You probably also have to snap up your holiday rental before one of the hundred others eyeing it doesn\u2019t beat you to it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a sign you\u2019ve encountered an effect of overtourism.<\/p>\n
Travel is a phenomenon as old as time. Historically, it was seen as a positive experience where visitors engaged with a country\u2019s culture and boosted the local economy by supporting businesses. It was seen as a rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that often took months of planning. Lately, however, travel has become easy and affordable\u2014and that\u2019s tipped the scales towards overtourism, changing people\u2019s experience for the worse and degrading residents\u2019 quality of life.<\/p>\n
Anti-tourism protests in Europe started in the 1990s with \u201ctouristification\u201d of culturally significant places. In recent months, authorities and locals have become noticeably bitter about the uptick in visitors. In Barcelona, protesters sprayed water<\/a> and screamed \u201cgo home\u201d at tourists earlier this month, highlighting how the tourism industry\u2019s impact often overflows into residents\u2019 lives. The Spanish city welcomed nearly 26 million<\/a> visitors last year\u2014roughly 16 times its population of 1.6 million.<\/p>\n Paco Freire\u2014SOPA Images\/LightRocket\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Protestors in Mallorca<\/a> in May called for a more sustainable form of tourism that prioritizes locals\u2019 ability to buy property and imposes controls on holiday stays. Such protests could spread further, a top UNESCO official warned<\/a>, if the right action isn\u2019t taken to nip the problem.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTourism is dying of success in some of the destinations. No famous destination that [is] overcrowded has found the formula to avoid this phenomenon of overtourism,\u201d said Manuel Alector Ribeiro, an associate professor in tourism management at the University of Surrey. He thinks there\u2019s a lack of management as \u201ctourism is supposed to be an industry or sector for social good,\u201d instead, it\u2019s breeding hostility between residents and tourists.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Cities have tried to tread lightly, given their complicated relationship with tourism. On the one hand, it\u2019s a significant revenue contributor to local finances. For instance, travel and tourism directly contributed to 7.7% of Venice\u2019s GDP in 2022, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council<\/a>. On the other, the visitor boom has made housing exorbitant<\/a>, with more places catering to short-term stays over long-term rentals, ultimately pricing locals out.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n People\u2019s attitudes towards tourism have also changed with time. A majority of Barcelona residents don\u2019t see tourism as much of an economic driver as they did before and think the city has reached its limit, a 2023 city council survey<\/a> revealed. The report also found that locals resist cheap tourism which makes travel more attractive\u2014but at what cost?<\/p>\n Mass tourism has been building up for a while now. A confluence of post-pandemic travel demand, strong U.S. dollar against the euro, and higher disposable income in countries like India and China have contributed to it. But at the center of it is the access to affordable flights, Boston Consulting Group\u2019s managing director and partner Yassin El Khourouj told Fortune.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe rise of low-cost airlines has allowed the development of cheap city breaks and short trips. In parallel, in most cases, overtourism has yet to be properly addressed by destination authorities,\u201d he said. Discount airlines offer double-digit fares to different parts of Europe<\/a>, making impromptu weekend trips to Barcelona, Bordeaux and more, possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n He added that the sprawling<\/a> short-term rental business, such as Airbnb, have made stays at the heart of historic cities within reach.<\/p>\n Overtourism has become a hot topic in European cities this summer because it\u2019s reached a tipping point, and residents are increasingly bearing the brunt of it. This could look different depending on the destination.\u00a0<\/p>\n For instance, more restaurants could serve international food instead of local food or there may be more souvenir stores that threaten the \u201cauthenticity\u201d of neighborhoods, Khourouj said. Locals also face safety concerns and higher noise pollution if they live near popular areas due to overtourism.\u00a0<\/p>\n Stefano Mazzola\u2014Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The impact goes beyond just social factors. Parts of Europe, such as Sicily and Barcelona, have been facing water shortages<\/a> amid rising temperatures, forcing them to curb visitor numbers or ration water usage. Mass tourism can also result in environmental deterioration<\/a> through more waste and pollution. Amsterdam plans to ban cruises in the next few years as they drive up emissions<\/a> in the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n Unfortunately, as tourists typically make pit stops at different destinations for a few days at best, they aren\u2019t fully aware of the impact they\u2019re having.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMany visitors arrive in their destinations on a package holiday or cruise. They\u2019re somewhat insulated from the places they\u2019re visiting and in general I\u2019d say awareness [of their impact] is low,\u201d Simon Lynch, the global sales and product director at tour operator Scott Dunn, told Fortune<\/em>.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s starting to weigh on their decisions as they consider off-season travel more or opt for off-beat locations.\u00a0<\/p>\n To be sure, tourism has immense benefits in areas such as job creation and infrastructural improvements. In the Portuguese town of Porto, the local authorities see a trend of repeat tourists<\/a> as a way to regenerate the city and revive it to new glory.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n It comes down to promoting a more measured form of tourism that puts residents and the city first while still encouraging visitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cities have started acting against mass tourism in various ways, such as banning cruises and capping crowds at popular sites. Barcelona announced a short-term rental ban in 2028 to stem its housing crisis<\/a>. Venice, Athens, and Amsterdam have also grappled with overtourism and tried to counter it by introducing entry fees<\/a> for attractions and capping new hotel constructions<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bruges\u2019s \u201chotel stop<\/a>\u201d model limits where hotels are constructed to promote livability in the city and its outskirts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Spreading tourists out in different parts of a city or country can mean a more enjoyable experience for all, Ribeira said. Government policies should aim to create benefits that can translate to an \u201cincrease in the quality of life and well-being of the people who live in the destinations,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n John Keeble\u2014Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Elsewhere in Europe, authorities are trying to make tourism a positive force<\/a> by encouraging visitors to help with the city\u2019s clean-up in exchange for free access to attractions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Scott Dunn\u2019s Lynch pointed out that authorities should stop promoting the \u201cInstagram hot spots\u201d that create more chaotic city centers. London\u2019s 90-day cap on short-term rentals in a year aims to balance tourism demand with long-term rental needs. Involving local communities in policy decisions could also help cities find a more sustainable way to manage the influx of visitors during peak seasons.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, it\u2019s about creating a high-quality experience for visitors and maintaining a high-quality environment for residents,\u201d Lynch said. \u201cDeterring tourists isn\u2019t the answer.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n CEO Daily provides key context for the news leaders need to know from across the world of business. Every weekday morning, more than 125,000 readers trust CEO Daily for insights about\u2013and from inside\u2013the C-suite. Subscribe Now<\/a>.<\/div>\n![\"protestors](\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-2160375973-e1721384864248.jpg?w=1440&q=75\"\/)
How did we end up here?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nChanging gears<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"People](\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-2161485019-e1721385128245.jpg?w=1440&q=75\"\/)
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