Overtourism occurs when visitor numbers overwhelm a destination’s capacity, pushing out local tenants, clogging roads, and creating more problems than benefits after decades of uncontrolled growth.

Tourists can outnumber locals in some European cities and islands, a trend amplified by social media focusing crowds on specific spots and by multinational investment in hotels that drives up rents and homogenizes local commerce.

Seasonality and concentration intensify pressures, as seen in Barcelona where 60% of visitors arrive between July and September, further straining housing and public space.

The post‑pandemic rebound has accelerated crowding, with visitor flows returning to or surpassing pre‑epidemic levels in many places and Americans to Europe expected to rise by 55% one summer.

Overtourism generates significant social impacts, including pricing locals out of housing, eroding culture and identity, and reducing quality of life through closures of amenities and rising prices. [2].

Barcelona’s rents rose 68% over the past decade amid 12 million annual tourists, spurring protests and new housing access measures.

Spanish cities such as Seville report being “bursting at the seams,” with three million annual tourists and growing concerns over housing and living conditions.

Residents in Barcelona and the Canary Islands report displacement pressures, poverty, and social exclusion linked to tourism intensity, prompting demonstrations for change. [7][18].

Environmental consequences include excessive development, habitat degradation, crowding on iconic sites, and resource stress such as pollution and freshwater shortages. [1].

Mount Fuji, Ha Long Bay, and Koh Samui exemplify overcrowding and environmental deterioration tied to tourism activities.

Tourism contributes about 8% of the world’s carbon footprint, and pauses in travel have shown rapid environmental responses, including lower emissions and increased wildlife activity such as leatherback turtle nesting. [23].

In Europe, tourism adds to air pollution and heavy water consumption, while in the Canary Islands insufficient environmental protections and untreated wastewater compound ecological risks. [6].

The economics of overtourism are double‑edged, with substantial benefits but escalating costs and vulnerabilities. [4].

Tourism accounts for 10% of Europe’s economy and 12.3 million jobs, while Spain’s tourism constitutes 12.8% of GDP and 12.6% of employment. [6].

Regional dependencies are stark: the Balearic Islands derive 45% of GDP and 200,000 jobs from tourism, and the Canary Islands rely on tourism for roughly 40% of employment. [13].

Yet overtourism inflates local prices, homogenizes retail landscapes, raises rents, and can damage the area’s long‑term economic base and resource security, as seen with water constraints in Catalonia. [4].

Global hotspots illustrate the scale and visibility of overtourism. [6][3][12].

Venice receives roughly 20 million tourists annually versus about 49,000 residents, and Barcelona logged around 12 million tourists last year, intensifying local strain. [6].

Tenerife welcomes 6.5 million tourists annually, producing traffic jams, parking shortages, and water supply concerns that have fueled calls for limits to enable sustainable tourism.

Niseko in Japan faces transport congestion from surging foreign skiers, prompting national pilots to curb overtourism and improve etiquette.

Governments and cities are deploying management tools to rebalance visitor pressure and protect residents. [4][3].

Barcelona plans to end tourist apartment rentals by 2029 to improve residents’ access to housing, while Amsterdam has banned new hotels to cap accommodation growth. [3].

Venice has introduced a day‑visitor fee and limits on tour groups, and other cities are experimenting with reservation systems and admission fees to regulate peaks. [19].

Tourism taxes are increasingly common across Europe and Asia, with revenues earmarked for ecological projects and infrastructure; Venice applies a 5‑euro tax on peak days. [31].

Regulating short‑term rentals is a prominent response to housing displacement and crowding. [41][44].

In Victoria and New South Wales, levies and annual caps cut Airbnb listings in Melbourne and Sydney significantly over five years, though average daily rates rose.

European measures include EU‑level rules to tighten governance of platforms and local caps such as 30‑day annual limits in the Netherlands, bans on new listings in parts of Florence, and strict registration regimes in Ireland. [41][45].

US and Canadian localities have set booking limits and registration requirements to balance visitor demand with workforce and resident housing needs. [42][43].

Behavioral and market solutions can diffuse pressure and enhance local benefits. [2][8].

Choosing locally owned lodging, local produce restaurants, and local guides keeps money in community hands, while shoulder‑season travel and visits to lesser‑known sites spread impacts more evenly. [2].

Slow travel, multi‑day trips, and weekday tours reduce crowding and deepen local economic linkages.

UNESCO has encouraged quality‑over‑quantity strategies in places like Barcelona to curb negative impacts while sustaining cultural value.

Planning frameworks rooted in ecological limits are essential for destinations under stress. [55][62].

Carrying capacity assessments and environmental impact evaluations determine acceptable visitor loads and guide zoning, with protected areas requiring strict permits and controlled tourism. [55][62].

Russia has adopted formal rules to calculate recreational capacity, require public recreational activity plans, and cap use of protected areas to safeguard natural complexes. [64].

Satellite imaging offers cost‑effective, non‑invasive monitoring to inform capacity management and improve transparency with stakeholders.

Technology can aid mitigation when paired with governance and demand management. [46][47].

Sustainable aviation fuels can reduce per‑flight CO2 by about 27%, while optimized routings, newer aircraft, and Single European Sky reforms can cut fuel burn and emissions further.

Examples such as Etihad’s 787‑10 trials show large relative emission reductions through new technologies and SAF blends, and some airports target net‑zero operations by mid‑decade. [49].

Smart tourism, big data, and AI can optimize flows and reduce waste, though technological gains must complement, not replace, visitor caps and local protections.

Developing regions face distinct constraints and require tailored pathways. [53].

Limited infrastructure, high costs, and non‑uniform standards impede implementation, underscoring the need for government support, education, and partnerships to scale sustainability. [53].

Inclusive and accessible tourism is also vital, with 1.3 billion people living with disabilities and significant potential in designing barrier‑free visitor systems.

Seasonality management—diversifying offerings, engineering comfort in extreme conditions, and targeted off‑peak promotion—can reduce peaks that drive overtourism.

Case studies show integrated strategies emerging at destination scale. [27].

Ras Al Khaimah’s Balanced Tourism strategy combines certification, green building codes, and investment to tackle overtourism risks while enhancing community well‑being.

In Europe, sustainable tourism requires balancing visitor numbers with available resources, a principle now guiding reforms in Barcelona, Venice, and other pressured cities.

Proposals in the Canary Islands to introduce a tourist tax and pause new accommodations seek to fund conservation and align growth with social equity.

Overall, overtourism’s causes are multifaceted—rooted in long‑running growth dynamics, platform‑driven accommodation expansion, social media amplification, and seasonal surges—and its consequences span social displacement, environmental degradation, and uneven economic gains. [10][4].

A durable response blends governance (taxes, caps, licensing, and spatial planning), community benefit models, ecological limits (carrying capacity and EIA), behavior shifts (slow and off‑peak travel), and targeted technologies to reduce footprints and optimize flows. [31][41][55][62][25][46].

Sustaining destinations requires aligning visitor volumes with local resources and community priorities through collaborative action among governments, businesses, and travelers. [6].

Overtourism occurs when visitor numbers overwhelm a destination’s capacity, pushing out local tenants, clogging roads, and creating more problems than benefits after decades of uncontrolled growth.

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Sedona Film Festival presents ‘Crowded Out’

“Crowded Out” is a powerful short documentary exploring over-tourism, featuring interviews with local residents and global experts. (Image provided by SIFF)

Originally Published: September 14, 2022 8:43 p.m.

The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the third film in its four-week Sustainable Tourism Film Series. “Crowded Out: The Story of Overtourism” will show on Thursday, Sept. 22 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre at 4 p.m. The event will also include a selection of “Sustainable Travel: Where Next?” short films along with a panel discussion.

“Crowded Out” is a powerful short documentary exploring overtourism, featuring interviews with local residents and global experts.

Overtourism occurs when there are too many visitors to a particular destination. When rent prices push out local tenants to make way for holiday rentals, when narrow roads become jammed with tourist vehicles, when tourists cannot view landmarks because of the crowds – these are all signs of overtourism.

And it is the backlash from local residents that has made overtourism news. Cities such as Barcelona, Venice and Dubrovnik, and places once thought of as remote such as Iceland and Skye have suffered firsthand, and the protests by local residents have spread.

There has been decades of virtually uncontrolled growth, and it has crossed a threshold: in many destinations, tourism now demonstrably creates more problems than benefits.

This special event will also include a selection of short films from “Sustainable Travel: Where Next?” This series includes short-form documentary films, featuring insightful stories from the global travel and tourism sector showing how they are driving sustainable travel and protecting these precious destinations.

Following the screenings, there will be a panel discussion with representatives the City of Sedona, the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, Keep Sedona Beautiful and the tourism and hospitality industry here.

“Crowded Out: The Story of Overtourism” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 4 p.m. Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Festival members. For tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.

The final film in the Sustainable Tourism Series is:

Thursday, Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. “Vendemmia”

Tourists can outnumber locals in some European cities and islands, a trend amplified by social media focusing crowds on specific spots and by multinational investment in hotels that drives up rents and homogenizes local commerce.

Title:

Content: Point of view
Lin Chi-yin
Lin Chi-yin: "Traveling Everywhere" and "Over-Travel"
Earlier, the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Hsia Baolong, advocated the concept of “travel everywhere ” to fully explore Hong Kong ’ s tourism resources.
To speed up the implementation of the concept, the authorities are planning to set up a "special class" to bring together people inside and outside the Government for in-depth discussions.
In recent days, officials and legislators have expressed their views on the development of "red tourism", exploring new spots in the community, beautifying the streets, and presenting some scenes in the movies.
Simply put, it may be the story behind the attraction, or the accumulated word of mouth on social media, and every tree and grass anywhere can become a tourist attraction.
Of course, the author hopes that the "class" can launch various new ideas; and since the task of the class is to implement the concept of "travel everywhere", then how to implement the concept is the best for Hong Kong, the industry, the community and the public, the class can not ignore.
The University of Hong Kong campus has been forced by tourists, and the school has implemented reservation measures this month.
HKU itself has a complete management structure, and the university can still implement crowd control according to the situation. However, if some scenic spots that go deep into the community or even close to residential buildings are really "red hot", it may not be easy to implement crowd control.
“Everywhere travel ” is a concept, the key to implementation lies in the ability of the authorities to foresee problems. If you rely only on“ see and see ”, it is very likely that good things will turn into bad things.
“Aggressive ” Travel
In 2018, the word “overtourism ” was chosen as the Oxford English Dictionary ’ s word of the year, referring to the negative effects of overloading the area, declining quality of life and environmental damage caused by the influx of tourists to tourist attractions.
For example, Venice, Italy, which has long been affected by “overtourism ”, is not a“ once in a lifetime ” – the local population is only 50,000, and the number of daily tourists has exceeded the local population; during peak season, the number of daily visitors has even doubled.
I have friends who visited the place more than a decade ago, and they all agreed to say that people are crowded and will not go again.
In addition to Venice, some European cities or small islands with a tourism-led economy (such as the Canarias in Spain) also face the problem of job opportunities, high prices, and a homogenization of shops. Multinational companies invest heavily in hotels and holiday cottages, which also lead to higher rents, which locals can ’ t afford.
Even if tourism brings a lot of jobs to the region, it does not mean that the average person can earn a living wage.
People in these places understand the importance of tourism to the local economy, but they do not want the tourism industry to be unlimited, resulting in the resources of the whole place are only for the service of tourists.
"Tourism Hazards" and How to Deal with them
In Japanese society after the epidemic, a similar term, "tourism nuisance", has also appeared to describe problems such as traffic, noise, nuisance, and garbage pollution caused by too many tourists.
This phenomenon, in addition to the popularity of exchange rates, affordable air tickets, and people's desire to travel after the epidemic, social media will also have the effect of focusing on specific hot spots.
In the era of image-led, everyone can follow the picture, some places that were not originally planned as tourist attractions have begun to face sudden overcrowding.
Hong Kong people who love to visit Japan will not be unfamiliar with two “attractions ”: the Daokou near Enojima Electric Railway ’ s Kamakura University Station, and a Lawson convenience store in Kawaguchi-cho.
The former is the "holy place" of the popular manga "When Men are in the bottle". In recent years, the crossing has been congested with traffic due to frequent visits by tourists to "punch", local people can not get on the electric train, and some tourists are dangerous for taking good photos. Lawson is also a "punch" attraction, and the picture is a convenience store with a beautiful view of Mount Fuji. of tourists are constantly crossing the road and parking without permission, causing local residents to feel troubled.
Too many tourists can also lead to a decline in the quality of service, even in Japan, which values the spirit of “work people ”.
When I visited Japan last year, I saw some shops find ways to deal with “tourism hazards ” on their own, such as not allowing diners to take photos in the store, so that after the photos are uploaded to social media, it will cause more people to come and see them; limiting the number of diners to the number of people that the staff can serve, even if the seats are not full.
However, some tourists always find it difficult to understand the intentions behind these arrangements, and I have heard some tourists complain: "Obviously there is still a place, why not let us sit?"
When these conflicts can no longer be handled by businesses and residents themselves, how to strike a balance between “tourism ” and“ public nuisance ” will gradually become a policy issue.
The most extreme way to deal with it is to “eliminate ” popular attractions – coincidentally, the authorities of Kawaguchiko recently erected a 20-meter-long and 2.5-meter-high“ black curtain ” in front of Lawson to drive away tourists who came to take photos.
The reason why the authorities have to take extreme measures is that management alone can not prevent tourists from rushing out of the road, which is actually to "play the spot".
In addition, there are more and more tourist cities and hotspots charging tourists "admission fees" or "admission fees", but this method can not play a large role.
In Venice, for example, the city has been charging a 5 euro entry fee (about HK $42) to “overnight ” travelers since last month.
However, these fees simply cannot curb the huge demand for tourists, and the revenue is mainly used as a financial source to cope with "excessive travel", which can only cure the symptoms, not the root cause.
The Real Meaning of “Travel Everywhere ”
At this point, some people may point out that the above problems will only become problems if we succeed in attracting tourists to Hong Kong; what we have to focus on is how to get more people to come to Hong Kong.
However, how much tourism can bring to a city depends on the management and policies of the city, not on the remedial measures that can be taken.
Although the share of tourism industry in Hong Kong's economy is far less than that of the "tourist city" mentioned above, Hong Kong can't wait to see that other places are looking for countermeasures for the "tourism nuisance", and even start to turn to attack, redefine the tourism industry from the planning level and actively promote tourist education.
In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for example, the government announced last month that it would ban new hotels and limit the number of cruise ships to return the city to a livable and tourism-friendly city. In Kamakura, Japan, people are no longer concentrated at certain points by decentralizing transportation (such as the launch of electric tricycle rental business) and proactively promoting multiple circumnavigation routes (such as the travel routes at 13 locations of Kamakura Shogunate).
The main disadvantage of post-event remediation is that the difficulty and cost of solving the problem are greatly increased, which will also affect the experience of tourists. More than 10 years ago, the North District of Hong Kong also experienced a pharmacy every few steps, and the situation of residents in the North District driving out water consignors on their own, which hurt the feelings of the people of the two places.
In particular, there are many policy issues that can be foreseen in advance, and we do not have to go through them personally before we know what the problem is (for example, the legal problems faced by cleaners under the garbage levy will not be known until the moment of trial).
Since there is a great deal of experience and policy measures in various places to refer to, the “Special Class ” must also strike a balance between tourism and city operations when formulating tourist routes and supporting packages, otherwise the attraction will only lead to losses. After the city of Kamakura solved the problem of overcrowding of tourists, the tourism industry representative of Kanagawa Prefecture (that is, the seat of Kamakura City) pointed out:“ Attraction is not tourism. ” The amount of time it takes to win is certainly not appropriate.
“Travel Everywhere ” is not just about adding tourist attractions, but promoting quality tourism in a more nuanced and proactive way to avoid problems.
The author is a public policy consultant.
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Seasonality and concentration intensify pressures, as seen in Barcelona where 60% of visitors arrive between July and September, further straining housing and public space.

Title:

Content: Global News
The world today - spraying with water guns..
Are tourist expulsions spreading in Europe?
You are now following the news of spraying with water guns.
Are tourist expulsions spreading in Europe?
From the World News section and now we leave you with the full details
SAHAD MOHAMMED - Abu Dhabi on Friday 19 July 2024 04: 25 PM - Spain's tourism unrest has reached its peak in the past few days, with some locals in Barcelona spraying tourists with water guns and canned drinks, asking them to go back to where they came from.
Angry residents, numbering about 3,000, blocked the entrances to hotels and cafes in the Barceloneta neighborhood in a symbolic attempt to express their indignation at the excessive tourist overcrowding in their city.
This is not the first time tourism has been highlighted as a problem in Spain, where the country, which attracted 85 million visitors in 2023, has seen a series of protests against excessive tourism in the country, especially in the city of Barcelona with a population of 1.6 million, which received more than 7.8 million visitors in 2023, leaving many locals unable to afford to live there due to high rental prices.
Fear of Protests in Europe
Spain ’ s overcrowding problem, and the decision to confront it by locals, has highlighted the potential for anti-tourist protests to spread to the rest of Europe ’ s heavily tourist-ridden cities, as UNESCO ’ s Sustainable Tourism Project chief Peter Debrin warned.
The protests will certainly spread if European officials fail to address the negative impact of mass tourism on the lives of the local population, DeBrin says, noting that the situation in Spain has become very volatile, as the coming of civil society and its attempt to bring about change is critical, after all elected officials must respond to what the residents of their cities want.
He cited the 2021 ban on large cruise ships in Venice, Italy, which was passed after protests by residents, as cruise ships no longer pass through the Grand Canal, but are now docked away from Venice, helping to preserve the city ’ s structural and environmental integrity.
But despite the decision to ban large cruise ships in Venice, passengers continue to flock to its narrow lanes in the thousands, with Venice expected to attract about 540,000 cruise passengers this year, an increase of 9 percent compared to 2023, according to the North Adriatic Ports Authority.
In a bid to reduce crowds, Venice has imposed a 5 euro ($5.45) tourist tax on peak days this year, a measure that has so far failed to rein in tourist numbers, Euronews reported.
Quality rather than quantity tourism
Like Venice, Barcelona residents have long struggled with the global popularity of their city: every year, fewer locals say tourism benefits the city, while more people feel it is harmful, according to a survey conducted by the Barcelona City Council in 2023.
UNESCO ’ s Sustainable Tourism Project Chief Officer Peter Debrin believes that Barcelona, which handles too many travelers, could join cities and countries that rely on a “quality over quantity ” tourism strategy – prioritizing high-spending travelers, rather than budget ones – a strategy that gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, when safety and employment concerns pushed destinations around the world to take in fewer affordable travelers. Instead of a lot of budget travelers.
Debrin said Barcelona ’ s reliance on a “quality rather than quantity ” tourism strategy helps correct another problem plaguing the city: tourists who behave badly, noting that for Barcelona residents, it ’ s not just about visitor numbers, but also how people behave, with Spaniards complaining for years about tourists drinking too much, throwing garbage and cigarettes on the streets.
Debrin called on tourists to be more aware in their travel decisions, suggesting focusing on beautiful cities with fascinating tourist and cultural attractions, which are in need of more tourists.
Civil Society Demands
Civil society groups are calling on Barcelona officials to implement a number of policies aimed at “declining tourism growth, ” such as increased tourism taxes, restrictions on cruise ships, and restrictions on short-term rental housing, just like the steps being explored in Amsterdam to crack down on buses, boutiques, new hotels and short-term rentals. In 2023, it asks some visitors, especially young British tourists, to“ stay away ” if they are travelling to the city for drugs or partying.
The most popular Spanish cities with tourists
The General Coordinator of the Association of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Mediterranean States (ASCAME) Anwar Zebawi, said in an interview to the site "Economy dot Gulf", that some tourist destinations in Spain already suffer from the problem of overcrowding, and these destinations are Barcelona, Malaga, Madrid and Valencia, as these four cities attract tourists more than their capacity, and the problem is that the largest number of these tourists, come in specific months of the year. Sixty percent of all tourists who visit Barcelona each year do so during the months between July and September, creating severe congestion, while the other 40 percent is spread over the rest of the year.
Amplify for protests
Zibawi stressed that what everyone should realize, is that there is a kind of amplification of the recent protests in Barcelona,   the city has not witnessed "major" demonstrations against tourists, as the problem of the local population is never with tourists, and the people who have been sprayed with water, very few and may not exceed the fingers of one hand, pointing out that what happened was directed against those who rent houses as hotel houses. Real estate, largely, deprived the local population, especially young people, of the possibility of obtaining apartments at an appropriate rental price.
Causes of tourist overcrowding in Barcelona
Zibawi explains that one of the reasons that contribute to excessive tourist congestion in Barcelona,   is to allow tourists to stay in tourist houses and chaos in this area, the city contains about 10 thousand houses that have a license to do these works, while there are about 30 thousand hotels operating without a license and in a way contrary to the law, the offer of houses for rent at competitive prices, in addition to cheap flights available in Europe make the cost of travel to Barcelona tourist destinations. This has exacerbated the phenomenon of excessive tourism.
European cities where protests could spread
According to Zibawi, the European cities that can witness objections from the local population because of their suffering from excessive tourism, are Rome, Venice, some Italian islands, Crete in Greece, and some other Greek islands, while Amsterdam in the Netherlands, suffer from the problem of excessive tourism only, in some weeks of the year, especially at the end of the year. year.
Paris found a solution.
Zibawi pointed out that Paris had a major problem with the subject of overcrowding of tourists, and therefore prevented the work of hotel houses and raised the prices of hotels, where she saw that these steps contribute to making the cost of travel high, which prevents the tourist who does not have enough money to come, and this limits the phenomenon of overcrowding, pointing out that if the principle of quality tourism instead of quantity in Barcelona, this may solve the problem of overcrowding and contribute to the distribution of tourists in other areas. Spain.
Solutions that can be resorted to
For his part, Amer Daboussi, executive partner of Eagle Travel Travel, said in an interview with Eqtisad.al-Khaleej that cities suffering from tourist congestion can face this phenomenon by adopting a policy of "quality rather than quantity", where this policy focuses on imposing high standards of hospitality to attract rich or well-resourced tourists, and get rid of the large numbers of tourists from the middle category. h its reception, which reduces the negative effects on the local community.
Dabbousi believes that cities can also resort to the solutions of imposing tourism taxes on foreign visitors, raising hotel prices, restricting the work of hotel house rental applications by imposing financial fees on these apartments and using the revenues collected to improve infrastructure in tourist areas, in addition to the need for affected countries to market new tourist destinations within them, which contributes to attracting visitors to areas outside the main tourist centers.
Excessive damage from tourism
Cities facing the challenges of overcrowding, such as Bangkok in Thailand, Paris in France and New York in the United States, as well as some Greek and Spanish cities, must take measures to manage tourism sustainably and distribute tourism pressure in a way that preserves the quality of life of local residents and respects local culture. Eat and drink, making life more expensive for local residents.
We hope that we have succeeded in conveying the full details of the spraying with water guns..
Are tourist expulsions spreading in Europe?
In God ’ s care and protection.
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The post‑pandemic rebound has accelerated crowding, with visitor flows returning to or surpassing pre‑epidemic levels in many places and Americans to Europe expected to rise by 55% one summer.

Title:

Content: International
International news.
Retaliatory Tourism Damage Law "Restriction Order" under Kojima
As the global tourism industry recovers after the COVID-19 epidemic, the problem of “overtourism ” has emerged in many places, and national and local governments in Europe have made extraordinary efforts to discourage tourists during the summer peak season, including limiting the number of visitors per day by booking, so as to reduce the impact on local residents and the surrounding environment.
The northern French island of Brehat, known for its scenic beauty, has tried to host 6,000 visitors a day, 15 times more than its 377 residents, and Mayor Olivier Carre issued an executive order last week that said the local community could not handle the 10-fold increase in waste during the peak tourist season, limiting the number of visitors on the same day from July 14 to August 25. There are 4,700 people.
Industry says 80% of customers gather in 20% of districts to call for diversion
The influx of tourists also drained the path to the lighthouse on Brea Island to the northern attraction and impacted the protected area.
The French tourism ministry said on Wednesday that visitor numbers in the first quarter of this year had returned to pre-epidemic levels nearly in 2019, but Alliance France Tourisme said 80 per cent of tourists had flocked to only 20 per cent of the country, calling on the industry to promote sub-popular attractions to divert tourists.
CNN reported on the 10th of this month that this year's "crazy" summer of local people flocking to Europe has begun.
Allianz, a travel insurance company, estimates that the number of Americans visiting Europe this summer will rise by 55% from last year.
In preparation for this summer ’ s post-epidemic travel season, the Dubrovnik government has launched a “Respect the City ” campaign, which includes an animated promotional film to remind visitors of the rules of behavior at the attractions.
Venice is planning to impose a tourist tax, and attractions have a reservation system and have stepped up fines for non-compliant visitors.
(AFP / CNN)
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Overtourism generates significant social impacts, including pricing locals out of housing, eroding culture and identity, and reducing quality of life through closures of amenities and rising prices. [2].

Title:

Content: HOMEPAGE

From where you go to what you do, experts share how to travel the world without destroying it

  • Traveling sustainably is about making intentional choices to serve your destination and planet well.
  • We asked experts how to make these choices when planning a trip to be as sustainable as possible.
  • This article is part of "Better Me," a series about improving your lifestyle and helping society through sustainable efforts and eco-consciousness.

Sustainable travel can feel like an oxymoron — as Justin Francis, the cofounder and CEO of Responsible Travel, a UK-based travel company that evaluates trips and vacation providers, told Insider.

The travel industry can create jobs, or it can lead to over-tourism that lowers residents' quality of life. Flights emit harmful emissions, but transport travelers to destinations where they can support local economies and participate in positive, nature-based tourism. Lodging accommodations can boost the local economy, or price residents out of their homes.

But Francis believes people can travel "in a way that not only reduces harm but actively maximizes the benefits, for both planet and people."

Five other sustainable travel experts who spoke with Insider agree and say there are actions travelers can take to lower their negative impact, support the destinations they're visiting, and have an overall better trip. They suggest considering every aspect of your trip — from where you go to how you get there — as you plan to travel more sustainably.

Kelley Louise, the executive director and founder of Impact Travel Alliance, a nonprofit centered on informing travelers to help improve the world, told Insider that traveling sustainably takes practice and being an imperfect traveler is better than not trying.

As Louise said, "It's about asking, 'How can you make little decisions that add up over time and have a positive impact on the world?'"

If you're looking for a place to start, here's what the experts Insider spoke with recommend.

First, choose a destination with the planet in mind

Go off the beaten path

Some of the experts Insider spoke with suggest skipping top tourist destinations and opting for under-the-radar spots.

"By seeking out the less-visited destinations, you will be helping to spread the economic benefits of tourism more widely and helping to avoid the negative impacts that over-tourism has on local residents," Georgina Davies — the communications manager for The Travel Foundation, a group that advocates for sustainable tourism — told Insider.

Paloma Zapata agrees. The CEO of Sustainable Travel International — an organization that works with local governments, businesses, and nonprofits to provide sustainable travel opportunities — also recommends visiting a hidden gem. If you're going to Greece, for instance, you could skip Mykonos and head to an island like Anafi or Ios with fewer tourists.

Once you've picked your destination, Davies encourages travelers to visit the region's national parks and protected areas. Often these places have entrance fees, which support conservation efforts.

Choose a destination that embraces sustainability

Jessica Blotter, CEO and cofounder of public benefit corporation Kind Travel, told Insider she looks for destinations with tourism boards that have a dedicated sustainable travel section on their website.

She recommends avoiding areas where sustainable transportation and lodging are hard to find, and "where access to nature and the outdoors is limited."

Vacation during shoulder season

Tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain without hordes of people around or exploring Niagara Falls in the winter isn't just beneficial to travelers; experts say it also supports sustainability.

Visiting destinations during shoulder seasons "spreads the benefits of tourism locally across the year and lightens the burden of over-tourism in popular destinations," Francis said. His company, Responsible Travel, has a guide that outlines the best time to visit certain destinations

Zapata added that you're also more likely to have a stress-free and special vacation if you're visiting when there are fewer crowds. "It could be even more enriching," she said. "When you're on a beach or on a sailboat and it's just surrounded by masses of people, maybe that's not the best experience."

Visit fewer places for longer

One way to travel more responsibly is to visit fewer places for longer periods of time. For example, instead of spending a week in four European countries, plan a 10-day trip to one or two.

"Fewer but longer trips mean fewer air miles, more money in local hands, and you'll have a more relaxing trip, too," Francis said. "If you can, keep shorter trips close to home or travel by land or sea." He added that these modes of travel can be an adventure in themselves, and allow you to "see so much more of a destination."

If you must travel a long distance, Blotter recommends stretching the trip as much as possible to maximize your experience. "Booking multiple, long-haul trips per year is not sustainable or carbon-friendly," she said.

Consider how you get there

Evaluate the distance for the most sustainable way to get there

The first step in deciding how to responsibly get to your destination is considering the number of people traveling and the distance you're going.

Besides biking and walking, trains are typically one of the most sustainable ways to travel, Zapata said. If your destination is accessible by train, consider that.

If you're debating whether it's more sustainable to fly or drive, Zapata said it comes down to the distance.

"A lot of times trains are going to be more energy and carbon efficient," she said. "But when it comes to a car, there comes a moment when flying is actually more carbon efficient than driving when you're talking about very long distances."

Calculators like the ones offered by the International Civil Aviation Organization and Environmental Defense Fund can help travelers map out the least carbon-intensive way to get from A to B.

If you need to fly, opt for nonstop routes and travel in economy

Flying will likely be the most unsustainable aspect of your trip. Aviation makes up about 2% of global carbon emissions and 80% of a vacation's carbon footprint comes from the flight, according to National Geographic.

Experts suggest thinking about how much you should fly in a year. For example, maybe you take one international flight a year and prioritize having the rest of your trips close to home, Louise said.

But no matter where you jet off to, experts recommend flying nonstop in economy.

"When booking long-distance plane travel, always choose a direct flight with no layovers," Blotter said. "Direct flights use less carbon dioxide than connecting flights."

Additionally, by flying in economy, as some of the experts Insider spoke with pointed out, you maximize the number of people a flight can carry by taking up less space.

Ultimately, though, the best thing you can do is reduce your carbon footprint during your trip.

Experts like Louise and Gregory Miller, the executive director of the international nonprofit Center for Responsible Travel, agree that carbon offsets act more like a Band-Aid than a solution to sustainable travel. But if they do decide to purchase carbon offsets, which reduce or remove emissions to compensate for those made during a trip, Miller suggests purchasing through a reliable, vetted program. Groups like Zapata's Sustainable Travel say they invest people's money into carbon-reducing projects centered on clean energy and biodiversity.

Think about how you pack

Pack light

The simplest advice when it comes to being a sustainable packer is to pack less, Zapata said. "Travel light," she said.
"You don't need 20 shoes to travel."

Blotter agrees and says that by packing lighter, you'll reduce carbon emissions. That's because the lighter the aircraft, train, car, or boat, the less energy is needed.

Louise added that by packing fewer items and using a carry-on, you'll get through security faster and avoid the hassle of checking a bag.

Pack reusable items

Francis suggests adding the items you use at home to your packing list. That might include a reusable water bottle, a bag for shopping, and utensils to avoid plastic cutlery.

Louise acknowledges that it might not be feasible for every traveler to carry a reusable water bottle, so she urges travelers to consider what other meaningful swaps they could make. For example, Louise said she swapped liquid shampoo and conditioner for shampoo and conditioner bars a few vacations back. The bars are lighter than liquid soaps, which means they save carbon emissions during transportation. Plus, many are packaged in recyclable paper instead of plastic.

The switch became permanent in Louise's daily life, she said, adding that it made traveling easier since she didn't have to worry about leaks or liquids at airport security. "It's a cool example of how we can look for more sustainable experiences that are also better travel experiences," she said. "Plus it opens our eyes to new habits that can help us become more conscious consumers as well."

Pack brands you support

If you're doing some pre-vacation shopping, Louise recommends buying from brands that place sustainability at the forefront of their business.

"If you're supporting corporations and brands that are working on sustainability as well, then that's going to move the needle and create change a lot quicker than we could as individuals," she said.

For tropical getaways, pack reef-safe sunscreen

If you're heading to Aruba or planning a diving trip in Belize, experts say travelers should ensure reef-safe sunscreen is on their packing lists.

"Sunscreen can be very damaging to the environment and not everybody knows," Zapata said.

Ingredients in everyday sunscreen can harm both coral reefs and local wildlife, according to the National Ocean Service. Look for a reef-safe sunscreen that lacks harmful ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, nano titanium dioxide, and nano zinc oxide.

Where you stay matters, too

Look into a hotel's claims about sustainability

Between countless certification programs and eco-friendly branding, experts agree that it can be tricky trying to evaluate whether or not a hotel is actually contributing to a destination.

When researching different accommodations, look for specifics beyond being "eco-friendly" and giving up plastic straws, Miller says. He suggests looking for hotels with written policies about how they work with local communities, prevent food waste, and help environmental initiatives like reforestation and supporting local dive sites.

If they don't have that information, Louise urges travelers to ask questions: "If they are authentically sustainable, they'll be excited to answer them."

Blotter encourages travelers to choose accommodation options that are upfront about their environmental efforts.

"Hotels that are truly eco-friendly should have a sustainability statement and clearly stated initiatives visible on their website," Blotter said. "While sustainability certifications are great and make it easier for travelers to identify sustainable lodging, not all hotels embracing eco-friendly practices will boast such certifications."

Blotter said to look for certifications from organizations that look into the foundation and practices of locations, businesses, and facilities to see if they meet their standards for sustainability and environmentalism. Some of these include the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Certified B Corporation, and Green Globe, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and WELL Building Standard.

Although some certifications indicate a hotel is sustainable, Zapata and Miller said guests shouldn't book solely based on certifications since they can be costly for smaller resorts and hotels to acquire. "If they've made a commitment to the communities, to the destination, and they understand that they're part of the community that is what's important," Miller said.

Once you arrive, Zapata said guests should look for evidence that their accommodation is following the claims it makes. Speak to housekeeping staff, check in with chefs about the food they're serving, and see if you get new towels each morning — if you do, you could help save water by skipping this service.

Stay at mom-and-pop hotels and inns

Picking a locally owned bed-and-breakfast over an Airbnb or big hotel is going to have a more positive impact on the local community, some of the experts Insider spoke with said.

"Short-term Airbnb-type holiday rentals might feel convenient, but they're having a devastating impact on some popular destinations — pricing people out of their homes and wiping out whole communities," Francis said. "Consider opting instead for a local homestay, B&B or local-owned hotel."

Make smart decisions throughout your stay

Use public transportation

If possible, experts suggest skipping a rental car. Instead, turn to the destination's public transportation.

"Don't discount your travel in the destination," Francis said. "Try and avoid internal flights, and consider ditching the private car or tour bus. There are loads of great human-powered, local-guided tours around — by foot, bike, or even kayak."

Eat local foods

Besides the flight to your destination, food waste will likely be the second-largest contributor to your vacation's carbon footprint, according to National Geographic.

"We traditionally don't think of sustainable tourism as something like, 'Oh, I can lay on the beach and have a cocktail, and that could have a positive impact on the world,'" Louise said. But if you think about where your food comes from and the story behind that, it can have a positive impact, she added.

That means seeking ingredients that are grown nearby instead of shipped across the country and checking to make sure restaurants are hiring locals and paying them fair wages. By evaluating restaurants on these items, you'll likely get "fresher and better foods that are unique to that destination," Louise said.

Seek off-the-beaten-path activities

Most experts agree that when it comes to exploring a destination, it's worth turning to locals for advice. That might mean joining a local Facebook group, sparking a conversation on a public bus, or finding a community-based tourism program.

"Look for ways to seek out local voices and to understand how they want their destination seen," Louise said. By talking to locals, you're likely to avoid contributing to over-tourism and have a more unique experience, she added.

Another way you can approach activities is by centering your plans around a cause you and your group care about, such as ocean conservation or LGBTQ rights, Louise said.

Once you've settled on a topic, look at how your actions and the activities you choose can support that cause. For example, you might eat at restaurants owned by diverse staff or seek voluntourism opportunities to protect a nearby beach.

Blotter recommends avoiding experiences that use animals as entertainment like elephant rides, and looking for charity-run activities instead.

When you're back from the activity, whether it was a volunteer job or a locally-recommended hike, Miller said travelers should "brag about it." He encourages people who are traveling responsibly to post about their experience and use word-of-mouth to inspire others.

Buy local

Pass on the manufactured magnets, mass-produced T-shirts, and generic keychains. Instead, Zapata said travelers should search for items that are unique and crafted by locals.

"If you're going to buy a memento, buy something that's actually made there," she said. That way you ensure the money spent on the souvenir is directly supporting the community.

While all of these decisions you make as an individual matter, Miller says that ultimately "the solution to everything is to get governments and major corporations to change and reduce their emissions period."

According to Miller, that's something travelers can do in the voting booth that can go a long way.

Better Me tips for sustainable living

Slide through the following cards to read more expert advice on sustainable living. Then check out the rest of the stories from Insider's Better Me series.

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Barcelona’s rents rose 68% over the past decade amid 12 million annual tourists, spurring protests and new housing access measures.

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Content: Sunday 07 July 2024
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
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The world.
Demonstration in Barcelona against mass tourism
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Thousands of people demonstrated in Barcelona against excessive tourism, Radio France Internationale reported.
I opened the slogan "Enough!
Some 2,800 protesters, according to police, marched to demand a change in the economic model of the most visited city in the country.
Critics of excessive tourism mainly condemn its impact on housing prices – rents have risen 68% over the past decade, according to the Barcelona City Council – but also its harmful consequences for local businesses, the environment and the working conditions of local employees.
Barcelona received more than 12 million tourists last year, according to the city council.
To facilitate residents ’ access to housing, the city council recently announced its desire to end rental of tourist apartments by 2029.
Spain, the world's second-largest tourist destination after France, welcomed a record 85.1 million foreign visitors last year.
The most visited region was Catalonia with 18 million visitors, followed by the Balearic Islands (14.4 million) and the Canary Islands (13.9 million).
Tourism in Spain accounts for 12.8% of GDP and 12.6% of jobs.

Spanish cities such as Seville report being “bursting at the seams,” with three million annual tourists and growing concerns over housing and living conditions.

Title:

Content: Seville Spain: Holiday warning issued to UK holidaymakers as popular European city declares it is 'bursting at the seams'

UK holidaymakers have been issued a Spain holiday warning as another Spanish city, Seville, has declared it is “bursting at the seams”
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A warning has been issued to UK holidaymakers as another popular Spanish city has declared that it is “bursting at the seams” and they have had “enough” of tourists. Locals in Seville have spoken out, joining the likes of the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands in protesting over “overtourism”.

Protest group "Sevilla Se Muere" carried out a march in Seville's city centre on 10 April protesting against the tourism industry and the problems it creates for locals. The group's name in English means "Seville is dying".

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The platform said: "With the slogan of this call, Now is the Time, we want to denounce the city model that the city council and lobbies are imposing on us. For years, we have seen abuses that only benefit a few and condemn our neighbours. It is time for them to know that what they have been doing with Seville for years is not what we Sevillians want for our city. The city is bursting at the seams. We can't take it any more. Let's reverse this unsustainable situation before it is too late".

The group added: "The people of Seville pay the costs of cleaning and repairs, while we suffer the noise and insecurity that they cause." Seville welcomes three million tourists every year, and has a population of 700,000.

It is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. The protests in the city come after it has been announced that marches will take place in Tenerife, Lanzarote and beyond on 20 April 20. Locals have cited a lack of housing as a factor for the protest as well as poor living conditions.

Spain’s housing minister Isabel Rodriguez announced that the country will crackdown on holiday homes as she says she doesn’t want Madrid to “be a theme park”. On Thursday (11 April), Spain’s housing minister Isabel Rodriguez said she would intervene over the housing crisis that is being caused by overtourism.

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She said: “This is more than Operation Camp which is the largest ever public housing promotion and I don’t want the centre of Madrid to be a theme park, but to remain a city. We will act in a precise and targeted way because tourist rentals in some regions are an opportunity for tourist dynamism but it has to be regulated according to that diversity.”

Earlier this month the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, called for "common sense", adding that tourism is the "main source of employment and wealth" for the local economy and urging protestors to be “responsible”. He said that tourists "come to enjoy themselves, to spend a few days and to leave their money in the Canary Islands".

Residents in Barcelona and the Canary Islands report displacement pressures, poverty, and social exclusion linked to tourism intensity, prompting demonstrations for change. [7][18].

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Content: The US "Cable News Network" (CNN) reported on the 11th, researchers pointed out that the Spanish resort of Gran Canaria (Gran Canaria) because too often tourists in the wild "passion", leaving a lot of garbage and damage to vegetation and the surface, is causing "devastating consequences" for the local coastal sand dunes ecosystem.
Known as the Dunas de Maspalomas Nature Reserve, Gran Canaria is one of the few remaining shifting dune ecosystems in Europe that is important for migratory birds traveling between Europe and Africa.
However, in recent years, the area has become almost a pure holiday destination, attracting 14 million tourists every year, and the significance of ecological education has been "completely abandoned".
Co-authored by Patrick Hesp, a professor of coastal studies at Flinders University in Australia, and other scholars, the researchers studied 298 “outdoor hot spots ” on the beach during the busy May 2018 period and found that tourists trampled on vegetation, arbitrarily removed plants or sand to create a suitable“ nest ”, urinated on the ground, and littered cigarette butts, condoms, Toilet paper, wet wipes, cans and other garbage.
Even in special protected areas, which are completely forbidden to the average person, 56 passion sites have been found.
Husp pointed out that the above actions not only caused serious damage to plants, but also found that the Gran Canaria giant lizard, which is a local symbol, died due to the wrong consumption of condoms.
He stressed that the researchers are not asking people not to be passionate about the outdoors, but to remind people of the harm these actions can cause, because hundreds of people are unrestrained in the same area every day, and the harm to the ecology of the wild can be "no less than driving a cross-country car."
Tourists having sex in the dunes is ruining a Spanish beach
# Spain # Gran Canaria # Ecological Conservation # Wild # Passion

Environmental consequences include excessive development, habitat degradation, crowding on iconic sites, and resource stress such as pollution and freshwater shortages. [1].

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Japan 's Mount Fuji Exposed in 2024 "9 Top Places to Avoid Visiting"
Mount Fuji, Japan. (Photo, Euronews)
2023 / 12 / 10 15: 45
Li Xinjie / Editor-in-Chief
[Real-Time News / Comprehensive Report] As 2024 approaches, many people are already excited to prepare for various plans to travel abroad.
However, the well-known American travel magazine Fodor ’ s Travel (Fodor ’ s Travel) announced next year ’ s “9 Best Places to Visit in the World ”, calling on tourists to carefully consider avoiding these famous but much-needed hot spots, and mentioning that these areas are affected by environmental pollution and tourism hazards.
Among them, Mount Fuji in Japan, which Taiwanese love, is also on the list.
According to a comprehensive foreign media report, among the nine “No List ” listed by Fodor Travel on its official website in 2024, four of them are in Asia and the rest are in Europe and the United States.
According to the official website, the original intention of the evaluation is not to deliberately suppress partial generalization, but to "respect" as the starting point of the declaration, this time to open the list of avoid visits, but also focus on tourists to nine tourist attractions and dependent local communities, resulting in "excessive tourism", "excessive waste generation", "affect water resources" these three major impacts.
At the same time, Fodor Tourism also pointed out that these nine tourist hotspots are deeply affected by the "Instagram effect", because the beauty of these places is circulating around the world, causing tourism.
Finally, Fodor Tourism also calls on tourists around the world to let go of these areas when planning their 2024 travel plans, but also to be careful to protect the local environment and culture, and to respect the people and places everywhere.
Mount Fuji, Japan
The number of climbers at the site has skyrocketed in recent years, but local authorities and people have pointed out that many do not fully understand the risks involved in climbing Mount Fuji, resulting in overcrowding at the top of the sacred mountain and putting themselves at risk.
In addition, many climbers are unwilling to pay 1,000 yen (about NT $200) for safety and environmental maintenance, and even leave a lot of garbage and urine filled bottles, which can only be cleaned by volunteers, causing headaches.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
The local waters attract a large number of international tourists to vacation, including snorkeling, water sports and fishing activities, which also lead to the local garbage load, the waters are full of garbage and diesel, and the local government ’ s poor implementation of pollution policies, it is very easy to be avoided by operators, so that the natural ecology of the area is facing unbearable pollution.
Koh Samui, Thailand
The island has been plagued by fresh water shortages for nearly a year, and the influx of tourists has consumed up to 70% of the region ’ s precious water resources, seriously exacerbating the island ’ s freshwater shortage.
Ganges, India
The river, regarded as the source of life for the people of India, has faced problems such as reduced flow, garbage pollution, and endangered freshwater dolphins in recent years, which have been exacerbated by the emerging luxury cruise industry.
Athens, Greece
The lack of a tourism hazard management plan by the local government does not mean that the world heritage is in danger of being destroyed, but also that the traditional way of life of the local people is being destroyed by a large number of tourists.
The Acropolis has already implemented a daily visitor limit, which has been reduced from 23,000 to 20,000 per day, and the Parthenon Temple to 17,000.
Italy (Venice)
Venice has long been affected by subsidence, flooding, and the damage caused by the increasing number of tourists, adding to the stress of this ancient and fragile city, and adversely affecting the local environment and residents.
Although the local government has taken several specific measures to try to reduce tourists, including charging a tourist tax of 5 euros (about NT $171) for all visitors over 14 years old who come to the city for a “day trip ” between the end of April and mid-July next year, it is still considered unlikely to improve the problem.
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California
This “natural oasis ” in Los Angeles County, due to the number of tourists and lack of environmental awareness, not only is the monument graffiti by tourists, but even littering everywhere, causing the local environment to suffer a lot of damage.
Lake Superior (United States – Canada border)
Lake Superior, on the border between the United States and Canada, is the largest freshwater lake on the planet, and its ecology is now exposed to a variety of hazards due to human visits, including species invasion, rapid algal blooms, and fish consumption warnings.
Chile's Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert, on the Pacific coast, is a spectacular natural beauty of deserts, geysers, lagoons, salt mines, cliffs and peaks, but the local environment is polluted by "fast fashion" and unfortunately becomes a landfill.
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Mount Fuji, Ha Long Bay, and Koh Samui exemplify overcrowding and environmental deterioration tied to tourism activities.

Tourism contributes about 8% of the world’s carbon footprint, and pauses in travel have shown rapid environmental responses, including lower emissions and increased wildlife activity such as leatherback turtle nesting. [23].

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The Guardian: Tourism contributes significantly to the climate crisis
It is a terrible paradox of the climate crisis that some of the most beautiful – and popular – places in the world are also the most vulnerable, especially as most of them have poor infrastructure, which means that with rising temperatures, increasing weather extremes, drying up water sources and the death of natural habitats, these places face another devastating loss, especially tourists.
Tourism contributes significantly to the climate crisis – around 8% of global emissions – and hordes of visitors cause many problems, including excessive development and degradation of natural areas.
The revenue generated by tourists can bring enormous economic benefits to these destinations, and many do not own other forms of industry or otherwise rely on extractive industries such as mining or logging.
She added that tourism can also spread awareness of environmental problems, such as bleaching coral reefs or endangered animal species, and provide funding for conservation efforts.
This complex relationship was highlighted during the coronavirus outbreak, when tourism stopped, carbon emissions dropped, wildlife flourished, and leatherback turtles in Thailand laid the largest number of eggs in two decades, but all this has come at a cost, with the global tourism industry taking a heavy toll, triggering an emergency in developing countries, families struggling to find food, illegal logging in some places has increased, and overfishing has increased.
As the rebuilding of tourism begins, it has become impossible to ignore that the future of the industry is inextricably linked to the climate crisis.
Instead of becoming a major cause of the climate crisis, tourism can be used to raise awareness, increase tourism resources and improve infrastructure.

In Europe, tourism adds to air pollution and heavy water consumption, while in the Canary Islands insufficient environmental protections and untreated wastewater compound ecological risks. [6].

Title:

Content: Today, on April 20, 2024, the Canary Islands are witnessing a widespread protest aimed at challenging the current development model heavily reliant on tourism. This significant event is set to occur simultaneously across all eight islands of the archipelago, as well as in various cities internationally including Málaga, Granada, Madrid, Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin. The protests are unified under the slogan “The Canary Islands have a limit.”

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The protest aims to reshape the development strategy on the islands, highlighting concerns about the tourism sector’s role in economic disparity and resource consumption. Despite tourism supporting approximately 40% of employment and being a primary contributor to the GDP, it’s also associated with creating inequalities and not distributing wealth effectively among the local population. This is exemplified by the Canary Islands recording their highest tourist numbers alongside their highest poverty rates in both 2017 and 2023.

Organizers clarify that the intent is not to expel tourists or eliminate the industry but to implement limits and conditions, and address governance that prioritizes economic gains over broader interests. Key issues fueling the protests include:

  1. Low Wages and High Poverty Rates: The Canary Islands have some of Spain’s lowest salaries and a significant poverty rate, affecting over 33% of the population. The islands have experienced rapid population growth, particularly in Tenerife and Fuerteventura, exacerbating these issues.
  2. Environmental and Infrastructure Concerns: Despite having numerous protected spaces, the islands face challenges such as insufficient protection agents and underdeveloped infrastructure in health, education, and sanitation. Notably, several islands struggle with untreated wastewater being discharged into the sea.
  3. Housing and Over-Tourism: The spread of holiday homes has dispersed tourists across the islands, impacting local communities by driving up rental prices and displacing residents. This issue is compounded by the government’s initiatives to attract digital nomads, further straining the housing market.
  4. Legal and Regulatory Challenges: Recent government stances on controversial tourism projects, like those on La Tejita beach and Cuna del Alma in Tenerife, have sparked outrage for perceived favoritism towards developers despite legal infractions.

The protest is seen as a venting mechanism for accumulated frustrations with the aim to initiate significant changes in how the islands develop and manage tourism. Proposals include imposing a tourist tax to fund environmental conservation, enacting a moratorium on new tourist accommodations, and establishing residence laws to curb speculative real estate purchases by non-residents.

This protest is part of a broader call to reconsider the islands’ economic models, prioritizing sustainability and equitable growth over mere economic output. This event might mark the beginning of a significant shift in policy and public discourse around tourism and development in the Canary Islands.

The Canary Islands are on track to set a new historical record for tourist arrivals in 2024, continuing a trend of increasing numbers which began in earnest following the pandemic. With official estimates indicating a potential total of around 17 million visitors for the year, this surpasses the previous high of 16.2 million in 2023. These figures are bolstered by a significant recovery in tourism since the slowdown during the COVID-19 years of 2020 and 2021.

This surge in tourism is seen as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it signifies a robust recovery and a boon for the local economy, driven by both foreign and domestic visitors. On the other, it underscores the challenges and pressures faced by the islands, particularly in terms of infrastructure, local community impact, and environmental sustainability. This has led to today’s widespread protests across the Canary Islands under the campaign “Canarias tiene un límite” (The Canary Islands have a limit), highlighting concerns over the sustainability of this growth model.

The protests reflect broader anxieties about the direction of tourism development, which, despite its economic benefits, is perceived to exacerbate local issues such as high poverty rates, environmental degradation, and the displacement of local communities due to rising housing costs. These concerns are amplified by predictions that the influx of tourists may continue to grow, particularly with the diversion of tourists from Eastern Mediterranean destinations affected by geopolitical tensions, such as the conflict in Gaza.

In response to these pressures, there is a growing call for more responsible tourism practices. Organizations like Exceltur advocate for strategies that alleviate the saturation of local spaces and services, promote more sustainable transportation options, and address the social impacts of tourism. This includes managing the explosive growth of vacation rentals, which have significant negative externalities on local residents.

The protests and the ongoing discourse represent a critical juncture for the Canary Islands, as the community seeks to balance the economic advantages of tourism with the need for sustainable development and equitable growth. The outcome of these discussions and the ability of the islands to adapt to these challenges will likely shape the future of tourism and community life in the archipelago.

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The economics of overtourism are double‑edged, with substantial benefits but escalating costs and vulnerabilities. [4].

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“Let the tourists go home! ” – Over-sightseeing is overwhelming the residents of Europe ’ s popular cities
Lisa Stüve
14 July 2024
Many of Europe ’ s holiday destinations are expected to see record numbers of visitors this summer.
However, local residents were deeply troubled by the development of mass tourism and took to the streets to protest.
Is there a solution?
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In many of Europe's most popular tourist cities, residents began to protest against the influx of tourists.
Venice is one of them, the local residents are plagued by tourism, the city's housing prices are rising, and the number of available housing is decreasing.
Venice ’ s Old Town also has a resident population of less than 49,000, compared to an estimated 20 million tourists visiting Venice each year.
Europe has the most visitors from all over the world, and Venice isn ’ t the only city to suffer from a surge in visitors.
In Barcelona and other tourist cities in Spain, there are increasing reports of local residents protesting against tourists.
In Lisbon, Prague and Amsterdam, large-scale tourism has led to growing tensions between tourists and locals.
Residents everywhere protested for the same reasons: rising rents, soaring property prices, and problems with access to resources.
Tourism is one of the economic sources
The EU estimates that tourism accounts for about 10 per cent of the economy's total output.
About 12.3 million people are employed in the industry.
“But these are just abstract numbers, ” says Sebastian Zenker, a tourism researcher at Copenhagen Business School.
He pointed out that if rents rise at the same time, property prices exceed residents' affordability, and restaurants are affordable only to tourists, then the income from tourism will not bring real benefits to local residents.
For locals, tourism development must provide them with the balance they feel – that is, liveability is not unduly negatively affected while benefiting from tourism.
Although a large number of people are employed in the tourism industry, "only a few have a good income or can make a living from it," Zeng said in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
He said low wages were a problem.
In Italy, where there is no legal minimum wage, the minimum hourly wage is 4.85 euros in Portugal and 6.87 euros in Spain.
Big tourist tax
Where did all the money go?
Paul Peeters, who studies sustainable tourism and transportation at the University of Breda in the Netherlands, says the money is mostly going to the airline industry, large hotel chains, international companies and cruise lines.
When calculating the flow of tourism, the choice of travel mode is crucial. Cruise tourists eat and drink on board, and passengers who order through large travel agencies usually sell their tickets, hotels, and meals in packages, which tend to spend less locally.
But at the same time, the arrival of tourists brings with it air pollution and water consumption – all at the expense of local residents.
This sense of imbalance has further exacerbated tensions between locals and tourists.
All stakeholders in the tourism industry understand that they need tourists, and the question is how to develop tourism and what kind of tourism to develop.
Copenhagen tourism researcher Zeng Ke said.
Restrictive marketing, rules and bans
The first policies are in place.
For example, new hotels are no longer allowed in Amsterdam.
In addition, the city is trying to control drug and party-themed tourism through targeted restrictive marketing measures.
“De-marketing ” refers to advertising strategies designed to reduce the demand for a product from a specific target group – for example, the city of Amsterdam.
In Lisbon and Palma de Mallorca, the housing market has long been disconnected from the needs of residents and economic realities.
Response: No new rental licenses will be issued to online short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb.
Mallorca has set a time limit for tourist rental housing.
Barcelona has taken a more radical step: the city ’ s 10,000 vacation apartment permits for tourists are set to expire in 2028.
The move aims to reduce pressure on the housing market.
Rents in Barcelona have risen by more than 60% in the past decade.
In addition, there will be further restrictions on the scope of cruise activities or additional charges.
From 2021, Venice will no longer allow large cruise ships to sail into its waters in its historic center.
Amsterdam plans to adopt a similar measure in 2026.
This will not only reduce the number of tourists, but also reduce air pollution.
Are tourists bad too?
Similar to Amsterdam, Mallorca wants to shake off the image of a party city.
They hope to reduce the overall number of tourists, and will be more willing to accept those who can afford to spend.
This is known in industry jargon as “high quality tourism ”.
But is this the solution to the problem?
“It ’ s not, ” says Macià Blázquez-Salom, a geography professor and activist.
He is also a resident of Mallorca.
He believes that excessive emphasis on “luxury tourism ” will only exacerbate inequality.
“‘ Party tours ’ and ‘ beach tours ’ are often limited to specific areas and operate on a scale and standardised basis similar to factory production lines, ” Blasker-Salon told Deutsche Welle.
Its immediate impact is often limited to a small part of the city.
In contrast, tourists with high spending power typically have higher demand, consume more water, tend to travel more excursions, and generally have the financial means to purchase property.
“This will further promote gentrification (Gentrifizierung) and with it the possibility of real estate speculation, ” explains Blaske Salon.
"This type of visitor will have a direct impact on the lives of all the residents," the statement said.
Making tourism sustainable
The tourism industry is still largely driven by pure data growth and is delighted with the growing number of visitors each year.
But for residents of places like Barcelona, Venice and Mallorca, further growth is no longer an acceptable option.
Is there a solution?
Peters says keeping visitor numbers within the limits of what cities and communities can afford or as a way to do it.
He said that ecological and social factors should be taken into account when formulating tourism development strategies and management measures.
For tourism to be sustainable, agreements must be reached with airlines, ports and airport operators, which are often driven by overcapacity – that is, by expanding growth.
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Any misconduct will lead to recovery and criminal prosecution.

Tourism accounts for 10% of Europe’s economy and 12.3 million jobs, while Spain’s tourism constitutes 12.8% of GDP and 12.6% of employment. [6].

Regional dependencies are stark: the Balearic Islands derive 45% of GDP and 200,000 jobs from tourism, and the Canary Islands rely on tourism for roughly 40% of employment. [13].

Yet overtourism inflates local prices, homogenizes retail landscapes, raises rents, and can damage the area’s long‑term economic base and resource security, as seen with water constraints in Catalonia. [4].

Title:

Content: Global Economic News
Increasing pressure on the Spanish tourism industry.
Uncontrolled growth in the face of more visitors
There is no longer the possibility of washing up on Spain ’ s little-known beach of Lloret de Mar — like other popular tourist resorts — on ways to conserve dwindling water resources as the country struggles with drought.
While Spain is one of the European countries most affected by the climate crisis, its main tourism sector is under increasing pressure with uncontrolled growth in the face of increased visitors, efforts to reduce its environmental impact and move towards more sustainable practices.
Danish tourist Jonas Johansson, 28, while wandering in the scorching sun along the famous northeastern resort's promenade, said: "It's a shame.
“Taking a shower is good. ”
Spain has seen very low rainfall over the past year, leaving the reservoirs of Catalonia, where the resort town of Lloret, only 29 percent full.
Since March, large parts of this northeastern region of 7.7 million people, including its capital, Barcelona, have limited the use of water for agriculture and industry to ensure the continued supply of homes.
But these measures have not won the support of everyone in a country where tourism accounts for 12 per cent of economic output and provides 2.5 million jobs.
Sarah Loledi, 55, a receptionist at a coastal hotel in Lloret, said: “Water use can be reduced in many ways, without depriving the tourism sector of the possibility of bathing. ”
"We all live on tourism revenues."
Spain is the world ’ s second most visited country after France, receiving 71.6 million visitors from around the world last year, most of them attracted by its sunny beaches.
David Sorem, a geography expert at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, said: “We can ’ t afford uncontrolled sector growth with more and more people coming and fewer resources. ”
Sorem said a tourist in a four-star or five-star hotel could consume more than twice as much as an average citizen.
Catalonia ’ s regional government wants to ensure both tourists and locals consume the same amount of water by 2040.
Jordi Palaudelmas of the local SOS Yurit group, which has been campaigning for years for a more sustainable tourism model, said: “Water resources are limited, and if we dedicate ourselves to tourism, it means we need to rethink what resources we can or cannot give to tourists. ”
The Samba Hotel underwent a rehabilitation process in 1997 to allow it to recycle wastewater, which has so far saved 215 million liters of water, he said.
In this 434-room hotel, bathroom water is sent to a basement where it is filtered and treated, allowing it to be reused.
This system is increasingly widespread, but the sector still has a long way to go.
Laura Perez, the hotel ’ s environmental affairs officer, said: “We should have done this a long time ago. ”
A few kilometers away, sprinklers water a vast municipal garden overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Posters show visitors that sprinklers use recycled water, the only type of water that can be used without restrictions this summer.
Like other municipalities, Yurit has for years used recyclable wastewater to irrigate gardens and clean streets.
The drought has increased the use of recycled water by 25 per cent, although the network it provides is still very limited.
Carlos Gil, who is in charge of the parks and gardens of Lurit, said: "In coastal areas, we can save a lot of recycled water instead of going directly to the sea, by finding new uses for it."
In turn, the water park has reduced water use by 32 per cent since 2019 by changing irrigation systems and turning to plants that need less water.
The director of the complex, Julio Lopez, expressed optimism about the future, but stressed that there was still work to be done.
“Spain needs to rethink its situation and use more recycled water, ” he said.
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Global hotspots illustrate the scale and visibility of overtourism. [6][3][12].

Title:

Content: Venice Set To Prohibit Large Tourist Groups, Loudspeakers

Overtourism is acknowledged as a pressing concern for Venice, one of Europe's most visited destinations. In September, the city implemented a trial for a fine of approximately 5 Euros (Rs 460) for daily visitors.

Concerns about tourist overload are prompting more Venice residents to consider relocating.

Venice is set to prohibit the use of loudspeakers and limit tourist groups to a maximum of 25 people to mitigate the impact of mass tourism on the Italian city. These new regulations, scheduled to take effect in June, aim to address issues of confusion and disturbances caused by loudspeakers, as reported by the BBC, quoting a statement from the city.

Overtourism is acknowledged as a pressing concern for Venice, one of Europe's most visited destinations. In September, the city implemented a trial for a fine of approximately 5 Euros (Rs 460) for daily visitors.

The recent measures aim to improve the management of organised groups in the historical centre, as quoted by Elisabetta Pesce, the official with responsibility for the city's security.

Despite its modest size of 7.6 sq km (2.7 sq miles), Venice welcomed nearly 13 million tourists in 2019, according to the Italian National Statistics Institute.

Concerns about tourist overload are prompting more Venice residents to consider relocating. Citizen associations are conducting studies to monitor bed availability for both tourists and locals.

In July, UNESCO experts proposed adding Venice to the list of endangered world heritage sites due to climate change and mass tourism. Although Venice was not included on the list, Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano highlighted recognition for efforts to address issues, such as implementing an anti-flooding system and approving an entry fee for tourists, as reported by the BBC.

In 2021, large cruise ships were barred from entering Venice's historic centre following pollution concerns and potential damage to the city's foundations after a ship collision in the Giudecca canal.

.

Venice receives roughly 20 million tourists annually versus about 49,000 residents, and Barcelona logged around 12 million tourists last year, intensifying local strain. [6].

Tenerife welcomes 6.5 million tourists annually, producing traffic jams, parking shortages, and water supply concerns that have fueled calls for limits to enable sustainable tourism.

Title:

Content: Advertisement

Tourism For Members

'The island can't take it anymore': Why Tenerife is rejecting mass tourism

Alex Dunham - [email protected]

Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands exemplifies the damage mass tourism can cause whilst still creating jobs and driving the economy, from overpopulation to overexploitation. This is why thousands took to the streets on Saturday to denounce the real culprits.

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Upon casting his eyes on the Orotava Valley, Alexander von Humboldt wrote: “I have tears in my eyes. I wish I could live here”.

The year was 1799 and the German naturalist known as the “father of modern geography” was one of the first of many million foreigners to fall for the natural charms of Tenerife, the biggest of the Canary Islands.

Conquered by the Kingdom of Castille over the course of the 15th century, Tenerife and the other seven Canary Islands have always had largely single-industry economies: first it was cochineal dye, then sugar cane, followed by bananas and since the 1960s mass tourism.

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Their all-year-round balmy weather ensured their success among sun-starved northern Europeans, and as Spanish dictator Francisco Franco’s policy of fixing prices low meant more and more tourists came, Tenerife’s rampant development continued, and never really stopped.

Currently 35 percent of the Canary Islands’ GDP comes from tourism and roughly 40 percent of jobs are linked to hospitality.

Tenerife receives the bulk of holidaymakers, 6.5 million of the 14 million that visited the eight-island archipelago in 2023. Therefore it compounds the problems of the Canaries better than any of the other seven isles.

Tourist numbers have been putting increasing pressure on a 2,000-square-kilometre island that already houses just short of a million people. At current rates, the island is gaining 1,200 residents every month, most of them foreign nationals.

There’s an increasing sense among tinerfeños (locals of Tenerife) that the island has reached breaking point and that the Canary political establishment only cares about catering to tourists, even though the profits aren’t staying on the island and locals are being relegated to second-class citizenship.

As half of Tenerife’s territory is protected non-urban land, the population density - when you include tourists and residents - is now higher than Japan’s at almost 1,000 people per square kilometre.

Referred to in the Canary press as the “demographic challenge”, there are fears of another total blackout due to an increasingly strained electrical grid.

Despite the overdevelopment of Tenerife, there are still places of immense natural beauty, such as Spain's highest peak Mount Teide. Photo: Bert Christiaens/Pexels

Abnormally hot and dry weather has also forced the Tenerife government to declare a drought emergency as a means of guaranteeing the water supply of locals and holidaymakers when the summer arrives. Such conditions caused Tenerife’s worst wildfire in 40 years last year

Traffic jams and a lack of parking spots are a daily pain for thousands, as there are almost as many cars as there are people on Tenerife - 818.9 vehicles for every 1,000 inhabitants.

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Tenerife is running out of space and poorly planned development during previous decades, which has already ruined once pristine coastal locations, is worsening the current lack of housing crisis.

Property prices and rents increased in the Canary Islands more than in any other Spanish region in 2023, even though Canary salaries are the second lowest in the country.

The proliferation of Airbnb-style holiday lets, up 25 percent across the Canaries in 2023 alone, has reduced the amount of properties to rent for locals and kept prices high, with higher-earning foreign digital nomads often the only ones capable of affording them.

A protester holds a banner which reads "If we live off tourism, why are we poor?" during April 20th mass protest in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Photo: Alex Dunham

It’s within this multifaceted context of discontent that tens of thousands of canarios took the streets of their capital cities on Saturday April 20th, as did other protesters in cities such as London, Amsterdam and Berlin, all under the slogan “The Canaries have a limit”.

The biggest number gathered in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, around 60,000, with placards reflecting mixed opinions over who is to blame.

 A few did regurgitate the “tourists go home” message that has made international headlines for the apparent ‘tourismphobia’ that’s raging in other parts of Spain.

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Nevertheless, for the most part protesters made sure to clarify that they are not blaming tourists for the islands’ “collapse” or “oversaturation” but rather the mass tourism model that the government has allowed to grow uncontrollably.

As one banner read, “it’s not the guiri’s fault, it’s the fault of the corrupt politician”.

“Yes to tourism, but not like this”, “if we live off tourism why are we poor?”, “My grandparents’ home won’t be an Airbnb”, “dying of success is a failure” and “no more cement” were some of the countless other messages locals wanted to get across to the eyes of the world.

“We’re not saying that there shouldn't be tourism, but that there be limits to tourism,” said Felipe Ravina, a filmmaker whose documentary Salvar Tenerife (Save Tenerife) has illustrated what overexploitation has caused, from gallons of faecal matter spewing into sea every day to the destruction of Tenerife’s biodiversity.

Ravina was one of the driving forces of the 20A protests together with the group Salvar La Tejita - whose members went on hunger strike over the construction of a hotel in one of the last remaining unspoilt beaches in the south of Tenerife.

“What we’re calling for with the tourism moratorium is not one single hotel bed more,” Ravina told RTVE broadcaster.

“The island can’t take it anymore. We’re a place with limited space and limited resources.

“This protest isn’t against tourism but against the political classes that haven’t done anything over the past decades to solve the problem of Tenerife’s collapse and now we’re worse off than ever.”

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See Also

Niseko in Japan faces transport congestion from surging foreign skiers, prompting national pilots to curb overtourism and improve etiquette.

Title:

Content: Japan selects 20 regions as models to tackle overtourism
TOURISM & TRAVEL
TOKYO — Japan ’ s tourism agency on Tuesday selected 20 regions to implement pilot projects aimed at tackling challenges related to overtourism, or increasing tourist numbers that negatively affect the lives of local residents and the natural environment.
In the 20 districts, local government officials and residents will draw up plans for fiscal year 2024, which begins on Monday, to ease traffic congestion and raise awareness about tourism etiquette.
These areas include Niseko in the far north of Hokkaido Prefecture, Asakusa in Tokyo and Irimoti Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Okinawa Prefecture in the far south of the country.
In Niseko, which attracts many skiers from abroad, a plan is being considered to allow taxis from outside the region to operate to address the lack of transport.
Asakusa is expected to take steps to disperse crowds of travelers at popular tourist spots.
On the island of Iriomotti, areas with restricted access will be established to protect the natural environment.
(Original text in English, Gigi Press)
Tourism Kyoto Jiji Press Foreigners

Governments and cities are deploying management tools to rebalance visitor pressure and protect residents. [4][3].

Barcelona plans to end tourist apartment rentals by 2029 to improve residents’ access to housing, while Amsterdam has banned new hotels to cap accommodation growth. [3].

Venice has introduced a day‑visitor fee and limits on tour groups, and other cities are experimenting with reservation systems and admission fees to regulate peaks. [19].

Tourism taxes are increasingly common across Europe and Asia, with revenues earmarked for ecological projects and infrastructure; Venice applies a 5‑euro tax on peak days. [31].

Regulating short‑term rentals is a prominent response to housing displacement and crowding. [41][44].

Title:

Content: Countries around the world are taking action against Airbnb.
A popular platform that allows people to rent out their homes or vacant rooms to tourists has been accused of inflating housing prices, displacing locals, draining resources and contributing to excess tourism.
In many countries around the world, cities have begun to impose restrictions on short-term rentals to counter this.
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In many countries around the world, cities have begun to impose restrictions on short-term rentals to counter this.
Last week, Florence, Italy, announced a ban on new ads for Airbnb and other types of short-term rental housing in the historic center of the city.
But Italy is not the only place seeking to limit short-term rentals.
Here are all the places where there are prohibitions or restrictions on short-term rental housing.
France: Paris limits number of days to rent
Parisians wishing to rent out their main housing on a platform like Airbnb will have to register with the local mayor ’ s office.
They will be able to rent out their main housing for no more than 120 days a year.
If we are talking about a second home or renting for a period of more than 120 days, then the owners of the apartment will have to officially convert it into a furnished tourist accommodation.
The city even has a special unit that is engaged in tracking down illegal rentals and fining violators.
Germany: Berlin imposes strict rules
Berlin has already imposed a ban on Airbnb.
Now it is canceled, but strict rules - with large fines - remain.
Owners renting their property on Airbnb must have a short-term lease permit for the entire property.
Second home can be rented for no more than 90 days a year.
In Munich, short-term rental of whole houses is limited to eight weeks per year, after which a permit is required.
In Stuttgart, owners who rent out more than half of their property for short periods can do so without special permission for no more than 10 weeks per year.
Italy: Nationwide restrictions possible
Rome, which has already imposed restrictions on short-term rental housing, has recently been joined by Florence.
Perhaps, soon two more Italian cities will join this company: Milan and Venice.
In addition, the Ministry of Tourism of Italy has developed a law banning short-term rental housing throughout the country.
It aims to help popular tourist destinations, many of which are facing a housing crisis and excess tourism.
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The requirement of a minimum stay of two days and the maintenance of a national register of short-term rental objects instead of the currently existing separate registers are some of the main measures included in the decree.
Netherlands: Amsterdam limits stay on Airbnb
In Amsterdam, owners can rent out their property for no more than 30 nights a year.
Anything beyond that requires the permission of the local administration.
Portugal: Platform Licenses No Longer Issued
In order to combat rising rental prices, Portugal has stopped issuing new licenses for Airbnb and other similar platforms (except in rural areas).
All holiday rental licenses will now be reviewed every five years.
A new rental price control system is also being introduced.
Airbnb owners are also offered tax breaks if they convert their property into regular homes.
Spain: In Barcelona there is a restriction on rent
In 2021, Barcelona became the first European city to ban short-term rentals in homes and apartments.
Owners are not allowed to rent a room for less than 31 days.
A special team checks illegal ads and removes them.
The rental of entire houses or apartments is still allowed with a license.
In the capital of Mallorca - Palma - it is forbidden to rent out housing to tourists in apartment buildings.
Airbnb owners can only rent single-family homes, which should be isolated houses or villas.
Valencia is currently fighting in court for a ban on short-term rental housing in the historic center of the city.
UK: London imposed a restriction on rent
In London, Airbnb owners are only allowed to rent out their property for 90 nights or less per year without applying for a change in use.
Restrictions were introduced to ensure that short-term rentals were sustainable and minimally interfered with the city.
Owners of new listings in Scotland now need to obtain a license to use the property for short-term rentals before taking any orders.
In Edinburgh, planning permission is required to rent a second home on Airbnb.
The city ’ s 10-year development plan, announced in December, could allow the council to forgo short-term leases altogether in the future.
In Northern Ireland, anyone who is engaged in accommodation on a paid basis – including with Airbnb – must obtain a certificate from the Travel Agency of Northern Ireland.
Where is Airbnb banned or restricted in the US and Canada?
A growing number of cities and states in the United States are tightening rules on Airbnb.
For example, in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu, where the famous Waikiki beach is located, rental for less than 90 days was banned.
The island ’ s counties are also allowed to introduce their own rules for phasing out short-term leases later this year.
Memphis, Tennessee, is known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley and the place where Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated, and is a popular tourist destination.
Starting in July 2023, new owners of Airbnb in this city will have to obtain a license.
This implies the registration of insurance in the amount of at least $1 million (930,000 euros) and the presence within a radius of 80 km of duty to respond to any violations of city regulations, for example, noise levels.
In early June, New York made headlines when Airbnb sued the city over a "de facto ban" on short-term rentals.
The law, which is due to come into force in July, establishes strict rules for registration, zoning and maintenance of housing for owners who will have to provide proof that they live with their guests on the territory of the leased property.
In Palm Springs, California, the number of days you can rent a property for short-term rent is limited to 26 days.
At the same time, only 20% of the total number of houses and apartments in residential areas are available for rent.
Another city in California, San Francisco, has a 90-day rental limit and a host of other rules for Airbnb owners.
In Canada, the ban and restrictions on short-term rentals are in force in several cities.
In Montreal, short-term rental is completely prohibited in order to provide enough housing for residents of the city.
In Vancouver, there is also a limit of 30 nights of stay, with housing being the main residence of the owner.
And in Toronto, Airbnb hosts can receive guests only 180 days a year.
What about Asia and Australia?
Penang Island in Malaysia - a popular tourist destination in the northwest of the country - imposed a ban on short-term rental housing in May 2023 to limit the antisocial behavior of tourists.
Some types of commercial real estate, such as serviced apartments, can still receive guests for up to three days.
However, they must be registered with the local authorities, pay an annual fee and get the approval of at least three quarters of the people living in their home.
Although Airbnb is legal in Tokyo, Japan, regulations introduced in 2018 have led to a sharp drop in the number of ads in the city.
Short-term rentals are limited to 180 days per year and must be carried out either by the owner residing in the house or by a special person in charge of administration.
Hosts are also required to collect guest data for government reporting.
In some areas, rent is only allowed at certain times of the year.
Airbnb isn ’ t technically banned in Singapore either, but the restrictions mean it can ’ t be used for most holidays.
The country sets a minimum rental period of three months (or six months for public housing).
In Sydney, Australia, Airbnb owners are allowed to rent out their property only 180 days a year.
Bookings over 21 consecutive days are not subject to this restriction.
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In Victoria and New South Wales, levies and annual caps cut Airbnb listings in Melbourne and Sydney significantly over five years, though average daily rates rose.

Title:

Content: Time to slay the sacred cows pushing house prices through the roof

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Opinion

Time to slay the sacred cows pushing house prices through the roof

When Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews this week put a levy on Airbnb properties to encourage more of those properties to become long-term rentals, the fury was palpable.

Leanne Taylor, who has three investment properties rented out on Airbnb, told The Australian Financial Review that it was going to be tough for her. After all, she explained, she was a single mum and was grappling with rising energy and grocery bills and mortgage interest rates.

Taylor said the 7.5 per cent levy on short-term rental accommodation such as Airbnb means her income stream would take even more of a hit. “I’m not rich. If I was rich, I wouldn’t have to rent my properties out,” she explained.

Others might argue if you have three investment properties you’re doing better than most. And it’s likely that the cost of the 7.5 per cent levy will be passed on to Airbnb’s Melbourne customers, one way or another.

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In the five years to 2023, the number of Airbnb listings in Melbourne fell from 24,094 to 20,078, according to AirDNA, a data firm not affiliated with Airbnb.

This decline might have supported Taylor’s case about the unfairness of the levy, if it weren’t for the occupancy figures of such rentals, in both Melbourne and Sydney, which is why they have been in the state governments crosshairs.

It’s no surprise that the highest occupancy rates of Melbourne Airbnb’s listings occur in summer. Last January, the occupancy rate of Melbourne’s Airbnb rentals hit 67 per cent. But for the rest of the year they hover between 50-60 per cent, ignoring the anomaly of the pandemic, which means for a big proportion of the year those properties sit empty.

AirDNA says the average daily amount charged by a Melbourne Airbnb host grew 25 per cent over the past five years to $258.96.

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For Sydney, the Airbnb story is slightly different. In the five years to 2023, the number of Airbnb listings fell dramatically from 30,936 to 12,305.

In 2018-19, the NSW government imposed laws that restrict short-stay rentals, whether booked through Airbnb, Expedia, Booking.com or other platforms, to a maximum of 180 days annually in Sydney.

The peak occupancy rate for Sydney Airbnb rentals over the past five years, was in February this year, hitting 73 per cent.

However, like Melbourne, the occupancy rates for the rest of the year typically hover between 50-60 per cent. This year, the occupancy rates have stayed above 60 per cent, which reflects the decline in properties available and the return of tourists since the pandemic.

In the past five years, the average daily amount charged by a Sydney Airbnb host grew 31 per cent to $296.11, which includes those hefty cleaning fees that irk most guests.

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A year or two ago, social media was full of stories of the outrageous requests some Airbnb hosts made of guests to clean properties, while still charging big cleaning fees. These included requests from stripping beds and putting the dirty linen and towels into the washing machine to vacuuming and mopping the floors.

Now, social media is full of stories of how Airbnb has contributed to the housing affordability crisis, and that they have created a whole new class of homeowner - the short-term rental speculator.

The groundswell of anger against companies such as Airbnb and Vrbo, from New York, London, Amsterdam, to Melbourne and Sydney, has only intensified as the housing shortage and affordability crisis worldwide has worsened. As a result, more and more cities around the world have regulated short-term holiday stays, with some of the harshest being changes made in New York this month.

But Airbnb and similar companies are an easy target, and not the main cause of the housing crisis. It’s been a failure of government policy decisions over the past two decades that have exacerbated the housing shortage, not just in Australia, but other nations as well.

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The Victorian government has taken steps towards addressing the housing crisis by announcing an ambitious target of 800,000 new homes over the next decade, including the promise of faster and more centralised planning decisions. In NSW, the government instead focused on infrastructure development as a way of spurring on more apartment and house development.

Meanwhile, the federal government touted a $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, an investment fund from which the returns will be spent on the development of social and affordable housing.

The sacred cows of negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts on investment properties remain untouched, as does the tightening on limits of foreign ownership of properties. If any of those were reformed they would make a difference to housing affordability.

For now, it’s softer targets such as the promise to accelerate housing development and Airbnb owners.

Many of us have enjoyed the benefits of good and bad Airbnbs, and wouldn’t want the service to disappear altogether. And yet, it’s hard to have sympathy for those complaining of a 7.5 per cent impost, when there are queues most weekends of people desperately trying to find long-term rentals across Australia.

Those lucky enough to secure such rentals are paying eye-watering amounts, and for some renters in the 20s or 30s, there is no option but to move back in with Mum and Dad.

Leanne Taylor at least has a few properties to house her kids when they’re grown up. That is, when she’s not renting them on Airbnb.

Anne Hyland is an award-winning writer and a senior correspondent.

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European measures include EU‑level rules to tighten governance of platforms and local caps such as 30‑day annual limits in the Netherlands, bans on new listings in parts of Florence, and strict registration regimes in Ireland. [41][45].

Title:

Content: Airbnb backlash will be bad news for Irish holidaymakers

Concerns about overtourism alongside a shortage of long-term accommodation and rising rents makes change inevitable

Hello again. Hopefully you are either enjoying a well earned holiday break or looking forward to one.

For many people, holiday travel is now as likely to mean staying in an apartment or house booked on one or other of the online platforms pitching such accommodation as opting for a hotel room.

Airbnb, the big kahuna in the market with a reported 50 per cent share, understandably makes big play of the advantages – a “more authentic experience”, “mixing with locals”, “feeling more at home”. And it’s true to a degree. Home stays certainly offer more flexibility than a hotel.

But the apartment your friendly host is letting to you is one less home available for a local family looking for longer-term accommodation in your holiday location. A report by the New York City comptroller back in 2018 found that landlords could expect to make the same money on the short-term letting market in 11 days as they would get for the month from a long-term tenant. And that, increasingly, is becoming an issue.

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It’s not entirely surprising. When they arrived on the scene, the short-term letting platforms such as Airbnb were disrupters of a global hotels sector that had done little over many years to address consumer experience or cost. Partly for that reason, growth in private short-term letting has been exponential.

And, of course, it offered homeowners a chance to boost their income in a fairly flexible manner around their normal routines.

But as with all these things, the original intention can get lost in the evolution of a business. While Airbnb started very much as a homeshare concept, with people offering rooms or beds in their homes to passing holidaymakers who were mostly on tight budgets, the arrival of more mainstream travellers and entire families on these sites inevitably saw demand more entire apartments and holiday homes increase.

The nature of the landlords changed as well. In a recent release, Airbnb placed the focus on hosts firmly as being “everyday families who typically share their primary home for just three nights a month”. The platform said its Irish hosts earned “more than €5,600 a year” on average.

“More than half of hosts in Ireland say they host to afford the rising cost of living, and over a third say the additional income helps them make ends meet as energy prices and mortgage repayments increase,” they said.

That may well be true but it is undeniable that short-term letting on Airbnb and other platforms has increasingly attracted professional and even corporate landlords. Anyone using the service of these platforms in recent years will have come across hosts that are anything put humble homeowners.

Overtourism protests

For local residents – in Dublin, around Ireland’s tourist hotspots and across Europe and North America – the inevitable outcome has been fewer homes available to them for longer-term rental or purchase, and higher rents, as growing numbers of visitors force out the very people providing the “local colour” the short-term letting platforms cherish.

That has led to a dramatic rise in the number of protests against overtourism. Accommodation is not only flashpoint. Cruise ships disgorging, on average, 3,000 people at a time on to already busy city streets and the sheer number of sometimes less than sensitive visitors to certain tourism hotspots are also proving magnets for protest.

Politicians are becoming increasingly sensitive to the issue – especially the message sent out by thousands of short-term holiday lets being available in cities that struggle to offer housing options to residents. Dublin, after all, is not the only city with a housing crisis.

Most recently, Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni has pledged to phase out all short-term tourist letting licences by late 2028 and return 10,000 apartments to the residential market.

That is the most extreme in a series of restrictions that have been put in place in cities as diverse as Paris, Berlin, Florence, Amsterdam, New York, San Francisco, Montreal, Honolulu, Singapore, Scotland and, of course, Ireland.

Strict rules in Ireland

Ireland already has fairly strict rules in place for anyone looking to offer a short-term let – stays of fewer than 14 days – in one of the State’s 61 rent pressure zones. These cover not just the big urban areas that you might suspect but also locations such as Mullingar and Westport.

Anyone renting out either their family home for short-term lets of more than 90 days in total in a year or in a second home regardless of the annual total of days requires planning permission.

For two years it has been promising even tougher measures. These will certainly include a requirement for everyone who is offering short-term accommodation to register the details with Fáilte Ireland and include their registration number in all online listings.

Failure to do so will lead to fines of €300 – and potential fines in court of up to €5,000 – for the property owners and the platforms.

Such registration is increasingly the norm internationally and almost all players in the industry, including Airbnb, which has lobbied heavily against tighter restrictions on its business, says they favour the process which increases transparency in the sector.

As a byproduct, of course, it ensures compliance with things like tax law in an area where, in some international markets, this has been rather lax. It should also improve health and safety standards although these are generally already fairly well observed as a business necessity.

The Irish legislation also promises tighter control on planning for short-term lets. No details of this have yet emerged, which seems odd and certainly unhelpful as it only fuels uncertainty for those trying to run short-term letting as a business.

The aim of the Government moves is the bring an estimated 12,000 of the 30,000 properties currently advertising on online platforms back into use on the long-term rental market.

But, as with so many of the locations feeling the heat over short-term letting, tourism remains a key sector in the Irish economy – and potentially even more critical in more rural and remote areas in the west of the State. Policymakers have a very delicate balance to strike in trying to ease a housing crisis without damaging a sector that is among the biggest employers in the State and a critical contributor to many local economies.

Airbnb points to rising hotels prices in New York where short-term guests are now allowed only where they share the accommodation with the property owner, and in Scotland where what it calls “heavy-handed new short-term let rules” resulting in a low number of licences being granted have seen hotel prices rise by 9 per cent in Edinburgh this year alone, according to one industry assessment.

Short-term letting has been a boon for the holidaymaker and for many property owners globally but the pressure on housing and concern about overtourism means the pendulum is undoubtedly swinging the other way. That will mean increasingly tighter controls on who can stay where, and what it will cost to do so.

No one ever wants to spend more or earn less than they can but what hosts and travellers really want is some clarity on what the rules will be so that they can at least plan ahead.

You can contact us at OnTheMoney@irishtimes.com with personal finance questions you would like to see us address. If you missed last week’s newsletter, you can read it here.

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US and Canadian localities have set booking limits and registration requirements to balance visitor demand with workforce and resident housing needs. [42][43].

Title:

Content: Midland looks into creating 4% hotel tax

·4 min read

A majority of Midland council members narrowly passed a motion to explore the potential for creating a hotel tax in town.

The Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) was on the agenda during a recent regular meeting of Midland council, through a staff report which recommended that a MAT working group be established to provide input on a draft bylaw for stakeholder consideration, with staff reporting back to council in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Municipalities were given authority by the province in 2017 to levy a hotel tax, provided the MAT revenues are shared with a not-for-profit tourism organization with a tourism mandate; the amount shared must be 50 percent of the tax less reasonable administration costs.

For Midland, that could mean quite an intake.

Estimates were calculated in the staff report for the roughly 407 hotel and motel rooms in the town; with annual occupancy and minimal daily rates on the MAT, approximately $120,000 could go to the eligible tourism entity while the other $120,000 would return to the town.

Concerns were raised by members of council to the tax, first brought forward by Coun. Bill Gordon who had been speaking with upset community members, who would be directly affected by the loosely calculated four percent MAT.

“The notion of adding a four percent tax, to me, is kind of offensive quite frankly. I know that some of the people in the hotel and hospitality industry are equally dismayed that we’re even talking about this right now; it seems tone deaf,” said Gordon, who suggested a MAT working group shouldn’t waste staff time.

It was a sentiment echoed by others, including Deputy Mayor Mike Ross and Coun. Jim Downer, who felt that adding a tax onto businesses recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t the right thing to do.

Staff offered a different opinion, as per their report. Andy Campbell, executive director of environment and infrastructure, explained that it was a tool provided by the province to help raise money, depending on whether a municipality chooses to use it or not.

“This tax is not for the residents of Midland, because they can all decline it if they were to stay locally in a hotel,” Campbell stated. “It is taxing the tourists that come to town, and (cultural development coordinator Karen Mealing) has written in this report the rates that are being charged locally, which are significant.”

In the report, 17 other municipalities were listed as having implemented a MAT, including Barrie, Orillia, Huntsville, Toronto, Kingston and Niagara Falls.

“We’re not talking $80 a night hotel rooms in town anymore; they’re in the hundreds of dollars,” Campbell noted. “And for a tourist to add $20 to their stay, or $10 or whatever it might be depending on the rate, would that really deter a tourist coming to town?”

Campbell added that the recent Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival was a $40,000 impact on the tax base in the Midland budget, and that a MAT tax could cover that cost.

Mayor Stewart Strathearn pointed out that while Gordon had been speaking with some who felt they might be negatively impacted by a MAT, other industry businesses were coming out of positive annual revenues; he raised his support to see a MAT working group explore all facets of the local hotel and motel industry providing their input. Several on council agreed.

Council voted to carry the staff recommendation. The MAT working group will have representatives including two from the municipality, three from local attractions, three from accommodations and one representative from the County of Simcoe.

The Municipal Accommodation Tax staff report, including calculated estimates and stakeholder considerations, is available in full in the council agenda on the Town of Midland website.

Council meetings are held every third Wednesday, and can be attended virtually through Zoom by contacting the clerk’s department of Midland town hall for a link to the meeting.

Council meetings can also be viewed on Rogers TV cable channel 53, or through the livestream on the Rogers TV website. Archives of council meetings are available through Rogers TV and on the Town of Midland’s YouTube channel.

Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, MidlandToday.ca

Behavioral and market solutions can diffuse pressure and enhance local benefits. [2][8].

Title:

Content: Liberty Square replaces retaliatory tourism with sustainable tourism
◎ YANG Wen-ting
Due to the impact of the epidemic, the domestic tourism and accommodation industry has been in a slump for a long time, and many operators are hoping for retaliatory tourism after the epidemic has eased.
However, retaliatory tourism is not a long-term solution, people flood the attractions, the quality of tourism is low, there are a lot of garbage, environmental overload, impact on the lives of local residents and other problems, more importantly, easy to become epidemic prevention.
The author believes that in order to rescue the tourism and accommodation industry in the post-epidemic era, the government should be ahead of schedule; in addition to relief subsidies, the government should also use the power of the public sector to lead the lead, connect with the private tourism industry to help the industry develop in a sustainable direction, so that the relevant departments can better grasp the flow of people under the epidemic.
The following directions may be useful:
1. Slow travel
The author believes that replacing a day trip with a multi-day trip can reduce the phenomenon of tourists crowding into a small number of hot spots at the same time.
Local governments can link up with hostel operators, tour guides, restaurants, and car charters to promote slow travel solutions. First, they can master where travelers are going and miss the influx of tourists; second, multi-day tours can bring more consumption to the local area.
In addition, weekday tours can be encouraged through discounts to prevent all tourists from rushing to the attractions at the same time during the holiday period.
II. Diversification
Many attractions in the country have become homogeneous in recent years, and many package promotions are point-and-click gameplay, lacking deeper interaction with the local area.
The author believes that for young people, such a traditional travel mode is more difficult to attract, and it is recommended that when companies launch travel plans, they think in the direction of diversified and in-depth travel.
Similar to Hualien, Lanyu and other areas of the business combined with local businesses, launched floating shallow, canoeing and other tourism packages, this approach is worth promoting, can be led by the local government, promote tourism, tourism, culture, service industry, and promote cultural tourism, and even different counties and cities can cooperate with each other to develop cross-county, (semi-island) tourism.
3. Individualization
Different types of travelers, different travel patterns and preferences.
For lovers of outdoor activities, activities such as river tracing, mountaineering, cycling, etc., the attraction is relatively high.
Family trips, such as handwork and painting, may be more popular.
Operators can consider combining local businesses to develop different types of tourism options for more different ethnic groups, such as couples, silver-haired people, business people, and environmental enthusiasts.
(The author is a graduate student at the Law School of Leiden University in the Netherlands)
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Choosing locally owned lodging, local produce restaurants, and local guides keeps money in community hands, while shoulder‑season travel and visits to lesser‑known sites spread impacts more evenly. [2].

Slow travel, multi‑day trips, and weekday tours reduce crowding and deepen local economic linkages.

UNESCO has encouraged quality‑over‑quantity strategies in places like Barcelona to curb negative impacts while sustaining cultural value.

Planning frameworks rooted in ecological limits are essential for destinations under stress. [55][62].

Title:

Content: 11 September, 07: 48
The Cabinet of Ministers will adopt by the end of the year eight acts on the development of tourism in reserves and national parks
Deputy Prime Minister Victoria Abramchenko recalled that on September 1, the basic law on the development of tourism in specially protected natural areas came into force
Moscow, September 11.
/ TASS /.
The government will adopt by the end of the year eight acts on the development of ecotourism in protected natural areas, including the requirements for construction.
This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister Victoria Abramchenko.
“For the construction of hotels, sanatoriums, visit centers, sports grounds, food facilities, lifts and cable cars, increased environmental requirements will be developed.
Prevents, for example, the storage of waste or the discharge of untreated effluents.
I will especially note that the regulatory regulation will not allow continuous logging during the construction of facilities, as well as to build residential buildings in unique natural complexes, "Abramchenko said at a Cabinet meeting.
According to her, on September 1, the basic law on the development of tourism in specially protected natural areas came into force.
In the development of the law, six acts of the government were adopted, in particular, the list of capital and non-capital objects allowed for placement on the territory of national parks.
Eight more acts will be adopted by the end of the year.
"According to the new rules, recreational activities will be carried out not chaotically, but in accordance with approved plans and in compliance with environmental requirements. <... > Another act of the government established the content of the plan of recreational activities in national parks.
This is the most important document, since it is on its basis that the development of tourism in a particular national park will be carried out.
During the development of the plan, the territories on which it is allowed to carry out recreational activities, land plots on which construction is possible, and the objects permissible for creation will be determined.
It is important that the construction of any facilities will not be allowed in protected and specially protected areas of national parks, "Abramchenko said.
She also noted that the demand from tourists to visit specially protected natural areas is growing every year.
By the end of 2022, the number of visitors increased by 40% and reached 14 million people, and on September 1, 2023 it already reached about 10 million people.
The five most popular tourist natural areas included Kislovodsk and Sochi national parks, Curonian Spit, Krasnoyarsk pillars and the national park Elbrus.
“It is very important to take into account the maximum anthropogenic load when developing ecological tourism.
For this purpose, the term "recreational capacity" was specifically introduced into the legislation.
It will determine the maximum allowable capacity of the national park and the maximum possible anthropogenic impact.
We will establish the procedure for determining the recreational capacity of each national park and the principles for calculating fees under investment agreements, the rules for bidding for their conclusion, "the deputy chairman of the government said.

Carrying capacity assessments and environmental impact evaluations determine acceptable visitor loads and guide zoning, with protected areas requiring strict permits and controlled tourism. [55][62].

Russia has adopted formal rules to calculate recreational capacity, require public recreational activity plans, and cap use of protected areas to safeguard natural complexes. [64].

Title:

Content: Gazeta.ru on desktop
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Balance with nature: at the International Forum "Eco Altai.
Thread of nature » will discuss the law on recreation in specially protected natural areas
The development of ecotourism creates jobs for the local population, brings investment, ensures the flow of money to the budget through taxation, which can then be reinvested in such important areas as education and health care.
There is also a positive impact on the development of territories: objects and infrastructure created for tourism can be used by local residents.
But with the growth of tourist flow in the field of protected areas, there is a risk of damage to nature.
To make national parks attractive for visitors and at the same time not to harm specially protected natural areas - all this is provided for by the law on recreational activities, which came into force on September 1, 2023.
It was developed on behalf of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin.
The new law will allow, in particular, to establish a transparent mechanism for interaction with investors who are ready to engage in tourism activities in national parks.
This is important, because until now the procedure looked like this: the administration of the national park refused the land, which came to the disposal of the Federal Property Management Agency, which further provides land for rent to the investor for the purposes that the businessman himself voiced.
That is, the key was the land, and not what and how it will be built.
According to the new law, the priority will be precisely the objects and zones where they will be allowed to be installed.
To do this, all specially protected natural areas will calculate their capacity: how many tourists can visit the territory once.
Only after that, special places for investment projects will be determined.
This will be spelled out in the key document of the national parks – the plan of recreational activities.
It will be developed by the administrations of national parks, coordinated with the heads of the regions in which the territories are located, and approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia.
All plans of recreational activities will necessarily be public, published on the websites of all interested departments.
The mechanism of action regulated by the resolution will be discussed today by experts within the framework of the International Forum “Eco Altai.
The thread of nature. ”
The forum will host a business session “Tourist Code.
Ecotourism and infrastructure.
Development of tourism in specially protected natural areas ".
The partner in its organization is the Russian Tourism Forum "Travel!" - an innovative project of the Roscongress Foundation, uniting the business forum as a platform for dialogue between the state and business and the largest tourist festival for travelers in Russia.
Among the issues for discussion at the session are: how to assess the environmental effectiveness of investment tourism projects, build a strategy for attracting tourists to national parks, instill in them the rules of conduct in specially protected natural areas, as well as provide the environmental sector of the tourism industry with competent and caring personnel and others.
International forum "Eco Altai.
The thread of nature ” takes place on September 29 – 30, 2023 in Gorno-Altaisk, on the territory of the all-season resort “Manzherok ”.
The Forum is organized by the Government of the Altai Republic, the Roscongress Foundation and the Altai Republic Development Center.
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Satellite imaging offers cost‑effective, non‑invasive monitoring to inform capacity management and improve transparency with stakeholders.

Title:

Content: The Benefits of Using Satellite Imaging for Environmental Impact Assessment

Satellite imaging has revolutionized the way we view and understand our planet. It has become an indispensable tool for environmental impact assessment, providing valuable information for decision-makers and stakeholders. The benefits of using satellite imaging for environmental impact assessment are numerous and significant.

One of the primary benefits of satellite imaging is its ability to provide a comprehensive view of the environment. Satellites can capture images of large areas, including remote and inaccessible regions, providing a complete picture of the environment. This allows for a more accurate assessment of the impact of human activities on the environment.

Satellite imaging also provides a historical perspective on environmental changes. By comparing images taken over time, it is possible to track changes in land use, vegetation cover, and water resources. This information is critical for understanding the long-term impact of human activities on the environment and for developing effective strategies to mitigate negative impacts.

Another benefit of satellite imaging is its ability to provide real-time data. Satellites can capture images and data on a regular basis, allowing for the monitoring of environmental changes as they occur. This information is particularly useful for detecting and responding to environmental emergencies, such as oil spills or natural disasters.

Satellite imaging also provides a cost-effective solution for environmental impact assessment. Traditional methods of environmental assessment, such as ground surveys and aerial photography, can be time-consuming and expensive. Satellite imaging, on the other hand, can cover large areas quickly and at a relatively low cost.

In addition to these benefits, satellite imaging also provides a non-invasive approach to environmental impact assessment. Traditional methods of environmental assessment often involve physically accessing the environment, which can have negative impacts on the environment itself. Satellite imaging, on the other hand, allows for assessment without disturbing the environment.

Satellite imaging is also a valuable tool for stakeholder engagement. The images and data captured by satellites can be shared with stakeholders, including local communities, NGOs, and government agencies. This allows for greater transparency and collaboration in environmental decision-making.

Finally, satellite imaging provides a global perspective on environmental issues. Satellites can capture images and data from all over the world, providing a comprehensive view of environmental issues on a global scale. This information is critical for understanding the interconnected nature of environmental issues and for developing effective solutions that address these issues at a global level.

In conclusion, the benefits of using satellite imaging for environmental impact assessment are numerous and significant. From providing a comprehensive view of the environment to offering real-time data and a cost-effective solution, satellite imaging has become an indispensable tool for environmental decision-making. As we continue to face environmental challenges, satellite imaging will play an increasingly important role in helping us understand and address these challenges.

Technology can aid mitigation when paired with governance and demand management. [46][47].

Title:

Content: See inside a brand-new $338.4 million Etihad Boeing 787-10 'Greenliner,' that the airline says operated the world's most sustainable flight

·10 min read
  • Etihad Airways is attempting to get in front of the aviation industry's shift towards sustainability.

  • CEO Tony Douglas is taking advantage of the airline's restructuring to lean Etihad's fleet and introduce new green technologies.

  • An Etihad flight in October using a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner was able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 72% using new products and tech.

In a sky full of blue, some airlines are trying to make it green.

Etihad Airways is shifting its focus to sustainability as the aviation industry attempts to reduce its carbon footprint in the face of a changing climate.

The aviation industry as a whole only contributes around 2% of the world's emissions. But even still, the highly-visible industry has drawn the ire of environmentalists and others fighting for a more sustainable future.

Source: Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

For Etihad, the fight to make the airline more sustainable is viewed as life or death. Tony Douglas, Etihad's chief executive officer, told Insider that airlines not taking the steps towards sustainability will be driven out of the market by customers that demand greener options for travel.

Etihad Airways' CEO says that airlines that fail to follow its sustainability lead may soon be 'history'

"Increasingly, travelers will make choices that do include carbon emissions and therefore, the environmental performance [of their airline,]" Tony Douglas, Etihad Airways' chief executive officer, told Insider.

Source: Etihad Airways' CEO says that airlines that fail to follow its sustainability lead may soon be 'history'

We went inside one of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on which Etihad is relying to usher in a new era of sustainability. Here’s what it was like.

One aspect of their carbon footprints that airlines can control is the type of aircraft that they fly. Modern airliners are being built specifically to reduce fuel consumption and have the benefit of reducing carbon dioxide emissions while also reducing fuel costs for airlines.

Etihad Airways' CEO says its Airbus A380s and the $20,000 luxury apartments onboard might fly again — but only temporarily

Fleet renewal has been a key avenue for Etihad to become more sustainable in the short term as green technology progresses. Larger aircraft including the Boeing 777-300ER are being retired to make way for next-generation aircraft from Boeing and Airbus.

Etihad has already begun flying the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and will fly the Airbus A350 XWB later in 2022. Both offer double-digit percentage point reductions in fuel burn compared to previous generation aircraft thanks to new, efficient engines, the use of lightweight composite materials, and new onboard systems.

And with the Dreamliner, or "Greenliner" in Etihad parlance, Etihad is taking efficiency one step further.

On October 23, Etihad flew what it called its "most sustainable flight ever" from London to Abu Dhabi, UAE using the Greenliner. Conducting the flight sustainably required revamping nearly every aspect, from the fuel that was used to the water bottles stocked onboard.

In business class, traditional amenity kits were restocked with green products with a focus on recyclables and products that can be composted or are biodegradable.

Chewable toothpaste replaced traditional brushing as it doesn't require water and for those that do brush, a compostable bamboo toothbrush was on offer.

Traditional water bottles were also replaced with plant-based water bottles, in which the entire bottle is produced from plant-based sources and is biodegradable and compostable.

Instead of using traditional jet fuel, pricey sustainable aviation fuel was brought to London from Amsterdam.

And to reduce fuel burn, Etihad crafted an economical flight route that avoided adverse weather and prevented the formation of harmful contrails.

Electric ground handling vehicles on the ground serviced the aircraft and bio-diesels were used on the buses that transfer passengers took from Abu Dhabi to Dubai.

The result was a truly sustainable flight that reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 72%, Etihad said, compared to the same flight in 2019.

Etihad also managed to turn a profit on the flight by filling every seat. But repeating the same conditions for every Etihad flight would make the company "insolvent within about 20 minutes," Douglas said.

The flight served to be an advertising billboard to demonstrate the difficulties for an airline to go green. Purchasing sustainable fuel, for example, is around five times more expensive than traditional jet fuel and Etihad had to ship the fuel in from Amsterdam to London.

And even then, the lack of infrastructure to handle the fuel at Heathrow Airport meant that Etihad could only achieve a 38% mixture of sustainable and traditional fuels.

"The reason why we actually do these flights is to draw people's attention to the much larger challenges here," Douglas said. "Whilst I can predict an end to the pandemic … I actually don't predict an end to the challenge of commercial aviation sustainability."

Some of the sustainable products onboard were also pricier and not ready for mass production in the same way that many single-use products are.

"They may not be production-ready but they are tests to see whether we can actually [incorporate them] in a certain way, where we can, and [then] we take it forward into business as usual," Terry Daly, Etihad's executive director of customer experience, said.

Even a plant-based water bottle can drive costs up more than what airlines can spend while keeping flights profitable. "The price isn't right yet but we have to start somewhere," Daly said of the "plant bottle."

And massive savings in carbon dioxide emissions, however, is only surpassed by the massive amount of planning and cooperation from third parties, including air traffic control.

Finding a more efficient routing required getting air traffic control to give Etihad's greenest flight special clearances and priorities that not every flight can receive.

But Etihad is calling for help across industry lines to make sustainability in aviation sustainable for a business. "It doesn't matter where you are along the supply chain or what scale of business you are, join hands with us and help us find the solutions," Maxine Youlten, a sustainability officer at Etihad, said.

Airlines that fail to heed the public’s calls for action on the issue, according to Douglas, might not survive to see the future of aviation.

"I kind of feel for them because not everybody has the ability to do so," Douglas said of competitors that aren't taking sustainable measures. "Having said that, I think going forward it will be the principle differentiator of who succeeds and who fails."

Passengers also win when airlines take an interest in sustainability, especially when it results in the use of newer aircraft.

Etihad is on track to have an incredibly young wide-body fleet of aircraft as it takes more deliveries from Boeing and Airbus.

Next-generation aircraft are often ideal for long-haul journeys as they come with passenger-friendly amenities including mood lighting, lower cabin altitudes, and modern seat products.

The 787-10 Dreamliner in Etihad’s configuration seats 299 passengers in a two-class configuration split between economy class and business class.

A total of 32 seats with full lie-flat capabilities fill the business class cabin, offering 73 inches of pitch and 22 inches of width.

Source: SeatGuru

In economy class, 267 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration fill the remainder of the aircraft.

Source: SeatGuru

Each economy class seat offers between 31 and 32 inches of pitch and 17.1 inches of width.

Source: SeatGuru

Etihad also has to account for how its sustainable push will impact the glitzy experience for which the airline is known. The airline industry is so competitive that any loss of customers because of a perceived degradation in Etihad's product could be devastating.

"It does appear that an authentic, genuine move to sustainability is one that won't compromise a guest's experience," Youlten said. "Ultimately, if we're making a sacrifice there, that's unsustainable from a business perspective."

But Etihad also realizes that it might lose its most lucrative travelers, namely corporate travelers, if it doesn't adopt sustainable measures, which could be a death blow to any airline.

"The people that don't respond in the sort of ways that we've been doing may well be history," Douglas said.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Sustainable aviation fuels can reduce per‑flight CO2 by about 27%, while optimized routings, newer aircraft, and Single European Sky reforms can cut fuel burn and emissions further.

Title:

Content: Five flights converging to Lyon demonstrate potential for greening of aviation

0
9

Aviation associations call for policies to support the continued transition to net zero carbon emissions

Today, five European flights will converge on Lyon Airport, applying innovative technologies, fuels and air navigation procedures to minimise their carbon emissions, thus showing the potential to transform the environmental impact of the aviation industry. The flights – from Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bucharest, Frankfurt and Lisbon – are arriving this afternoon on the occasion of the European Commission’s ‘Connecting Europe Days’ event using the following measures:

  • Environmentally optimised routings – By taking advantage of airspace normally reserved for the military and by using improved vertical and lateral profiles, new, more direct routings are made possible, improving trajectories and descents into Lyon Airport’s approach airspace. In this way, the five flights are achieving a more optimal trajectory for minimising fuel burn and thus reducing emissions. These are made possible thanks to collaboration between EUROCONTROL, the air navigation service providers from eleven countries[1] and the respective National Military Authorities, in partnership with the ALBATROSS project[2].
  • Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs): Airlines including Air France, easyJet, KLM, Lufthansa, Transavia and Vueling are each uplifting 30% SAF on a total of ten flights departing from Lyon, resulting in a CO2 emissions reduction of 27% per flight compared to conventional fuel use. Increased SAF uptake has been proven to be the most effective means to decarbonise aviation in the next decades until newer technologies, such as hydrogen, become available.
  • Carbon neutral airport operations and infrastructure – Lyon Airport is deploying the most energy-efficient operational know-how and solutions for the turnaround of these aircraft. The host airport is an exemplary part of VINCI Airports’ environmental strategy, having already achieved carbon neutrality with compensation in 2017 within Airport Carbon Accreditation.  It is now on course to become the first commercial airport in France to reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2026 within the scope of its business. Lyon Airport is also a pilot for VINCI Airports’ plan to kickstart hydrogen use at airports to accommodate hydrogen-powered aircraft as early as 2023, in partnership with Airbus and Air Liquide.

This coordinated action has shown what can be achieved through the application of measures set out in the Destination 2050 Roadmap,[3] an initiative of the five leading European aviation associations[4] to identify a pathway for their sector to reach the EU’s climate goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The European aviation industry is committed to this Roadmap, but in order to make today’s exceptional measures possible on a wider basis, they call for political support for its four pillars, including:
Aircraft and engine technologies

  • New technologies are expected to enter the market in the 2030s. To make this happen, Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is needed by 2027-2030 and efficient certification procedures are required. At the same time, the further enhancement of existing technologies should not be neglected as they still have vast potential to contribute to the drastic reduction of aviation emissions. So far, each new generation of aircraft is on average 20% more fuel-efficient than its predecessors.
  • Full support for funding programmes at EU level (via the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking) and Member State level is needed to stimulate further development and deployment of new technologies.
  • Support industry via incentives and de-risking investments.

Air traffic management and aircraft operations

  • Full support for research under the EU’s SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking on new technologies and procedures is needed to enable the transition to more sustainable and efficient skies.
  • National governments to fully implement the Single European Sky, for example by supporting the roll-out of measures such as cross-border Free Route Airspace (allowing aircraft to freely plan a more direct route between defined entry and exit points) and Flexible Use of Airspace (enabling a switch from military to civilian use at short notice).

SAFs

  • Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) represent one of the most promising solutions to decarbonise aviation, however production is still very low and prices are too high.
  • Incentives are necessary to incentivise production and bridge the price gap between SAFs and conventional jet fuel.
  • An EU blending mandate offers the necessary policy framework to increase production and uptake of SAF.

Smart economic measures

  • Economic measures will be critical in the short term until the sector can start relying on SAFs and new technologies (circa 2030s).
  • An ambitious global measure, such as CORSIA, is necessary. Aviation is by its nature a global industry, therefore it needs one single emissions trading/offsetting scheme to avoid carbon leakage and double counting of emissions.

With the necessary political support and the right legislative framework, our members can take the required steps to achieve the EU’s net zero carbon emissions target by 2050.

[1] Belgium (skeyes), Croatia (Croatia Control), France (DSNA), Germany (DFS), Italy (ENAV), the Netherlands (LVNL), Portugal (NAV Portugal), Romania (ROMATSA), Serbia (SMATSA), Spain (ENAIRE) and Switzerland (skyguide)

[2] https://www.dlr.de/ft/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-17433/

[3] https://www.destination2050.eu/

[4] A4E, ACI EUROPE, ASD Europe, CANSO, ERA

Lyon, 28 June 2022

Airlines demonstrate pivotal role increased SAF uptake and Single European Sky implementation would have in reducing CO2 emissions

  • On the 10th anniversary of the EU’s ‘Connecting Europe Days’[1] event, ten regularly scheduled A4E flights[2] departing from Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport are uplifting a 30% blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced and supplied by TotalEnergies, single-handedly reducing emissions from these flights by 27%[3] compared to using conventional jet fuel.
  • Increased SAF uptake will play a key role in airlines’ ability to reach Europe’s Green Deal climate goals and the sector’s own 2050 net zero emissions targets.
  • Select flights to Lyon[4] will also put the Single European Sky into early action, securing even further CO2 savings thanks to optimised flight routings in collaboration with the Single European Sky’s ATM Research (SESAR)’s ALBATROSS project.
  • EU countries must implement the Single European Sky to avoid expensive sustainable aviation fuels being wasted on inefficient routings.

Europe’s airlines are demonstrating their continued commitment to sustainable air transport by operating dedicated flights with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) during the European Commission’s ‘Connecting Europe Days’ – (CED) which kicks off at Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport today with the “Connecting Europe by Air: the Green Transformation” event. Over 2,000 conference participants are expected to attend the 10th anniversary of these events, including hundreds of youth from across Europe*.

A4E airlines including Air France, easyJet, KLM, Lufthansa, Transavia and Vueling are each uplifting 30% SAF on a total of ten flights departing from Lyon today, resulting in a CO2 emissions reduction of 27% per flight compared to conventional fuel use. Increased SAF uptake has been proven to be the most effective means to decarbonise aviation in the near term, and for long-haul flights until newer technologies, such as hydrogen, become available.

In addition, multiple flights to the conference will also operate with sustainable aviation fuel onboard and feature further sustainability measures currently in place today, including reduced single-use plastics, crew uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles, sustainable catering and further off-setting of emissions through certified climate projects.

Airlines will also showcase the emissions reduction benefits which would result if Member States would stop blocking — and start implementing the Single European Sky, with flights to Lyon following unrestricted, fully optimised routings as part of SESAR’s ALBATROSS project. ALBATROSS is currently conducting hundreds of gate-to-gate flight trials across Europe to demonstrate how optimised ATM operations and new technologies can mitigate aviation’s environmental footprint and maximise emissions reductions, with the goal to reduce average CO2 emissions per flight by 5-10% (0.8-1.6 tonnes) by 2035 through enhanced cooperation.

Despite the current challenges our sector is facing, operationally in the wake of the global pandemic, geopolitically and with rising costs – airlines’ commitment to sustainable air transport is stronger than ever. Today, under real operational conditions, we’ve demonstrated that increased SAF uptake and more efficient air traffic management in Europe can reduce CO2 emissions by more than 30% per flight. Now we need policy-makers to do their part in helping to make SAF more accessible and affordable – but equally, we need national governments to finally implement the Single European Sky, to avoid expensive fuels from being wasted on inefficient routings”, said Thomas Reynaert, Managing Director, Airlines for Europe (A4E).

As today’s event shows, aviation’s decarbonisation cannot be achieved by airlines acting alone. It requires the collective efforts of many different players, including policy-makers and suppliers, so that all European travellers can benefit – especially the younger generation of flyers, who expect nothing less from us”, Reynaert added.

A4E airlines’ involvement in Connecting Europe Days includes:

Air France-KLM Group

As demonstrated by its “Destination Sustainability” program, Air France-KLM Group aims to be a European leader in sustainable aviation. To illustrate its strong commitment, the Air France-KLM Group airlines are mobilizing on the occasion of the “Connecting Europe Days”. Five flights operated by Air France, KLM and Transavia will fly to their destinations carrying 30% sustainable aviation fuel onboard. This marks the first time that Transavia France operates with SAF on any of its flights, and it is the first time that all carriers of the Air France-KLM Group carry SAF on the same day. Finally, Air France-KLM representatives will participate in panel discussions at the event. Through these actions, AF-KLM Group carriers want to demonstrate that sustainability is not an option, but a necessity — also for aviation, and the Group remains committed to its efforts.

easyJet

easyJet’s flight EJU4434 from Lisbon to Lyon will follow a specifically designed, optimised flight plan to showcase the potential for significant CO2 savings if the Single European Sky was implemented. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will be uplifted at Lyon for the return flight and two other flights departing Lyon that day. Each of easyJet’s flights is already 100% offset, at no cost to its customers, and the airline only invests in projects that are certified by the highest standards. As with all its flights, the airline operates a modern fleet of aircraft efficiently and aim to fill most of its seats to reduce CO2 emissions per passenger. Ultimately, easyJet has committed to Race to Zero and achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, with a focus on the development of innovative, zero carbon emissions technology. The airline has also introduced new crew uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles. This comes in addition to the 36 million single-use plastic items that were already eliminated from inflight operations. The new uniforms will be on display at the Destination 2050 stand at the Connecting Europe by Air: The Green Transformation event. In addition, one of easyJet’s young Italian pilots who is also pursuing a PhD focussing on sustainability and technological innovation in aviation will participate in the Youth Panel.

Lufthansa

With its flight LH1076 from Frankfurt to Lyon, Lufthansa shows what can be done already today to fly as sustainable as possible. The flight will be set carbon-neutral: The CO2 emissions will be offset with 50% SAF and 50% using high-quality carbon offset projects. Lufthansa will also uplift SAF in Lyon for the return flight to Frankfurt. With regards to operational efficiency, the use of the SESAR ALBATROSS allows for particularly efficient approach procedures. The Lufthansa Group is also constantly investing in fleet modernisation, and with the A320neo will showcase one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft of its type of which Lufthansa was the launching customer. Lufthansa has also made a conscious effort to create a sustainable and attractive onboard catering service with many fresh products. Step by step, single-use plastic articles are to be replaced by sustainable materials, and PET bottles are recycled in a so-called closed loop in Frankfurt, meaning from the recycled raw material, new PET bottles will be produced.

Vueling

Part of International Airlines Group (IAG), Vueling will operate two dedicated flights to the Connecting Europe Days events between Barcelona and Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport on 28 June with around 20 invited students from Barcelona University (UB) and Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) onboard. The airline has managed to reduce around 63% of the CO2 emissions from these flights thanks to the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) equivalent to the 50% of required fuel for the route Barcelona to Lyon and produced by Repsol, and a 30% SAF uptake by Total Energies on the return flight to Barcelona. It has also flown an optimised flight plan route thanks to the coordination with the ALBATROSS Team, and with a new generation Airbus A320neo. With this action, Vueling demonstrates that aviation can improve considerably if regulators put focus on the development of sustainable aviation fuels and airspace efficiency in line with the Single European Sky strategy.

[1] See: connectingeuropedays (europa.eu)

[2]Flights on 28 June include: EasyJet: Flights EJU4434 from Lisbon to Lyon; Lyon to Gatwick and Lyon to Toulouse; Lufthansa:Flight LH1076 from Frankfurt to Lyon and flight LH1077 from Lyon to Frankfurt; Air France flights AF1594 from Lyon to Brest and AF1574 from Lyon to Pau; KLM flight KL1415 from Amsterdam to Lyon, flights KL1416 and KL1418 from Lyon to Amsterdam; Transavia flight TO7770 from Lyon to Porto; Vueling flight VY1220 from Barcelona to Lyon and flight VY1221 from Lyon to Barcelona. See also Connecting Europe by Air – the Green Transformation (europa.eu) for more information.

[3] Source: Total Energies. Neat SAF reduces emissions by 91.2% over its fossil-based equivalent. Consequently, 30% SAF reduces CO2 emissions by 27% over conventional fuel.

[4]Vueling flight VY1220, KLM flight KL1415, Lufthansa flight LH1076 and easyJet flight EJU4434

Lyon, France, 28 June 2022

Examples such as Etihad’s 787‑10 trials show large relative emission reductions through new technologies and SAF blends, and some airports target net‑zero operations by mid‑decade. [49].

Smart tourism, big data, and AI can optimize flows and reduce waste, though technological gains must complement, not replace, visitor caps and local protections.

Title:

Content: People 's Network > > International
"Hello! China" tourism image unveiled at the World Travel Fair in London
Strengthening cooperation to promote global tourism recovery (international perspective)
This reporter is snowing.
November 14, 2023 06: 25 | Source: People's Daily - People's Daily
Small number
Foreign businessmen and Chinese booth staff to discuss cooperation matters.
Foreign merchants visit the China booth to learn about relevant industry information.
The above photos are taken by our reporter Xing Xue.
The 2023 World Travel Fair in London has come to an end.
The theme of this exhibition is "You have the power to change travel - travel has the power to change the world", more than 3,800 exhibitors from more than 180 countries and regions participated in the exhibition.
China sent a delegation to participate in the offline exhibition of the fair, and the China exhibition area with the theme of "Hello! China" tourism image appeared in the fair.
The Chinese market is favored.
At the fair, led by the China Tourism Office in London, the cultural and tourism departments of Beijing, Shanghai, Shaanxi, Hubei and Jiangxi provinces and cities, as well as a number of tourism enterprises and airlines, jointly participated in the exhibition, displaying tourism products and routes to China, and promoting the latest inbound tourism policies.
Li Liyan, Minister Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Britain, said at the opening ceremony that the world tourism market has recovered rapidly and China welcomes world tourists with open arms.
The theme of this year's China Pavilion, "Hello! China", is the first time that China's national tourism image has been released in London, and it is a sincere invitation to meet China.
The exhibition area, with the national treasure giant panda as its main image, combines Chinese red, auspicious clouds and bamboo, showing the unique charm of China's tourism.
During the three-day event, the China Pavilion featured the "Hello! China" tour route to China, as well as Beijing-based culture, the "first stop of Chinese inbound tourism" in Shanghai, the "starting point of the ancient Silk Road" in Shaanxi, and the "province of thousands of lakes" in Hubei.
Tourism products such as the Yellow Crane Tower folding fan, Teng Wang Pavilion bamboo slideshow, Xiqin embroidery and Shanghai international cultural metropolis video publicity film attracted a large number of people in the industry to stop.
Marcello, a participant from an Italian travel agency, made a special trip to the China Pavilion to look for cooperation opportunities with airlines and destination management companies. "We are very excited to see the delegation from China. China is rich in tourism resources, and we hope that more people will come to China to see it through enhanced tourism cooperation."
Alastair Black, a representative of the British city of Macclesfield, who has traveled to and from China more than 40 times, told reporters: "Travel enhances understanding and understanding promotes cooperation."
I hope you all go to China to see more.
It is a beautiful country with hospitable people. "
"We have not only the terracotta warriors, but also the folk songs of northern Shaanxi and the beautiful scenery of southern Shaanxi," he said.
In Xi ’ an, the Tang Culture Panorama Exhibition Area of “Datang Night City + 12 Hours in Changan ” combines historical and cultural resources with contemporary light and shadow technology to launch an immersive experience.
Gao Yang, director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Shaanxi Province, said: "We hope to promote Shaanxi internationally and attract more foreign tourists to visit Shaanxi."
According to reports, in order to facilitate international tourists to Shaanxi, in December 2019, Xi'an took the lead in becoming the first 144-hour visa-free city in northwest China, and airlines and travel agencies organized overseas tour groups to travel to Shaanxi by charter flights and special tourist trains, which can also enjoy different levels of subsidy support.
Smart tourism is a concern.
At the fair, sustainable development and the application of new technologies were widely concerned by people in the industry.
Many forums focused on issues such as green development, sustainable infrastructure construction, and big data applications.
Juliet Rosado, director of the World Tourism Fair, said that the theme of this year's World Tourism Day is "tourism and green investment" and "sustainable development is the cornerstone of tourism development."
Sustainable infrastructure and green policy investments across the industry are now more important than ever. ”
The German National Tourist Board encourages visitors to stay longer at a destination to reduce their carbon footprint.
Spain ’ s tourism board says it has introduced slow travel to encourage holiday travel by train.
The Brazilian Tourism Board is focusing on the eco-tourism destination Bonito to promote the concept of sustainable tourism.
At the “Technology Enabling Smart Tourism City Construction ” Forum hosted by the World Tourism Cities Federation, Douglas-Holm, Chief Sales and Marketing Development Publicity Officer of Dubai Expo City, shared the construction experience and emission reduction goals of Dubai Expo City, stressing that technology has an important role to play in the sustainable construction of the city of the future.
Li Baochun, head of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, introduced Beijing's experience in building a smart tourism city during the exchange event.
He said that Beijing has seized the development opportunity of "science and technology + tourism" and actively promoted the transformation of artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, virtual reality and other technologies into practical applications to provide efficient and intelligent urban services for tourists and citizens.
At present, the coverage rate of 5G signals in Beijing's urban areas is maintained at more than 99%, and "only one mobile phone is required, and tourists can freely visit Beijing."
Industry insiders said that the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology is changing the traditional tourism mode, and put forward higher requirements on how to provide better tourism services.
Cai Wenxuan, Managing Director and Vice President (International Market) of Ctrip Group, said that artificial intelligence technology can provide tourists with intelligent query suggestions and personalized hotel recommendations, enhancing the user experience.
Driven by technology, mobile software can not only recommend popular activities, price change prediction, experience sharing, etc., but also query and customer service can realize artificial intelligence voice dialogue.
During the fair, Shaanxi also signed cooperation agreements with three British and French companies on tourism services and digital technology development.
Industry development prospects are promising
The trade fair released a global tourism report by the Oxford Economics Research Institute ’ s “Tourism Economy ”.
According to the report, “Despite the challenges facing the tourism industry such as rising costs of aviation fuel, finance and labor, there is still no clear indication that higher costs will hinder actual travel ”, from the perspective of tourism, leisure tourism has the strongest recovery, which has now returned to 90% of the peak level in 2019.
The report predicts that by the end of 2023, global outbound travel will exceed 1.26 billion, about 86% of the 2019 peak level before COVID-19.
Industry insiders pointed out that economic growth and demographic and social changes in emerging market countries have brought greater development opportunities to the global tourism market.
By the end of 2023, the number of inbound leisure tourists in the Middle East is expected to increase by 13% compared to 2019.
There are also significant growth opportunities in the tourism market in emerging market countries such as Indonesia.
The report pointed out that the opening of Indonesia ’ s Yavan high-speed rail in October this year has brought opportunities for local tourism growth. “The opening of the Yavan high-speed rail has brought great convenience to tourists. ” Daisy Ruhati, an official of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, said that the number of tourists in Indonesia has reached 433 million in the first half of this year.
With the opening of the Yavan high-speed rail, the number of tourists in Indonesia is expected to reach 1.2 billion to 1.4 billion in 2023.
According to Juliet Losado, tourists from all over the world are now more willing to make the most of their precious travel time to create precious memories, learn more about the destination, and explore culture, food and nature.
As many international cultural and sporting events resume and consumer demand for unique and memorable experiences continues to grow, personalized tourism has become one of the industry ’ s focal points and opportunities.
(London, November 13)
People 's Daily (November 14, 2023, 17 edition)
(Editor: Yang Guangyu, Hu Yongqiu)
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Developing regions face distinct constraints and require tailored pathways. [53].

Title:

Content: They stressed that the high cost and lack of uniform standards highlighted the challenges.
Hotel officials: COP28 supports sustainability in the UAE ’ s hospitality sector
As the UAE hosts COP28, the next generation of guests are choosing sustainable hotels and looking for brands to focus on, hotel officials said, noting that national strategies, including UAE Vision 2021, Dubai Urban Plan 2040, and providing companies with a set of clear guidelines and incentives to align their activities with sustainability practices, encourage the industry to take steps. We are committed to sustainability in our operations.
They explained to Emirates Today that many hotels are currently implementing many sustainability standards, pointing out that there are challenges facing sustainability efforts, most notably the high cost and lack of unified standards to measure sustainability practices, pointing out that the challenges can be met through government support, cooperation at the sector level, educating guests, directing resources and funding effectively, and building sustainable partnerships with suppliers and stakeholders.
Fahd Kazim, CEO of Millennium Hotels & Products Middle East & Africa, said: “There is an increasing demand for sustainability concepts in hotels in the UAE, in conjunction with the upcoming hosting of COP28, especially that guests are actively looking for brands that focus on this aspect, in light of the growing awareness of environmental and sustainability issues, which made them biased in their choices towards sustainable hotels. ”
“Millennium Hotels & Resorts has set its sustainability vision for the current year, which includes rationalizing and improving energy and water efficiency in hotel facilities to reduce consumption, reduce environmental impact, reduce the use of plastic, replace it with environmentally friendly alternatives, obtain ISO14001 certification for responsible environmental practices, and support local SMEs to provide local products, ” he said. It has developed a comprehensive strategy to achieve greater sustainability goals. ”
He stressed that the main challenges facing sustainability efforts are to improve sustainability efforts and reduce environmental impact, while maintaining the provision of high quality services and continuous support to guests and staff, noting that these challenges can be overcome by applying best practices, effectively directing resources and funding, and building sustainable partnerships with suppliers and stakeholders.
Imad Ramzi, General Manager of Crowne Plaza Dubai Jumeirah and Crowne Plaza Dubai Deira, said: “There is an increasing demand for sustainability practices in hotels in the UAE, and the new generation of travelers is moving towards a sustainable experience and looking for hotels that are committed to social and environmental responsibility, which encourages hotels to adopt sustainability initiatives to attract this category of guests. ”
Ramzi explained that “the Group is currently implementing sustainability initiatives in its hotels, including effective resource management such as the use of lighting technology and smart air conditioning to reduce energy consumption in rooms and public spaces in hotels and car parks, recycling waste, providing sustainable consumables, dealing directly with companies that produce products locally, reducing the use of paper in official transactions, and supporting digital transactions. ” Partnering with sustainable suppliers.
He stressed that « the UAE in general, and Dubai in particular, is working hard to develop sustainability standards in all areas, including hotels, which facilitates adherence to the application of these standards », pointing out that the cost is a challenge, as some institutions raise the prices of products for sustainability, which affects the total cost of hotels.
Sophie Blundell, General Manager of The H Dubai, said: “Sustainability is no longer an additional option for business plans, but a prerequisite for long-term success, ” noting that“ the hotel industry can apply sustainability standards, in collaboration with stakeholders, invest in research and development, and keep up with the latest technologies and trends in sustainability. ”
She noted that there is a growing trend to adopt sustainability principles in the hospitality sector, in light of increasing global awareness of environmental issues and national strategies, including UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Urban Plan 2040, which emphasize the importance of sustainable development, and provide companies with a set of clear guidelines and incentives to align their activities with sustainability practices.
The hotel has developed a project based on reducing waste, reuse and recycling, reducing water consumption, conserving energy, adopting refillable water bottles as an alternative to plastic water bottles in restaurants and meeting rooms, and installing a water purification system to provide a more sustainable alternative to bottled water.
She stressed that the lack of common standards to measure sustainability practices is one of the main challenges facing the hospitality industry.
Paul Bridger, Corporate Director of Operations at Rove Hotels, said: “The UAE has played a leading role in the implementation of sustainability standards in the hospitality sector, especially with many hotels adopting green initiatives and working to obtain the most important certificates and accreditations in sustainability. ” The group pledged to plant a tree for each room booked during COP28 and to plant at least 28,000 trees by the end of the year.
My hotel ’ s commitment to sustainability
“We are witnessing the adoption of sustainability concepts in hotels, in line with global trends and the UAE ’ s vision for a more sustainable future, ” said Nicolas Shamaa, General Manager of Fujairah Rotana Resort and Spa, referring to the implementation of several initiatives to reduce the use of water and energy, and obtaining a sustainability certificate certified by the International Organization for Standardization.
He stressed that there are challenges related to sustainable procurement, which can be overcome by purchasing goods and services from local suppliers who adhere to sustainability standards.
Diversifying the economy
“The UAE is diversifying its economy and adopting sustainable practices in various sectors, and the hotel sector is keen to implement sustainability standards, ” said Fadi Amash, Director General of Grand Millennium Al Wahda, noting that with the UAE hosting global events such as COP28, there is growing awareness of the importance of sustainability, which contributes to saving costs in the long term, attracting more environmentally conscious guests, reducing carbon footprint, and conserving water and energy.
He pointed out that the hotel is keen to implement many activities and initiatives to promote sustainability, such as the use of energy saving lamps, the regular maintenance of air conditioners, the use of environmentally friendly cleaning materials, and the possibility of installing smart energy management systems, which can sense the vacancy of rooms and adjust temperatures accordingly.

Limited infrastructure, high costs, and non‑uniform standards impede implementation, underscoring the need for government support, education, and partnerships to scale sustainability. [53].

Inclusive and accessible tourism is also vital, with 1.3 billion people living with disabilities and significant potential in designing barrier‑free visitor systems.

Title:

Content: Saturday, 13 January 2024 02: 43 GMT
150 billion euros in global facilitated tourism per year
(MENAFN- Al-Bayan)
Participants at the Accessible Tourism Conference held on 11 and 12 January in Dubai under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), President of Dubai Airports Corporation (DAC) and Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Airline and Group, stressed that opportunities in the global economy are being lost due to the lack of mobility for these important people. Cross-border travel reached 142 billion euros last year, calling for the need to provide smooth mobility rights for people with special needs, stressing the importance of cities and tourist destinations developing strategies that take into account the needs and requirements of this group.
The participants praised the UAE ’ s drive to be the best disability-friendly tourist destination in the next few years, as part of its plan to be the best tourist destination in the world.
They praised the role of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in providing sustainable solutions for passengers with disabilities and organizing a workshop to improve air transport services for passengers with disabilities.
The number of people with special needs in the Middle East who are eager to visit friendly tourist destinations reached about 50 million people, according to statistics from 2023.
Experts estimated the number of people with disabilities around the world at 1.3 billion, predicting that the value of global accessible tourism will exceed 150 billion euros annually.
They stressed the importance of the participation of persons with disabilities in the planning and construction process of tourism facilities, to ensure that their needs are effectively met.
The conference called for promoting sustainable development plans at airports, carriers, hotels, museums, shopping malls and beaches to make them more disability-friendly.
The conference highlighted the need to apply the concept of a comprehensive journey to achieve smooth tourism for people with disabilities, from the moment they think about traveling to return home.
It was stressed that information should be readily available in key locations such as airports and hotels, to facilitate the travel experience for people with disabilities, while continuously improving these services.
Recommendations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for the establishment of advisory councils and the development of practical steps, joint action among stakeholders, including airlines, airports and service providers, leveraging technology to improve services, and creating synergies through stakeholder collaboration and the use of effective tools.
During the fourth edition of the International Conference on Facilitated Tourism, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) made recommendations on improving mobility assistance services, emphasizing the importance of effective communication, co-ordination and accurate use of codes.
The workshop discussed how to overcome challenges such as lack of prior notification of services and the use of wheelchair assistance as a holistic solution, while offering suggestions for better service to customers, including non-disabled passengers who need assistance.
The workshop featured prominent speakers such as Mozah Saeed Al Rumaihi from dnata, Mark de Laurentis from the Italian Civil Aviation Authority, Hilal Kahraman from IGA Airport in Istanbul, Xavier Mascarel from British Airways and Conor Halpin from PRMASSIST in Ireland.
Linda Ristaño of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) led the workshop.
The recommendations included several axes, the most important of which were: understanding the needs of individual customers, such as blind people who may not need a wheelchair, or elderly people who need mobility support, analyzing current boards and using the wheelchair as a comprehensive solution, and offering diverse solutions rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all solution.
Fruitful efforts
Ghassan Sulaiman, Secretary General of the Conference, thanked His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports Corporation, Supreme President and CEO of Emirates and Group, for his generous sponsorship of the Conference.
He thanked all the partners, participants and speakers for their constructive interaction and keenness to collaborate to come up with innovative ideas and proposals that will pave the way towards a more vibrant and innovative future for the accessible tourism sector in the region and the world.
“More than ever, the tourism sector needs concerted efforts among various stakeholders to adopt the concept of comprehensive tourism that meets the aspirations of millions of people with special needs, from the moment they think about embarking on a tourist trip to the moment of their arrival at home, ” said Ghassan Suleiman.
Dubai Land of Wonders
Jeff Stragan, Director of Business Development at Dubai College of Tourism, said Dubai is a unique destination and is on its way to becoming a land of wonder for tourists with disabilities, spending huge amounts of money to make the city the most accessible place in the world by making all its facilities and attractions accessible to all. To make it the best city for tourism and work.
He said that recent opinion polls have chosen it as the best tourist destination in 2024 thanks to safety and infrastructure, receiving 15.7 million tourists in 2023, the highest number since 2019, and that it has been able to become friendly in large proportion thanks to the directives of the wise leadership. Regionally, the best in providing standards for affordable tourism and related services.
Strengthening strategic policies
Igor Stefanovic, Technical Coordinator, UNWTO Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility, who specializes in disability tourism, Spain, noted that national tourism administrations and DMOs can strengthen their tourism policies and strategies in terms of accessibility, not only by completing legislative obligations, but by using international standards and guidelines and fostering the work of the tourism industry, so that accessibility is seen as a competitive advantage and a public good.
He highlighted UNWTO ’ s recent efforts to address cultural and nature-based tourism experiences, targeting a wider population of end-users.
Stefanovich said that Dubai has been able to integrate affordable tourism into its strategy. We find that shopping malls are keen to apply all the standards for people with special needs, explaining that this requires focusing on the specificity of each case and providing appropriate solutions in all known cities in accordance with international tourism standards, such as ISO 21902 for accessible tourism, which must be applied to all infrastructure and services provided by tourism facilities. Portugal and Argentina, for example, do not give subsidies to tourist facilities without applying this standard.
UNESCO and Sustainable Tourism
Salah Zaki Khalid, Director of UNESCO ’ s Doha Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, UNESCO Representative in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Yemen, explained that natural and cultural heritage sites are now key components of the world ’ s tourism assets.
Natural and cultural heritage sites, including scenic landscapes and revitalized historic cities, are precious tourist assets that characterize the destination.
There is a growing demand for nature-based tourism, along with visits to heritage sites or cultural and historical monuments.
Since 1972, UNESCO has designated 1,199 sites as World Heritage sites in 195 countries, while UNESCO has designated 56 archaeological sites as at risk around the world, but much can be done to preserve our UNESCO World Heritage List, which includes cultural, natural and mixed sites.
The UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme represents a new approach based on dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders, where tourism planning and heritage management are integrated at the destination level, natural and cultural assets are assessed and protected, and appropriate tourism is developed.
Cultural tourism is one of the world ’ s largest and fastest growing tourism markets.
Culture and creative industries are increasingly being used to promote destinations and enhance their competitiveness and attractiveness.
UNESCO seeks to establish networks of key stakeholders to coordinate destination management and marketing related to different heritage methods to promote and coordinate unique, high-quality experiences based on the heritage recognized by UNESCO, with the aim of promoting sustainable development based on heritage values and creating tourism value added to the sites.
Tourism is more accessible
Evan Hall, CEO, Western Australia Tourism Board, said: “Travel can be a challenging experience for guests with disabilities, as they need to ensure that their accommodations, activities and experiences meet the unique requirements related to their disability. This barrier encourages tourism companies to develop an online guide that provides visitors with specific and detailed information on business accessibility, given the importance of providing detailed information to guests with disability-related needs, the role of tourism companies in meeting accessibility and accreditation criteria, and how to promote.
High global growth potential
Trinidad Domínguez Vial, a professor at Spain ’ s Vigo University, confirmed that the disability travel market has not been adequately invested despite adults with disabilities alone spending US $58.7 billion on their travel.
Europe alone could have a potential revenue of €88.6 billion by 2025, with more than $17 billion a year coming from their travel to the United States.
Access to all tourism facilities, products and services needs to be overhauled, with new data showing that the market for special needs travel is having a greater economic impact on the travel industry than ever before.
Missed opportunities for the global economy and tourism markets amount to €142 billion annually.
She pointed to the reluctance of persons with disabilities to travel due to the lack of appropriate services and facilities for them in several cities around the world.
Enhancing access will help expand the tourism market and improve market share, enhance competitiveness, increase tourist numbers and improve overall quality of life.
Free movement is a right for everyone
Luis Felipe de Oliveira, director general of Airports Council International, said: “There is no discussion.
Access to transportation is a right for all people. ”
“As the voice of the world ’ s airports, ACI World is committed to developing a comprehensive and accessible air transport system.
We work closely with our member airports, international partners and mobility groups to harness resources and best practices to help airports reduce barriers to accessibility.
Airports around the world have recognized and demonstrated their commitment, not least through the Airports Council International ’ s (ACI) Accessibility Improvement Accreditation Program, the only international assessment / accreditation program dedicated to airport accessibility for passengers with disabilities. ”
Sustainable and Affordable Tourism
Daniela Bass, President and Founder, DP Sustainability Advocacy Boutique International, and former Director of the United Nations Division for Inclusive Social Development, reviewed the role of accessible and inclusive cities and tourism in improving living standards, including for persons with disabilities.
She pointed out the importance of statistics and providing advice on policies and proposals that the Middle East region should take into account.
Turning to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Bass highlighted Goal 1 to eradicate poverty, in particular Goal 11 on accessible and inclusive cities and human settlements, Goal 10 on closing the inequality gap, and Goal 17 on achieving the Goals through partnerships.
Tour Operators
Francesco Tabenasi, Director General of the Tourism Promotion Authority of Tuscany, Italy, explained the role of tour operators as ambassadors for their cities and countries.
This approach is an ideal opportunity for tour operators from different cities and countries to learn about offers, services and products related to disability tour packages, to communicate and promote tours in each operator ’ s home cities, and to build partnerships with other tour operators.
Tabenasi addressed the challenges facing the tourism sector with disabilities and strategies to overcome them, presenting practical examples taken by the province of Tuscany in this regard.
Technology and Tourism Facilitation
Experts discussed the vital role played by technological development in enhancing the growth opportunities of the tourism sector for people of determination globally, through the development of integrated and smart platforms and applications capable of providing an easy and seamless experience to an estimated 15% of the global population.
Hilal Kahraman, Head of Passenger Experience Design at Istanbul Airport, Turkey, said: “The airport has developed applications for people with disabilities from the moment they arrive at the airport to ensure that all deaf, dumb, blind and disabled people complete their procedures smoothly and quickly based on the highest technological solutions. Istanbul International Airport conducts all assessments and reviews on a regular basis. ” Make it easy for this important segment of communities to enjoy the freedom of travel and mobility.
Hans Bose, CEO and founder of Travel Genius BTE, noted that the company has launched an app for the UAE that encourages affordable tourism, providing all the information about all the attractions in Dubai, including shopping malls, parks and beaches, and that it enables tourists to plan their next trip and make sure that all of them are safe. The selected sites are disability-friendly before booking and payment.
Abin Roy Chowdhury, Sales & Operations, Deco Systems, India, said that the company has introduced applications and solutions that take into account the diverse requirements of customers, starting from the website and other open source applications that help develop software to help developers design applications and solutions that contribute to making the lives of people with disabilities easier.
The session was moderated by Igor Stefanovic, Technical Coordinator, Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department, UNWTO, who specializes in disability tourism, Spain.
Accessible Cities
In a productive panel discussion titled ‘ Creating an Accessible City ’, key stakeholders in the tourism industry came together to discuss integrating accessibility into tourism and urban planning.
Participants, including Ramin Gilani, Denin Cooper, Stefano Coletta, Mahmoud and Jeff Strachan, moderated by Patrick Antaki, shared successful ideas and strategies for creating inclusive accessible tourism environments.
The session highlighted the critical role of innovative technology and engineering and the importance of understanding diverse needs in making cities and tourist destinations accessible to all.
The main discussions focused on the challenges faced by different regions of the world and the solutions being implemented, such as specialized tools and techniques, and the need for cultural transformation towards inclusiveness.
Ramin Gilani stressed the need to find practical solutions in the construction and healthcare sectors, while Denin Cooper discussed the need to provide customized travel services for people with disabilities.
Stefano Coletta highlighted Italy ’ s success in affordable tourism, while Mahmoud Mahmood focused on early intervention programs.
Jeff Strachan shared the progress that Dubai has made to become the most visited and accessible city.
Participants agreed on the importance of information dissemination and a collaborative approach involving different stakeholders, and called for a unified platform to share resources and best practices, ensuring that accessible tourism becomes mainstream.
This committee represents an important step towards global inclusiveness in tourism, showcasing the commitment and progress of industry leaders.
Shared ideas and strategies are expected to spur further developments in making cities around the world more accessible and more welcoming for all.
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Seasonality management—diversifying offerings, engineering comfort in extreme conditions, and targeted off‑peak promotion—can reduce peaks that drive overtourism.

Title:

Content: 6 Innovative Strategies to Reduce the Impact of Temperatures on Middle East Seasons
This phenomenon is due to various factors.
Many destinations suffer from the most important obstacles to the continuation of tourism growth, which is the "seasonality of tourism", whether these destinations are in the Middle East or other regions of the world.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the term "seasonality of tourism" is a temporary variation in tourism activities and patterns of visit and travel, within a given destination and over a specified period of time.
This phenomenon is due to various factors that are generally classified into four categories, including natural, cultural, institutional and economic factors.
Volatility caused by these factors can create a host of challenges for the destination during peak and recession seasons, necessitating the implementation of specific strategic plans and initiatives to overcome these challenges and mitigate their negative impacts, as well as maximize benefits during the recession season.
Colliers, a research and studies specialist, published a report entitled “Decommissioning Tourism in the Middle East: Reasons, Initiatives and Methods for Decommissioning Tourism in the Middle East ”, which provides a detailed analysis of the most prominent seasonal trends observed in the Middle East and proposes innovative ways to address the resulting tourism fluctuations. High temperatures on tourism in the Middle East.
The report outlines six innovative strategies to increase awareness of and more effectively manage seasonal fluctuations in the region ’ s tourism sector. The first strategy is to scale up destination offerings by offering a variety of types of tourism targeted at those less affected by recession, who focus more on experiences than the weather, including adventure, cultural or wellness enthusiasts.
The second strategy is to provide a mix of customized products, which contribute to stimulating demand according to the target segment, destination and available resources.
Other strategies include designing infrastructure capable of dealing with extreme conditions to ensure tourists are comfortable when temperatures rise, enhancing event schedules, implementing targeted promotional campaigns during recessions, and establishing strategic partnerships with other destinations offering different or similar tourism patterns to minimize the negative effects of seasonality and take advantage of its many advantages.
Tourist destinations experience low visitation rates during recessionary seasons, leading to lower revenues and overall economic activity, and high temperatures in the Middle East play a pivotal role in this equation, requiring innovative approaches to overcome these challenges and enable these destinations to thrive throughout the year.
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Case studies show integrated strategies emerging at destination scale. [27].

Ras Al Khaimah’s Balanced Tourism strategy combines certification, green building codes, and investment to tackle overtourism risks while enhancing community well‑being.

Title:

Content: Skift Take

The UAE’s “Nature Emirate” is on a quest to become a regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025. Its “Balanced Tourism” approach offers vibrant nature and cultural adventures alongside support and incentives for both new and existing hotels.

As travel returns, destinations and tourism boards pivoting toward sustainability — and those with the most ambitious, authentic, and achievable sustainability goals — will reshape how we travel in the decade ahead. According to Expedia Group Media Solutions’ 2022 Sustainable Travel Study, half of consumers want to see more information on sustainability from destinations.

On a mission to engage this more responsible traveler, Ras Al Khaimah has declared its vision to become the Middle East’s most sustainable destination by 2025, with the goal of attracting over 3 million visitors annually by 2030. Its new “Balanced Tourism” strategy, created in partnership with EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification, and advisory group for travel and tourism, goes far beyond tackling single-use plastic and promoting recycling to scale up sustainability in every sense.

The process began with a policy commitment from Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and its partners across government and industry, before establishing the benchmarks that progress would be measured against. The second part of the sustainability strategy takes the form of two certification programs, one for the destination and one for businesses, the latter looking to drive sustainability certification for at least 30 tourism businesses initially.

To tackle hot-button issues like overtourism, Balanced Tourism encompasses areas including cultural preservation and social and economic sustainability. As Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “Usually everybody only talks about the environmental piece and forgets about the social and the economic piece. We wanted to make sure we were supporting smaller businesses and that whatever efforts we make also keep the local ecosystem, population, culture, and heritage in mind.”

Inspired by the blueprint set by countries like Slovenia, Costa Rica, and Rwanda, Ras Al Khaimah seeks not only to build the foundations for sustainable tourism growth at home but to establish a template for other destinations that wish to make a meaningful impact on sustainability without “greenwashing” or sacrificing tourism goals.

Sustainable Development

Tourism is a central part of Ras Al Khaimah’s economy, contributing over 5 percent of its GDP and providing around 10,000 jobs. However, this growth can also threaten the country’s natural splendor, giving rise to issues like overtourism, population growth, and environmental damage.

One way in which the tourism authority plans to combat this is by taking a measured approach to hotel development. Any property will have to abide by newly introduced green building codes that prioritize sustainable standards in areas such as food waste reduction and sustainable landscaping.

“This green hotel rating is an initiative that aims to achieve 100 percent integrated sustainability in all of Ras Al Khaimah’s hotels,” said Phillips. “We’ve also launched our green public procurement program (GPP) to support the adoption of sustainable procurement practices and produce products and services that have a low environmental impact.”

Take the recently integrated Wynn Resort, set to open in 2026. The brand is known for its pioneering approach to sustainability and energy efficiency, with a target of achieving 50 percent renewable energy by 2030. It has already implemented robust waste management programs at its properties, diverting between 26 percent and 100 percent of waste from entering landfills, as well as reducing water consumption and investing in new waste-to-energy solutions.

Sustainable development is also a question of market positioning, whether to developers, existing hotels, travelers, or the wider world. “We’re open for tourists, and we love welcoming them, but the way we message and position ourselves as a sustainable destination sets a certain expectation,” said Phillips.

Hosting upcoming events like the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2023 will also help set this expectation. Working with hotels to develop value propositions that cater to eco-conscious clients is another. “We want to make sure we are able to drive the maximum amount of profitability for hospitality partners,” said Phillips. “We are talking about a 50 percent five-star inventory.”

This means meeting with local community partners to help them understand how to drive a higher average rate rather than focusing on volume business, as well as setting KPIs and incentivizing with benefits such as tax offsetting. “We rebated 20 percent of the destination fee during Covid to help keep hotels afloat. Now we’ve added that element into sustainability, where based on specific metrics being met, we’re rewarding hotels and businesses,” said Phillips.

Attractions With Purpose

Unlike other tourist destinations in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah has the advantage of being a developing destination — or what Phillips calls “a destination of the future.” This presents an opportunity to do things differently. And by investing around $140 million into 20 projects that will be built according to these new sustainability standards, Ras Al Khaimah is actively walking the walk when it comes to securing a more sustainable future.

Rather than massive attractions designed to drive mass volumes, the projects chosen have a strong sustainable focus, ranging from 50 kilometers of hiking trails to a tobogganing ride called the Jais Sledder. In the mountains, guests will be able to check into Anavrin Equestrian Resort, a wellness resort focused on “healing with horses” set to open in Q4 2022, and Saij Mountain Lodge, a protected and sustainably managed resort featuring lodges made from natural and sustainable materials, opening on Jebel Jais in 2023. At sea level, the proposed Scallop Ranch at Al Hamra Marina will enhance understanding of the marine ecosystem.

Cultural Conservation

Ras Al Khaimah is home to four cultural and heritage sites that are on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, the most among the Emirates. Preserving and restoring these cultural treasures is therefore a crucial part of its sustainability strategy, providing storied alternatives to crowded heritage sites for curious travelers.

Examples already underway include Suwaidi Pearls Farm, the only site in the UAE which still cultivates local pearls by hand, and Al Jazirah Al Hamra, an ancient pearling village of the Al Zaab tribe. Working with UNESCO experts and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, a program is underway to restore the village using traditional, sustainable materials by 2025, as well as creating curated tours that underpin its unique tribal history.

Community and Liveability

In addition to these cultural restoration projects, the tourism authority is engaging with the local community by staging over 20 events a year, including the RAK Fine Arts Festival, RAK Half Marathon, DP World Tour, and UAE Tour. Its sustainability strategy also involves programs to help the community think more sustainably — for example, it created a Buy RAK program for local suppliers that have a very low carbon footprint, negotiating deals for local fishermen to be able to buy directly. This will be supported by a carbon-mindful event in December to further educate the community.

The tourism authority also acknowledges the importance of employee well-being, having launched RAKFAM, a series of initiatives aimed at enriching connectivity, community life, and facilities for tourism sector employees in the Emirate. With several progressive policies in place to promote employee well-being, the tourism authority was recognized as the sixth-best workplace in the UAE by Great Place to Work for 2022 in the “small and medium organizations” category.

Ultimately, Ras Al Khaimah is pioneering this holistic approach to destination management not just because it’s the right thing to do. “Our customers are demanding it,” Phillips said. “We know travelers are looking for destinations where sustainability is at the forefront.”

For more information about Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, click here.

This content was created collaboratively by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.

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In Europe, sustainable tourism requires balancing visitor numbers with available resources, a principle now guiding reforms in Barcelona, Venice, and other pressured cities.

Proposals in the Canary Islands to introduce a tourist tax and pause new accommodations seek to fund conservation and align growth with social equity.

Overall, overtourism’s causes are multifaceted—rooted in long‑running growth dynamics, platform‑driven accommodation expansion, social media amplification, and seasonal surges—and its consequences span social displacement, environmental degradation, and uneven economic gains. [10][4].

A durable response blends governance (taxes, caps, licensing, and spatial planning), community benefit models, ecological limits (carrying capacity and EIA), behavior shifts (slow and off‑peak travel), and targeted technologies to reduce footprints and optimize flows. [31][41][55][62][25][46].

Sustaining destinations requires aligning visitor volumes with local resources and community priorities through collaborative action among governments, businesses, and travelers. [6].

Title:

Content: Nearly 90% of Chinese consumers attach importance to sustainable tourism, but lack awareness of practices and costs
How can the industry collaborate to help the tourism industry move towards a "sustainable" future?
Business 14: 41 2023 / 03 / 20
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Hotel group Accor, travel service provider Ctrip Group and global management consulting firm McKinsey recently released a white paper entitled “China ’ s Eco-Tourism Pathway ”, which explores the environmental impact of China ’ s tourism industry, analyzes Chinese tourists ’ perceptions of sustainable development, and finally makes recommendations on what China ’ s key tourism stakeholders need to do to promote“ sustainable ” tourism.
[ESG Carbon Neutralization] More than 70% of Hong Kong enterprises are not familiar with carbon neutrality knowledge to promote carbon neutrality for brand image
China ’ s largest travel market in the world by 2032
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, China is expected to have the world ’ s largest travel market by 2032, which was already one of the largest before the pandemic.
The white paper analysis found that China ’ s tourism industry has a huge impact on the environment, accounting for about 6-8% of China ’ s total carbon emissions in 2019.
McKinsey ’ s data shows that Chinese travelers value their environmental impact and are already looking for sustainable alternatives, but the report found that they may need more help understanding where to get them. Ctrip found that nearly 90 percent (85 percent) of Chinese travelers rated travel sustainability as important or very important, while 60 percent were concerned about climate change.
Consumers agree that they are not used to paying
The report also found that Chinese consumers are not used to paying extra for sustainable travel.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide guidance to travelers on the cost of sustainability and highlight the industry ’ s efforts to improve the supply of sustainable products.
This will realistically demonstrate the burden to be shared and show that price increases are only short-term measures, thus increasing willingness to pay.
In response to this, the report provides recommendations on what travelers can do to make sustainable travel and empower consumers to make decisions, including booking sustainable travel options through accredited service providers, spending more time in one destination, and self-cultivating sustainable habits, such as reducing the frequency of changing towels or bed sheets and rejecting single-use plastic products.
However, passenger behavior is only the first consideration highlighted in the report.
To achieve long-term sustainability, travel product suppliers should be the first to initiate initiatives and have a responsibility to change the mindset of travelers.
Educating and supporting travellers more than asking for
The report also makes a series of recommendations for the hotel industry to support Chinese travelers ’ understanding of sustainable tourism, inspire changes in their behavior, and ultimately support the industry ’ s move towards a “net positive benefit model ”, that is,“ pay more than take ”.
These include using technology platforms to highlight online sustainable travel options, using labels to ensure travellers understand the environmental impact of their behaviour, developing incentives to encourage sustainable behaviour, and training staff to adopt sustainable thinking.
While increasing visitor awareness and the willingness to choose sustainable solutions, coupled with the adoption of more sustainable practices by individual travel providers, may help China ’ s tourism industry “win fast ” in terms of sustainable impact, lasting sustainability improvements will require a concerted effort from the entire industry.
The report concludes by calling on the hospitality industry to take action and work together to achieve a sustainable transformation of the industry in China.
This collaborative project creates a starting point for this collective thinking as a resource available to tourists and industry participants to work together to achieve positive change.
Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor Group, said: “No one can make an impactful change alone. Transformation requires everyone to work together. Responsible travel in China and around the world can connect all people, support local communities, protect biodiversity, and share and foster more sustainable habits. ”
According to Jonathan Woetzel, senior partner at McKinsey & Company and president of McKinsey Global Institute, “China ’ s tourism industry is large enough to take the lead in driving the industry ’ s sustainability. As travelers return to adventure, every step of their journey provides the opportunity to make choices and take concrete actions that immediately reduce their environmental footprint (or carbon footprint). ”“ It ’ s not just the responsibility of travellers. Achieving long-term change requires a collaborative effort among all the players in the travel industry, from hotels and travel agencies to green investors and technology providers. ”
【 Greater Bay Area Tourism 】 Greater Bay Area Visitors Return to McKinsey, Hong Kong After Customs Clearance: A Pan-Greater Bay Area Business Strategy
Editor-in-Chief: Yang Jiaxuan
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