OVER-TOURISM: WHAT ROLE DO WE ALL PLAY?
Recently, I wrote a piece on traveling in the digital age: how instagram in particular, and all of social media, has influenced us on where, why and how we travel (link here). Photos, videos, drone shots and more flood our instagram feeds, placing destinations front and center. You, like me, might save them for later, as key vacation spots we might want to research later. Or, you might have a destination in mind, say Rome, where you have been dying to go ever since you watched the Lizzie McGuire movie for the 30th time back in 6th grade. In other places, Venice or beaches in Thailand are seeing higher rates of tourists, which can be attributed to cheap flights, flash deals, and a surge in travel in general, as more and more people are able to compared to just 20-30 years ago. And of course, travel bloggers, sites and magazines promote traveling more than ever, as not only a way to see and experience the world, but take luxurious vacations and sip bubbly while you’re at it. But at what cost to the cities we are visiting?
In front of I.M.Pei’s iconic Lourve Pyramid.
"Overtourism” can be defined as an excessive number of visitors heading to famous locations around the world, which can have serious damages on the environment and the lives’ of the citizens residing in said city. Today, several cities, especially in Europe, are trying to curtain this phenom. On one hand, success plays a large role in overtourism. Countries actively promoted their cities as destinations of years, and currently rely heavily on the revenue generated from tourists each year. A recent article from CNN points to the detriment overtourism is causing to cities, citing the issues it raises for officials and residents. The question many are left with ponders the ways that we, as travelers, can look to create more of a connection when traveling to said destinations, as trends do not point to overtourism slowing down anytime soon.
“The travel industry, like many others, focuses almost exclusively on growth, with little or no concern for the impacts.” Written by Justin Francis for Responsible Travel, it is possible to see this happening all too well. Growth, and success, is measured in the economy by the high revenue that tourists provide. The impacts on local residents was, and still rarely is, considered. Examples of overtourism effecting locals can be seen when residents are pushed out of their homes due to rising rent prices, or when national landmarks are degraded, or simply impossible to see anymore.
As a native New Yorker, I must admit that I feel that I have grown up with overtourism in my city. I’m used to navigating my city with hordes of tourists, and typically do my best to stay out of sites that I know will be crowded with many tourists. But I’m starting to see more and more tourists in local neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and have most definitely felt the strains of gentrification, rising rent prices and pricey restaurants opening up in my neighborhood.
So what can we do? I certainly can trust that no one will stop traveling any time soon. I enjoy it just as much as the next person, and enjoy learning and being fully immersed in a culture that is not my own. I believe in the important of community connection: “the aim is to connect tourism activities with community activities.” From a cntraveler interview with a head of tourism travel in Barcelona, the goal should always be to connect with the local community. Some of my suggestions to becoming a more responsible traveler are below:
Travel in the offseason: lots of cities that are facing overtourism (Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Venice) are particularly hectic in the summer months. Consider traveling in the offseason, where you’ll be more than likely to soak in the streets, restaurants and sites without an excess of people crowding your view
Consider other cities! Yes, Barcelona is amazing, but what of the countryside? There is so much more to see, as Spain is a very, very large country. And isn’t this the point of traveling anyway? I must admit I am guilty of this also, and will try my hardest in the new year to visit smaller cities in countries that I want to visit
Participate, learn, pay, eat and talk with locals! Many critics of overtourism are quick to point to Airbnb as the culprit, but the home sharing service actually seems to do a better job in connecting guests with locals than many hotels or boutique spots seem to do. Even if you choose to go another route, try to engage with locals as best as you can. After all, traveling is most importantly about the global connections we can make
I certainly don’t have all the answers to overtourism, but am glad that it is being acknowledged. Being aware is the first step, and I’m glad we are taking strides throughout the world to develop a dialogue on ways to actively continue to engage with one another without doing too much damage to our environment. Every footprint matters: make yours count. Thanks for reading :)