With the effects of the pandemic subsiding, the levels of tourism are reaching pre-COVID levels. Even students are starting to work, part-time or casually, and save to travel to their bucket list destinations. Unfortunately, along with this resurgence returns fears of overtourism among locals of tourist hotspots, such as Barcelona, Athens and Venice.
Overtourism
There are many positives of tourism towards the livelihood of local communities. It provides the income of many people across countries, accumulating around 5% of the European Unions’ economy. Globally, tourists spend over US$1.5 trillion for their trips, all of which boosts each country’s economy. In 2019, research found that travel and tourism made up 10.5% of the world’s jobs and more than 90% of certain Caribbean Islands’ occupations. This does not consider the indirect effects of tourism on the food and beverage industry, and the agriculture sector. The problem occurs when tourism becomes overcrowded and unsustainable.
National Geographic described overtourism as “too many people at one place in any given time”. However, the World Economic Forum noted that overtourism is more than just a journalistic tool used to vilify tourists or a call out of lax governance. It is when the demand for tourism exceeds the resources of the destination. Effectively, the lack of care when it comes to tourism causes negative effects on the local community and environment.
Effects of overtourism as identified by many protesting locals include filling up public spaces, driving up rent, and overall lack of tact shown by tourists. Tourists are seen to be rowdy, causing disturbances in shared areas, playing music too loud, partying too late, littering, and not respecting the privacy of residents. Negative externalities on the environment are also wide-reaching as increases in carbon emissions, in which the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) predicts in 2030 transport-related emissions from tourism will grow 25% compared to 2016 emissions, cause climate change, damages to habitats like coral reefs and forests, and degradation of beaches. The implications listed makes it clear why locals push towards more regulation of tourism.
As for Australia, though the influx of tourists has not been as alarming as other countries, poor tourism policies could lead to a decline in locals’ quality of life. For example, in 2011 the community of Vivonne Bay protested the Kangaroo Island Pro-surf and Music Festival that proposed to bring 5000 visitors, to the community of 400. The community believed that the number of tourists would be detrimental to the environment surrounding the community. It then becomes important to properly regulate the tourism sector to ensure the negative externalities do not outweigh the positive.
What are the locals doing?
Locals have now raised their signs, spray paint cans, and water guns to send one message: Tourists need to go home.
The residents of the Canary Islands have come together for demonstrations, demanding stricter policies like limits on tourist numbers and regulation of tourism related construction projects. In Barcelona, the people march in protest with some even spraying water at tourists in restaurants and pubs, alarming restaurant owners as they lose business. Many protestors have asked sites to take down their advertising as ‘best destinations to visit’ to take attention away from their community. Other protestors have set visitation hours, placed fake closed signs in popular tourist spots, and slashed rental cars, all to protest tourism.
Strategies to overcome overtourism
Unsustainable tourism deeply affects the lives of locals and the environment. If there is a continuation in lax policies, these places may cease to exist, or all their resources may be depleted. According to Dr. Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management, University of South Australia, countries should prioritise providing a sustainable approach to tourism planning. She highlighted the strategies of certain countries which can be taken as an example to promote sustainable tourism, including the authorities of Majorca actively marketing the island as a winter destination and New Zealand promoting tourism outside of peak season to attract tourists during low seasons and avert overcrowding. Another example is Thailand closing Phi Phi Island for four months to allow the habitat to recover. All in all, it is important for local authorities to do their job in imposing suitable policies to ensure the livelihood of the people is maintained.
What can be done?
As a student looking to travel, even a small act can help in reducing the impacts of overtourism. Brendan Canava, a senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Nottingham, notes that there are responsibilities that, as travellers, we should take seriously.
Firstly, spend money in locally owned stores to support the local economy. Next, choose operators and services that are sustainable to minimise negative impacts to the environment. Lastly, visit places that are less of a tourist attraction, there are many underrated places in areas that are ignored in favour of more popular areas.
However, remember to be respectful to both the area and its residents. Being a bad tourist is probably not on your bucket list this holiday season. When you do cross off items, remember to leave no trace behind. After all, it’s someone else’s home.