oxybenzone.{{Cite web |last=Overheid |first=Aruba |date=18 February 2019 |title=Oxybenzone is killing corals and destroying marine biodiversity |url=https://www.government.aw/news/news_47033/item/oxybenzone-is-killing-corals-and-destroying-marine-biodiversity_40165.html |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=www.government.aw |language=en}}{{Cite journal |last=Peterson |first=Ryan R. |date=1 June 2023 |title=Over the Caribbean Top: Community Well-Being and Over-Tourism in Small Island Tourism Economies |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s42413-020-00094-3 |journal=International Journal of Community Well-Being |language=en |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=89–126 |doi=10.1007/s42413-020-00094-3 |issn=2524-5309 |pmc=7643527 |pmid=34723109}}

= Austria =

Hallstatt in 2020 had 780 citizens and more than 10,000 visitors a day, primarily arriving via tour bus, stopping briefly for photographs, and moving on quickly. Citizens complained about tourists entering homes and private gardens to take photos, or applauding funerals at the churchyard.{{Cite web |date=29 October 2019 |title=Hallstatt wäre so schön – wenn die Touristen nicht wären |url=https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/panorama/Oesterreich-Hallstatt-waere-so-schoen-wenn-die-Touristen-nicht-waeren-id53764341.html |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=augsburger-allgemeine |language=de}} In 2020, the town implemented a system to limit entry of buses.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/asia/article/fairytale-alpine-village-begs-frozen-tourists-to-stay-away-cbtchmbhv|title=Alpine village begs Frozen tourists to stay away|last=Hutton|first=Alice|date=5 January 2020|newspaper=The Sunday Times|location=London|access-date=2020-01-13|language=en|issn=0956-1382}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/overtourism-frozen-hallstatt-austria/index.html|title=How the village that inspired 'Frozen' is dealing with overtourism|last=Street|first=Francesca|work=CNN|location=London|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery|date=9 January 2020 |language=en|access-date=2020-01-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://kurier.at/chronik/oesterreich/zu-viele-touristen-hallstatt-zieht-notbremse/400034545|title=Zu viele Touristen: Hallstatt zieht Notbremse|last=Sendlhofer|first=Thomas|date=13 May 2018|website=kurier.at|language=de|access-date=2020-01-13}}

= Bhutan =

Bhutan instituted a US$200 to US$250 charge per day for tourists because of overtourism concerns.

= Canada =

The province of Prince Edward Island is visited by millions of tourists every summer, putting strains on the local infrastructure and housing supply.{{Cite news |last=Campbell |first=Kerry |date=2024-08-06 |title=880 short-term rentals on P.E.I. could be people's homes, says Statistics Canada |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-short-term-rentals-1.7284113 |access-date=2025-01-01 |work=CBC News}} Local advocacy groups have called on the Provincial Government to put a cap on the volume of tourists to prevent overtourism.{{Cite news |last=Yarr |first=Kevin |date=2024-08-18 |title=If you market it, they will come — but some say P.E.I. tourism should go beyond 'driving revenue |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-tourism-strategy-1.7294154 |access-date=2025-01-01 |work=CBC News |language=English}}

= China =

The Great Wall of China has been damaged by overtourism.

= Croatia =

Dubrovnik became so overtouristed by 2017 that UNESCO considered removing it from the World Heritage Site list. The city capped the number of visitors allowed to climb its ramparts and as of 2017 was planning to limit the number of cruise ships that could dock.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/gallery/2019/apr/10/dubrovnik-game-of-thrones-and-overtourism-in-pictures|title=Dubrovnik, Game of Thrones and overtourism – in pictures|last=Lovrović|first=Denis|date=10 April 2019|newspaper=The Guardian|location=Brussels|access-date=2020-01-13|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} In 2020 they were considering limiting the number of new restaurants allowed to open.

= Ecuador =

The Galápagos Islands were included on Fodor's 2017 list of places not to go because of environmental damage caused by overtourism. As of 2017 visitors are required to hire a guide.

= Finland =

In Rovaniemi, Lapland, locals have complained about overtourism during the winter season, which is especially visible in connection with the Santa Claus Village.{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/santa-village-locals-demand-controls-amid-tourism-boom-1999706|title=Santa Village Locals Demand Controls Amid Tourism Boom|first=Shamim|last=Chowdhury|work=Newsweek|date=12 December 2024|access-date=20 December 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/12/12/no-room-at-the-inn-locals-say-holiday-rentals-are-overtaking-santa-claus-hometown|title=No room at the inn? Locals say holiday rentals are overtaking Santa Claus' hometown|work=Euronews|date=12 December 2024|access-date=20 December 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/13/travel/overtourism-santa-claus-village-finnish-lapland/index.html|title=Overtourism has hit Santa's village, say Finnish locals|work=CNN Travel|date=13 December 2024|access-date=20 December 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2024/12/14/lifestyle/santa-claus-hometown-overrun-with-tourists-locals-furious/|title=Santa Claus 'hometown' suddenly overrun with tourists — and locals are protesting in the streets: 'It's not anymore in control'|first=Brooke|last=Kato|work=New York Post|date=14 December 2024|access-date=20 December 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/world/asia/santa-finland-rovaniemi.html|title=Santa Lives in Rovaniemi, Finland. Some of His Neighbors Are Not Thrilled.|first=Jeffrey|last=Gettleman|work=The New York Times|date=15 April 2025|access-date=16 April 2025}}

= France =

File:Crowd looking at the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.jpg

In Paris, workers at the Louvre went on strike over what they said were dangerously overcrowded conditions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/crowds-tourists-are-ruining-popular-destinations/590767/|title=Too Many People Want to Travel|last=Lowrey|first=Annie|date=4 June 2019|magazine=The Atlantic|location=Washington|publisher=Emerson Collective|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-13}}

= Greece =

In Santorini cruise ship visitors have been capped at 8000 per day due to overtourism after years in which the island of 15,000 residents was receiving up to 18,000 tourists per day.

=Germany=

The Zugspitze has been plagued by overtourism, especially because of day trippers arriving via gondola.{{Cite news |last=Geiger |first=Stephanie |date=26 August 2020 |title=200 Jahre nach Erstbesteigung: Tourismus-Kollaps auf der Zugspitze |language=de |newspaper=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung|location=Frankfurt|url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/menschen/200-jahre-nach-erstbesteigung-tourismus-kollaps-auf-der-zugspitze-16920634.html |access-date=2023-09-19 |issn=0174-4909}}

The European Alps experience a raise in accidents and deaths, since many tourists underestimate the difficulty of mountain routes, and go mountaineering with insufficient equipment or low fitness and stamina.{{Cite news |date=5 January 2022 |title=Ansturm auf die Bayerischen Alpen: »18 Tote nur bei uns – ein Wahnsinn« |url=https://www.spiegel.de/reise/europa/ansturm-auf-die-bayerischen-alpen-18-tote-nur-bei-uns-ein-wahnsinn-a-ae9fc6c3-4056-4e30-be38-e11bd2469f4f |access-date=2024-07-09 |work=Der Spiegel |language=de |issn=2195-1349}}

= Hawai'i =

In Hawaii the degradation of corals has been shown to worsen in areas with higher concentration of tourists.{{cite journal |last1=Lin |first1=Bing |last2=Zeng |first2=Yiwen |last3=Asner |first3=Gregory P. |last4=Wilcove |first4=David S. |title=Coral reefs and coastal tourism in Hawaii |journal=Nature Sustainability |date=9 January 2023 |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=254–258 |doi=10.1038/s41893-022-01021-4 |bibcode=2023NatSu...6..254L |s2cid=255628332 }}

= Iceland =

The Fjaðrárgljúfur area was closed after the music video for Justin Bieber's I'll Show You made it so popular the government needed to improve infrastructure.{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|date=19 May 2019|title=Justin Bieber effect leads to closure of Icelandic canyon|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/19/justin-bieber-effect-leads-to-closure-of-icelandic-canyon|access-date=2021-10-11|website=The Guardian|language=en}}

Tourism in Iceland is predominantly nature based and therefore comes with the challege protecting the environment with the increase in tourism to the country. Overuse of natural areas can cause long-lasting and possibly permanent damage to vegetation, soils, and the landscape. With the rapid growth, there is also a lack of infrastructure on the island to fully support the increase in tourism, alongside an already present population. This causes further issues such as traffic on roads that can be difficult to travel.{{Cite journal |last1=Sæþórsdóttir |first1=Anna Dóra |last2=Hall |first2=C. Michael |last3=Wendt |first3=Margrét |date=August 2020 |title=From Boiling to Frozen? The Rise and Fall of International Tourism to Iceland in the Era of Overtourism |journal=Environments |language=en |volume=7 |issue=8 |pages=59 |doi=10.3390/environments7080059 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020Envi....7...59S |issn=2076-3298|hdl=20.500.11815/2254 |hdl-access=free }}{{Cite web |title=Northern Sights: The future of tourism in Iceland. A perspective from The Boston Consulting Group. September 2013 |url=https://1library.net/document/zwo8lmvy-northern-sights-tourism-iceland-perspective-boston-consulting-september.html |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=1library.net |language=en}}

= India =

In 2019 the Taj Mahal started fining visitors who stay more than three hours.{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/now-pay-fine-if-you-spend-more-than-3-hrs-at-taj/articleshow/69748831.cms|title=Now, pay fine if you spend more than 3 hrs at Taj|last=Jaiswal|first=Anuja|date=12 June 2019|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2020-01-13}} CNN in 2017 called the crowds "relentless".

= Indonesia =

Bali was, in 2020, planning a US$10 tourist tax.

=Iran=

Abyaneh's overtourism is often reported on.{{cite web | url=https://www.mehrnews.com/news/4623798/%DA%86%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B4%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%88%D9%86%D8%AF | title=چرا اهالی ابیانه از رفتار گردشگران ناراحت می‌شوند؟ | date=28 May 2019 }}

= Iraqi Kurdistan =

Iraqi Kurdistan is the most toured part of Iraq, especially during Newroz. Tourists come from all around Iraq and the world for Newroz. In Duhok, 3 people were arrested for planning to burn 200 tires for the Newroz fire in 2022.{{Cite web |title=Three arrested in Duhok for burning tires during Newroz celebrations |url=https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/200320222-amp |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=www.rudaw.net}}{{Cite web |author=Editorial Staff |date=23 March 2021 |title=People left behind garbage in Iraqi Kurdistan nature after Newroz |url=https://ekurd.net/people-left-behind-garbage-2021-03-23 |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=Kurd Net – Ekurd.net Daily News |language=en-US}} In Akre, a city famous for its Newroz celebrations, some locals decided to burn wooden torches instead of tires.{{Cite web |title=Akre to burn wooden torches instead of tires for Newroz Eve celebrations |url=https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/190320191-amp |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=www.rudaw.net}}

= Italy =

File:Overtourism in Venice.svg

Venice has faced declining population because of overtourism. In 2019 Forbes called it one of the "most notably overtouristed destinations" in the world.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/geoffwhitmore/2019/11/19/5-destinations-suffering-from-overtourism-and-where-to-go-instead/|title=5 Destinations Suffering From Overtourism (And Where To Go Instead)|last=Whitmore|first=Geoff|magazine=Forbes|location=New York|language=en|access-date=2020-01-13}} CNN in 2017 called the crowds "overbearing." The city in 2018 tested the use of turnstiles in St. Mark's Square to control the number of visitors. In 2020 the daily tourist tax was US$11.

Capri in 2018 tested ways to limit day tourism. Cinque Terre had 2.5 million visitors in 2015, and local authorities sought to limit visitors to 1.5 million in 2016, but a backlash resulted in this being walked back. CNN in 2017 said that day tourists from cruise ships, who tour for a few hours and don't spend money, are blamed for environmental damage. Officials in Rome made it illegal to sit on the Spanish Steps, with fines of up to US$448, due to damage caused by tourists.

In the 2010s Pragser Wildsee became an area of overtourism, receiving up to 17,000 visitors on a single summer day in 2020; as of 2023, there were vehicle access restrictions.

The government of Florence is currently seeking to ban new short-term rental properties in the city's historic center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city's administration argues that the increased availability of short-term rentals through platforms such as Airbnb, which cater to tourists, have made housing inaccessible for local residents.{{Cite web |date=16 July 2024 |title=Il caso affitti brevi. Benvenuti a Firenze, culla del mordi e fuggi. La sindaca: stop Airbnb |url=https://www.lanazione.it/firenze/cronaca/affitti-brevi-firenze-faac758b |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=La Nazione |language=it}}

= Japan =

Kyoto officials instituted a US$92 fine for tourists taking photographs of geisha without their permission,{{Cite news|url=https://www.insider.com/cities-hurt-by-tourism-2017-12|title=20 places around the world that are being ruined by tourism|last=Diamond|first=Madeline|date=28 October 2019|work=Business Insider|location=New York City|publisher=Axel Springer SE|access-date=2020-01-13}} and prohibited tourists from visiting some alleys.{{Cite web |date=19 August 2024 |title=Too many people, not enough management: A look at the chaos of 'overtourism' in the summer of 2024 |url=https://apnews.com/article/anti-tourism-barcelona-summer-travel-airbnb-df764ed1c7009fdbbf5a32eaedc6ffd5 |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=AP News |language=en}}

The end of COVID-19-related travel restrictions and a weakening Japanese yen have fueled a record-breaking surge in foreign tourism.{{Cite web |date=15 May 2024 |title=Japan visitors exceed 3 million for second straight month, tourism agency says |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/15/japan/foreign-tourists-3-million-second-month/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}} In response to a surge in foreign tourists at Mount Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture has set a cap of daily climbers at 4,000 people and began charging an entrance fee of ¥2,000.{{Cite web |last=Inoue |first=Yukana |date=30 June 2024 |title=Mount Fuji begins charging entrance fees as overtourism prevention measure |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/06/30/japan/society/mount-fuji-entrance-fee/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}} Also in Yamanashi Prefecture, a mesh barrier was set up to block a view of Mount Fuji behind a Lawson convenience store in Fujikawaguchiko popular with photographers due to tourist-caused disturbances in the area.{{Cite web |last=Gardin |first=Caroline |date=21 May 2024 |title=Weary of overtourism, Japan town blocks one popular view of Mount Fuji |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/05/21/japan/society/mount-fuji-overtourism/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}} Tokyo's Shibuya ward restricted Halloween and New Year's Eve gatherings at Shibuya Crossing (which had not been held since 2019 due to COVID-19 and safety issues) in 2023 due to issues with public intoxication caused by overtourism, and introduced an ordinance in 2024 which prohibits public alcohol consumption from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. year-round (expanding from late-October and late-December).{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Elaine |date=2023-12-19 |title=Tokyo's Shibuya cancels New Year's celebration for the fourth year in a row |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/tokyo-s-shibuya-cancels-new-year-s-celebration-fourth-year-in-a-row |access-date=2024-06-25 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}{{Cite web |date=2023-12-27 |title=Shibuya not in party mood with countdown canceled again |url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15093709 |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=The Asahi Shimbun}}{{Cite web |last=Shimbun |first=The Yomiuri |date=2024-06-18 |title=Tokyo's Shibuya Ward Approves Year-round Ban on Street Drinking; Revised Ordinance Imposes No Penalties on Violators |url=https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20240618-192898/ |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=japannews.yomiuri.co.jp |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2019-11-01 |title=Halloween in Shibuya: Mayhem ensues despite increased security and ban on alcohol |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/11/01/national/tokyo-shibuya-japan-halloween/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126034427/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/11/01/national/tokyo-shibuya-japan-halloween/ |archive-date=2021-01-26 |accessdate=2021-01-26 |publisher=The Japan Times}}

{{As of|2024}} some Japanese officials have considered instituting a two-tiered pricing system which would have foreign tourists pay more than residents at certain tourist attractions to counter the effects of overtourism.{{Cite news |date=19 June 2024 |title=Japan's Flood of Tourists Prompts Call to Charge Foreigners More |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-19/japan-s-flood-of-tourists-prompts-call-to-charge-foreigners-more |access-date=2024-07-09 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=In Japan, higher prices for foreign visitors come with caveats |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Comment/In-Japan-higher-prices-for-foreign-visitors-come-with-caveats |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en-GB}}

= Nepal =

Mount Everest has become so overtouristed that climbers die of altitude sickness because of the delays caused by overcrowding. As of 2020 the Nepalese government was planning to limit permits to those who had climbed another Nepalese peak {{Convert|21325|ft|m|abbr=}}.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/travel/10-overtouristed-places-and-10-cool-alternatives-pictures|title=10 Overtouristed Places and 10 Cool Alternatives|date=14 January 2020|last=Rosenberg|first=Meredith|work=HGTV|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery|location=Knoxville|language=en|access-date=2020-02-14}}

= Netherlands =

Amsterdam instituted a daily tourist tax in 2019,{{Cite web |title=Tourist tax (toeristenbelasting) |url=https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/municipal-taxes/tourist-tax-(toeristenbelasting)/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110212829/https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/municipal-taxes/tourist-tax-(toeristenbelasting)/ |archive-date=10 November 2023 |access-date=20 November 2023 |publisher=Amsterdam City Council}} eliminated official tours of the Red Light District in 2020,{{Cite web |title=Sex workers and Red Light District in Amsterdam |url=https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/travel-stay/visitor-information/sex-workers-and-red-light-district |access-date=2023-11-21 |publisher=Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Board |language=en |location=Amsterdam}} and launched a "Stay Away" marketing campaign.

= Peru =

File:Machu Picchu 33.jpg

As of 2019, Peru limits visitors to Machu Picchu to 5000 per day, but UNESCO believes the limit should be halved. Starting in 2014 foreign tourists were required to hire a guide. In 2020 the site was planning to issue 5,940 tickets per day, which is more than twice the 2,500 UNESCO recommends to preserve the ruins.

= Portugal =

Sintra suffers from long queues, pollution, traffic, and a lack of grocery stores and pharmacies due to receiving 5,000 visitors a day for attractions such as Pena Palace.

= Spain =

In Barcelona protesters have demonstrated in tourist beaches and other tourist-heavy neighborhoods and anti-tourist graffiti has appeared. By 2013, 9,000,000 visitors were touring Park Güell annually, and officials limited entry to the park to 800 an hour.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/29/the-airbnb-invasion-of-barcelona|title=The Airbnb Invasion of Barcelona|last=Mead|first=Rebecca|magazine=The New Yorker|location=New York City|publisher=Condé Nast|date=22 April 2019|access-date=2020-01-13|language=en|issn=0028-792X}} The New Yorker said, "Park Güell’s shift from a shared public space into a cultural zone occupied almost exclusively by tourists is understood by some worried residents of Barcelona as a story about the prospective fate of the city itself." According to Albert Arias, a geographer with the Barcelona government, the selling of tickets was "a very bad solution," that "is acknowledging a problem by fencing off public space." Airbnb has contributed to overtourism, with in some sections of town experiencing a 45% decline in resident population between 2007 and 2019 due to investors purchasing properties to use as short-term rentals via the platform. By 2017 tourism had become a top concern among city officials, with a survey showing 60% of residents believed Barcelona had "reached or exceeded" its capacity to accommodate tourism. In 2020 Barcelona was planning to limit cruise ships. In April 2020 a proposal for radical change in the organisation of the city, the Manifesto for the Reorganisation of the city after COVID-19, was published in Barcelona by architecture and urban theorist Massimo Paolini, signed by 160 academics and 300 architects. The Manifesto is radically critical towards the touristification and commodification of the city, proposing to: "eliminate cruise ships", "maintain the current dimensions of the airport", "stimulate touristic degrowth", and "eliminate any investment to promote the 'Barcelona brand'".{{Cite news|last=Paolini|first=Massimo|date=20 April 2020|title=Manifesto for the Reorganisation of the City after COVID19|language=en-GB|url=https://www.degrowth.info/en/2020/05/manifesto-for-the-reorganisation-of-the-city-after-covid-19/|access-date=2021-05-01}}{{Cite news|last=Argemí|first=Anna|date=8 May 2020|title=Por una Barcelona menos mercantilizada y más humana|newspaper=El País|location=Barcelona|publisher=PRISA|language=es|url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2020/05/06/alterconsumismo/1588769208_267470.html|access-date=2021-05-11}}{{Cite news|last=Maiztegui|first=Belén|date=18 June 2020|title=Manifiesto por la reorganización de la ciudad tras el COVID-19|language=es|url=https://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/cl/941897/manifiesto-por-la-reorganizacion-de-la-ciudad-tras-el-covid-19?ad_source=search&ad_medium=search_result_all|access-date=2021-05-11}}

Other overtouristed areas in Spain include the Canary Islands, Malaga, Mallorca, and Alicante.

= Thailand =

Maya Bay was closed to the public after overtourism caused environmental issues.{{Cite news|title=Maya Bay: The beach nobody can touch|work=BBC News|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-dZ-g_OAIg|format=Video|access-date=9 May 2020}} Ao Phang Nga National Park was listed in 2017 in Fodor's list of places not to go in 2018 because of overtourism.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/fodors-no-list-2018|title=Fodor's No List 2018|date=15 November 2017|website=Fodors Travel Guide|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-13}}

= United Kingdom =

In Scotland, the Isle of Skye advised visitors not to come unless they had overnight lodging booked.

In England in 2024, the tourist board of Thanet Council, which governs a popular tourist area in Kent, suggested that the council should levy a tourist tax, but it was refused.{{cite web|url=https://theisleofthanetnews.com/2024/04/26/tourist-tax-suggestion-dismissed-by-thanet-council/ |title=Tourist tax suggestion dismissed by Thanet Council |website=The Isle of Thanet News |last=Bailes |first=Kathy |date=26 April 2024 |access-date=2024-08-11}}

Some towns and villages in the Cotswolds have also experienced high numbers of visitors. This has caused problems for residents in places such as Bourton-on-the-Water and Bibury who struggle with parking tourism congestion.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-25 |title=Tourism causing 'chaos' in the Cotswolds, claim villagers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8447vpd35do |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}} In March 2024 coaches were banned from Bourton-on-the-Water.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-27 |title=Bourton-on-the-Water firms worry coach ban could cost millions |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crg415nq9pjo |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

= Vietnam =

In Hanoi in October 2019, a train had to make an emergency stop because of tourists on the tracks taking selfies.

Taking action against overtourism

File:River boat in the Open-air Museum of Pilica River (1).jpg, a new tourist attraction in the central part of Poland]]

In September 2018, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) published a report on overtourism and how to deal with it. The report highlights the importance of looking at tourism in a local context and details 11 strategies to deal with overtourism:

Increase the physical dispersion of crowds among different attractions within a city/destination;
Increase the temporal dispersion of tourists (e.g., by encouraging off-season visits);
Promote new and special-interest itineraries and attractions;
Make effective use of regulations on tourism;
Tailor activities to specific segments of the tourism market;
Ensure that the communities and residents benefit from tourism;
Create experiences beneficial to both tourists and residents;
Expand infrastructure;
Involve local residents in tourism policymaking;
Communicate with tourists about the potential impacts of tourism on communities;
Use data to monitor and respond to problems related to overtourism.

The consultancy firm McKinsey & Company suggests that to prevent overtourism one must focus on four priorities:{{Cite book|title= Coping with success: Managing overcrowding in tourism destinations|last= McKinsey|publisher= McKinsey|year= 2017}}

Build a comprehensive fact base and update it regularly.
Establish a sustainable-growth strategy through rigorous, long-term planning.
Involve all sections of society—commercial, public, and social.
Find new sources of funding.

In addition, systematic public-relations and communication is essential.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} Goals, measures, successes and failures of local tourism management must be made transparent to the inhabitants so that all relevant institutions become involved.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}

Criticism of the phrase overtourism

There is no agreement as to when the phrase was coined and by whom. The first known use of "over-tourism" was in a 1986 article by Max Börlin in 1986 where he noted that: Like over-fishing, over-tourism can deplete the natural resource on which tourism depends, with resulting heavy hidden costs.{{cite journal|last=Börlin|first=Max|title=Use of natural resources and pollution of the environment.|journal=Science and Public Policy|date=August 1986|volume=13|issue=4 |pages=230–235|doi=10.1093/spp/13.4.230}} Other scholars point to an article by journalist Freya Petersen in the Sydney Morning Herald on 15 December 2001.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/blast-from-the-past-20011215-gdf4yo.html|title=Blast from the past|last=Petersen|first=Freya|date=15 December 2001|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2024-03-11}}

However, overtourism only became a widely used phrase in 2016, after it gained significant momentum after a Skift, travel industry news and research company, article. Skift's use of the term brought global attention to a growing problem of perceptions of excessive tourism, sparking conversations about how to manage tourism more sustainably.{{cite web |url=https://skift.com/2018/08/14/the-genesis-of-overtourism-why-we-came-up-with-the-term-and-whats-happened-since/|title=The Genesis of Overtourism: Why We Came Up With the Term and What's Happened Since|last=Ali|first=Rafat|date=14 August 2018|website=Skift|access-date=2024-03-11}} In 2018, following greater use of the word, Oxford Dictionary named 'overtourism' as one of its 2018 Words of the Year. This followed a campaign from The Daily Telegraph for the word to be recognised in its annual list.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/overtourism-word-of-the-year-oxford/|title='Overtourism' shortlisted as Word of the Year following Telegraph Travel campaign|last=Dickinson|first=Greg|date=15 November 2018|website=The Telegraph|access-date=2024-03-11}}

When Michael O' Regan, PhD, a lecturer of tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, posted an article{{cite web|url=https://blog.geographydirections.com/2023/03/13/the-metaphoric-rise-of-overtourism-and-why-we-should-stop-using-the-phrase|title=The metaphoric rise of overtourism and why we should stop using the phrase|last=O'Regan|first=Michael|date=13 March 2023|website=Geography Directions|publisher=Geogeaphy Directions|access-date=2024-03-11}} he wrote about why people should stop using the word "overtourism" and the issues he sees with its usage in 2023, Skift wrote an article entitled 'It Is Time to Ditch the Phrase 'Overtourism.'{{cite web|url=https://skift.com/2023/04/08/it-is-time-to-ditch-the-phrase-overtourism/|title=It Is Time to Ditch the Phrase 'Overtourism'|last=Ali|first= Rafat|date=8 April 2023|website=Skift|access-date=2024-03-11}}

Rafat argues that: "There are an increasing number of professionals pointing out 'overtourism' is not a useful analytical concept for measuring mismanagement and directing attention only towards tourists, rather than facilitators of tourism, such as policymakers and license providers. Destinations are trying to move beyond overtourism and look for other ways to talk about complex tourism issues without just blaming tourists for all the ills."

Dr. O'Regan argues that overtourism is made up word, or a discursive formation, like "immigration crisis" or "welfare dependency", which frames tourism as a crisis or threat, and fuels debates over border control, degrowth and management of tourists.{{cite journal|last1=O'Regan|first1=Michael|last2=Salazar|first2=Noel B.|last3=Choe|first3=Jaeyeon|last4=Buhalis|first4=Dimitrios|title=Unpacking overtourism as a discursive formation through interdiscursivity|journal=Tourism Review|date=26 January 2022|volume=77|issue=1|pages=54–71|doi=10.1108/TR-12-2020-0594 |url=https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59081 }} Based on a Twitter social network analysis, O'Regan found the #overtourism network is held together by a small number of experts, who play a key role in presenting, distributing and circulating information about the topic.{{cite journal|last1=O'Regan|first1=Michael|last2=Choe|first2=Jaeyeon|title=#overtourism on Twitter: a social movement for change or an echo chamber?|journal=Current Issues in Tourism|date=15 March 2022|volume=26|issue=7|pages=1082–1095|doi=10.1080/13683500.2022.2047161|url=https://researchonline.gcu.ac.uk/en/publications/9d2e3103-e576-4de8-82ec-e9a0a269b3b1}}