Overtourism, named the Oxford English Dictionary's word of the year in 2018, must be understood to develop responsible tourism management strategies.

Venice, with 50,000 locals and over 50,000 daily tourists, exemplifies overtourism, causing overcrowding, traffic, and pollution.

Tourism contributes 8% to global emissions and causes harm to natural areas and ecosystems through excessive development and degradation.

Excessive tourism can cause environmental degradation and rising temperatures, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.

In some European cities and islands, tourists outnumber locals, causing issues like overcrowding, traffic, and pollution that can be mitigated with sustainable tourism strategies.

Overtourism can create jobs, but they often don't provide living wages, highlighting the need for fair labor practices.

Multinational companies' investment in tourist infrastructure can drive up local rents, emphasizing the need for responsible practices.

Social media can contribute to overcrowding in popular destinations by promoting them online.

Some cities have introduced admission fees to curb demand and reduce overtourism's impact on local communities and ecosystems.

Decentralizing transportation can reduce overcrowding and mitigate overtourism in popular destinations.

Destinations like Mount Fuji, Ha Long Bay, and Koh Samui face overcrowding, pollution, and water shortages due to overtourism, highlighting the need for global cooperation.

The Ganges River and Atacama Desert are polluted by tourism and waste, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism practices.

Venice and the San Gabriel Mountains are harmed by tourism, highlighting the need for responsible practices and environmental protection.

Lake Superior's ecology is threatened by human visits, prompting calls for sustainable tourism practices to mitigate overtourism.

Overtourism overwhelms destinations, pushing out locals and jamming roads, emphasizing the need for sustainable management.

The growth of tourism negatively impacts local communities, highlighting the need for responsible tourism practices.

In Hawaii, the tourism industry harms the environment and community, with 65% of residents citing increased traffic and costs, highlighting the need for sustainable management.

Hawaii received 10.4 million visitors in 2019, causing environmental degradation and reduced quality of life for locals, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism.

The Destination Management Action Plan aims to reduce tourism's impact on Hawaii's resources and preserve the "aloha spirit" through community engagement and sustainable practices.

Mass tourism brings economic benefits, but can displace locals and convert apartments into hotels, highlighting the need for responsible investment.

In developing countries, tourism can drive economic growth, but it can account for up to 20% of GDP, highlighting the need for sustainable management.

The global tourism industry was valued at $1.9 trillion in 2021, underscoring the need for sustainable practices after a pandemic-related decline.

Some countries, like Bhutan with its Sustainable Development Fee, are introducing measures to promote sustainable tourism and preserve the environment and cultural heritage.

The UNWTO promotes sustainable tourism practices, community engagement, and environmental protection to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

In Europe, tourism accounts for 10% of the economy and employs 12.3 million people, but raises concerns over low wages and uneven revenue distribution.

Venice's 49,000 residents are overwhelmed by 20 million annual tourists, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism management.

Tenerife's economy, 35% dependent on tourism, faces challenges including a housing crisis, drought, and traffic congestion, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism.

The housing crisis in Tenerife is worsened by Airbnb-style lets, which drive up prices and rents by reducing available properties for locals.

Unmanaged tourism can damage coral reefs, affecting 25% of tropical fish and emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.

Mass tourism causes environmental problems, including pollution and destruction of breeding grounds, necessitating responsible tourism practices.

Excessive development harms the environment and local communities, emphasizing the need for sustainable tourism management.

Pollution and transshipping threaten the environment, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism and protection.

Environmental destruction affects tourism, locals' quality of life, and creates inequalities, highlighting the need for sustainable management.

Thailand's tourism shutdown helped the environment, with endangered animals returning to coastal areas and reduced degradation.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed that reduced tourism can lower carbon emissions and help wildlife flourish.

Leatherback turtles laid more eggs without tourism, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism practices.

Urbanization and industrialization cause environmental degradation, including deforestation and loss of biodiversity, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.

Globalization causes environmental degradation, emphasizing the need for sustainable tourism management.

Deforestation harms the environment and human health, especially in tourist areas, underscoring the need for sustainable tourism.

Climate change, caused by greenhouse gas release, highlights the need for sustainable tourism and environmental protection.

The tourism industry is implementing sustainable practices, like certification and eco-friendly initiatives, in destinations such as Egypt.

Sustainable tourism is a pillar of Egypt's strategy 2030, prioritizing community engagement and environmental protection.

Sharm El Sheikh hotels aim for green star certification to promote sustainable tourism and environmental protection.

The "Towards Green Development of the Tourism Sector" initiative aims to reduce tourism's environmental impact and promote sustainable development.

Overtourism strains local services and infrastructure, causing negative economic consequences and highlighting the need for sustainable tourism management.

Tourism revenue brings economic benefits, but also drives up costs, forcing locals out of homes and cities, highlighting the need for responsible investment.

Mass tourism overwhelms the island, straining local services and highlighting the need for sustainable management.

Multinational companies' hotel investments raise rents, making cities unaffordable for locals and highlighting the need for responsible tourism practices.

Tourism brings jobs, but often not living wages, highlighting the need for fair labor practices.

Overtourism affects Hawaii, where tourism drives 70% of the state's economy, emphasizing the need for sustainable management.

Overtourism in Maui strains local water resources, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism practices.

Overtourism in Hawaii contributes to a housing crisis, displacing native Hawaiians and harming the local economy.

High rental prices and overcrowding in Barcelona are affecting locals and businesses, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism management.

Excessive tourism increases living costs, prompting cities to impose tourism taxes and seek innovative solutions to manage overcrowding.

Cities like Venice impose a tourist tax on peak days to curb demand and promote sustainable tourism.

Amsterdam bans new hotels and promotes decentralizing transportation to combat overtourism and support sustainable tourism practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for balance between tourism and Hawaiian culture, emphasizing community engagement and sustainable tourism practices.

Tourism can fund conservation, but it also requires sustainable practices to mitigate negative environmental effects.

Effective governance structures for managing overtourism involve transparency, accountability, and strategic planning, as seen in Egypt's sustainable tourism efforts.

Egypt aims to attract 30 million tourists by 2028 through legislative reforms that promote a fair, competitive, and sustainable tourism sector.

Regulatory systems and inter-ministerial cooperation are necessary for ecotourism development and sustainable tourism practices.

Effective management planning can encourage private sector investment in natural reserves by ensuring sustainability and promoting responsible tourism practices.

Compact cities with lower emissions can serve as models for sustainable urban planning and tourism management.

Policy instruments like information, incentives, and investments can be tailored to address environmental challenges and overtourism.

Cities can prioritize policy options and respond to environmental change through effective governance, emphasizing sustainable tourism management.

UNESCO's Sustainable Tourism Project promotes quality over quantity tourism, emphasizing community engagement, environmental protection, and attracting high-value tourists with minimal negative impacts.

Tourism taxes, like Venice's 5 euro fee on peak days, can help reduce overtourism's negative effects.

South Korea aims to receive 20 million foreign tourists by promoting sustainable tourism practices and introducing attractive policies.

Overtourism causes problems, highlighting the need for local groups to discuss countermeasures and promote sustainable tourism practices.

Kamakura, Japan, has implemented decentralized transportation to reduce overcrowding, promoting sustainable tourism practices.

Hong Kong's University has implemented crowd control measures, highlighting educational institutions' role in managing tourist flows and promoting sustainable tourism.

The Hong Kong Government plans to develop eco-tourism in South Lantau, with 300 hectares of "Green Belt" and a focus on sustainable practices.

The government and local organizations must invest in infrastructure, conservation, and community engagement to support sustainable tourism and environmental protection.

Overtourism, named the Oxford English Dictionary's word of the year in 2018, must be understood to develop responsible tourism management strategies.

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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Previous / Next News

Venice, with 50,000 locals and over 50,000 daily tourists, exemplifies overtourism, causing overcrowding, traffic, and pollution.

Tourism contributes 8% to global emissions and causes harm to natural areas and ecosystems through excessive development and degradation.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
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.

Excessive tourism can cause environmental degradation and rising temperatures, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
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 some European cities and islands, tourists outnumber locals, causing issues like overcrowding, traffic, and pollution that can be mitigated with sustainable tourism strategies.

Overtourism can create jobs, but they often don't provide living wages, highlighting the need for fair labor practices.

Multinational companies' investment in tourist infrastructure can drive up local rents, emphasizing the need for responsible practices.

Social media can contribute to overcrowding in popular destinations by promoting them online.

Some cities have introduced admission fees to curb demand and reduce overtourism's impact on local communities and ecosystems.

Decentralizing transportation can reduce overcrowding and mitigate overtourism in popular destinations.

Destinations like Mount Fuji, Ha Long Bay, and Koh Samui face overcrowding, pollution, and water shortages due to overtourism, highlighting the need for global cooperation.

Title:

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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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The Ganges River and Atacama Desert are polluted by tourism and waste, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism practices.

Venice and the San Gabriel Mountains are harmed by tourism, highlighting the need for responsible practices and environmental protection.

Lake Superior's ecology is threatened by human visits, prompting calls for sustainable tourism practices to mitigate overtourism.

Overtourism overwhelms destinations, pushing out locals and jamming roads, emphasizing the need for sustainable management.

Title:

Content:
Menu

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”

The growth of tourism negatively impacts local communities, highlighting the need for responsible tourism practices.

Title:

Content:
Menu

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”

In Hawaii, the tourism industry harms the environment and community, with 65% of residents citing increased traffic and costs, highlighting the need for sustainable management.

Title:

Content: My channel
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In California, despite heavy rains, people still need to save water
Starlink expands to Los Angeles-Taipei in late April
Hawaii faces economic and environmental challenges
As Hawaii ’ s tourism industry rebounded after it was effectively shut down during the pandemic, local politicians, communities, and business leaders revived the central issue of tourism policy discussion: How many visitors are considered too many?
Natalia Hussey-Burdick, a member of the summer state House of Representatives and vice chair of the House Committee on Tourism, has introduced a bill calling for a study of Hawaii ’ s tourist capacity.
The effort comes amid growing concerns about illegal vacation rentals, transportation, and threats to marine life and the environment. “In fact, this is a longstanding concern for all Hawaiian islands and communities. ”
However, not everyone agrees that Hawaii needs research to quantify the tourism industry. In 2019, Hawaii received 10.4 million visitors, which is considered too many, and the tourism industry in Hawaii is overloaded.
Broadly speaking, capacity is the maximum number of visitors a destination can receive without irreparable damage to the environment, infrastructure and community.
Community and environmental groups see this as critical, as do hotel executives, who argue that hosting too many visitors will harm Hawaii ’ s natural and cultural resources, as well as the “aloha spirit, ” and that tourism will be at risk if Hawaii loses those resources and tourists don ’ t want to return.
Hawaii policy makers have worked to address concerns about overtourism.
Before the pandemic, city officials tried to understand the situation of Kailua and Lanikai as tourist destinations, studying the shift from a focus on passenger capacity to a perception of tourism among residents, who were dissatisfied with the daily average of about 15,161 tourists in the two places.
Research shows that more than 65% of residents surveyed in the second half of 2019 agree or strongly agree that tourism increases traffic flow, costs of living, and disrupts the small-town atmosphere.
The same proportion of respondents believe that holiday rentals reduce the supply of housing for locals, and that government decisions on tourism generally benefit tourists rather than local people.
The report was published in June 2020 and received little attention.
At the height of the epidemic, Hawaii closed tourism, tens of thousands of hotel workers lost their jobs, and the unemployment rate was about 17%.
However, in the wake of the pandemic, Hawaii welcomed 9.2 million visitors in 2022, which has recovered to nearly 90% of 2019.
Hawaii hotel operator Jerry Gibson observed that when tourist rental growth, especially in Oahu, is the main reason for the increase in visitor numbers, up to 10 million people, the number of new hotel rooms is small, unable to supply demand, "hotel and tourist rental capacity is different."
Some people believe that the overloading of tourism is not the most important thing, but the threat to the health of the ecosystem. In 2022, the residents of the northern coast of Oahu face an environmental crisis in the Marine Life Reserve, so they are promoting projects that do not focus on tourist capacity but on the impact of tourism on the environment.
Tourism Hawaii also develops a Destination Management Action Plan for each island.
The Oahu community expects to reduce the impact by improving infrastructure and management, and limiting the number of visitors to tourist hotspots.
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Hawaii received 10.4 million visitors in 2019, causing environmental degradation and reduced quality of life for locals, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism.

The Destination Management Action Plan aims to reduce tourism's impact on Hawaii's resources and preserve the "aloha spirit" through community engagement and sustainable practices.

Mass tourism brings economic benefits, but can displace locals and convert apartments into hotels, highlighting the need for responsible investment.

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Content: Why the SDF of INR 1,200 was imposed on Indian Tourists

The INR 1,200 per day SDF for Indian tourists is aimed at checking mass tourism which was becoming a major issue in Bhutan.

Bhutan was being sold as a destination cheaper than most mass tourism sites in India like Goa, Manali, Darjeeling etc. by some Indian tour operators.

The result was a mass inflow of tourists which Bhutan was unable to cope with.

Greedy landlords were throwing out families in Thimphu and other places to convert apartments into hotels.

Traffic jams got much worse.

Trash was dumped by tourists everywhere, including holy sites. Bhutanese could no longer visit the holiest of monasteries in peace, but had to contend with tourists.

Thimphu already has water shortage, sewage, trash issues, but all of them got much worse.
Residents did not get drinking water on time but hotels had water for swimming pools.

Bhutan has narrow mountain roads and suddenly these were full of tourist vehicles and bikers.
It was becoming less safe to drive for both locals and inexperienced tourist vehicles.

There were accidents and some deaths too.

There was a huge construction boom of hotels and budget hotels which jacked up land and apartment prices in major urban areas in Bhutan.
Today most Bhutanese cannot even dream of owning a home in urban areas due to these prices.

We were being locked into a mass tourism trap.

All of the above went completely against what Bhutan stands for and makes it unique in the community of nations.

We do not prioritize mindless development or economic growth at the cost of people’s well being, environment, cultural preservation and sustainable development.

It was to prevent mass tourism that Bhutan from the time it opened up to tourism had a SDF rate of USD 65 per day for all other tourists with a minimum package of USD 250 during season and USD 200 during off season.

This was exempted for India, Bangladesh and Maldives. However, it was now clear that the exemption was a mistake as the overwhelming majority of mass tourists were coming from India.

The mass tourism was upending the sustainable ‘high value and low volume’ tourism policy of Bhutan.

Bhutan did not introduce the SDF right away. Given our friendly and close ties with India I believe that Delhi was consulted and the growing problem was laid out.

Valuing Bhutan more as a strategic ally than a cheap tourism destination, Delhi was okay with a reasonable SDF.

The Parliament in 2020 passed a law bringing into effect the INR 1,200 SDF.

It could not be implemented as the pandemic struck and our borders were closed.

Later the USD 65 SDF for all other tourists was increased to USD 200, but the SDF for Indian tourists remains untouched.

In short, American, British, European, Japanese, Chinese tourists all have to pay USD 200 SDF per day or around INR 16,000 where as only Indian tourists have to pay INR 1,200 per day with exemptions for young children.

Bhutan and India are not only close friends but almost like family. I think the majority of Indian tourists and Indians will understand Bhutan’s position and where it is coming from.

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In developing countries, tourism can drive economic growth, but it can account for up to 20% of GDP, highlighting the need for sustainable management.

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Content: Wednesday 27 September 2023
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
Abdurrahim Ali
Editor-in-Chief
Dalia Abdul Rahim
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editorial Board
Abdurrahim Ali
Editor-in-Chief
Dalia Abdul Rahim
Reports & Investigations
Green investment is the theme of World Tourism Day 2023.
According to the United Nations, the sector accounts for 20% of the GDP of some countries.
Corona led to a decline in the proceeds from 3.5 to 1.9 trillion dollars in 2021
Follow the latest news through the app
Today, Wednesday, September 27, is World Tourism Day, where all countries are interested in highlighting the importance of tourism internationally, with the aim of knowing its important impact on the economic, political and cultural scale on a global scale.
The reason for the celebration of World Tourism Day
Tourism is a major and important source of income for all countries, so the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations decided to set a special date for the World Tourism Day to be September 27 of every year since 1980, because this day coincides with the date of adoption of the Statute of the Organization on September 27 of 1970.
The aim of the UNWTO was to introduce the idea of celebrating World Tourism Day to highlight the importance of international tourism on a global scale, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and countries are working to develop tourism activity and open a lot of reservations to help citizens move from one country to another to stimulate tourism, enjoy different tourist attractions and learn about customs and traditions of each country.
There are recent developments to benefit from tourism significantly, as countries have changed the point of view in tourism, can enjoy medical tourism for the purpose of treatment and recreation, and also recreational travel, which is to visit various tourist attractions in the world, and can also travel to visit holy and religious places, and there is tourism for shopping and buying various products from anywhere such as clothes or devices. So, but for relaxation, meditation, creativity or for new adventures, so countries work to provide all services to visitors to stimulate tourism.
Sustainable green investment
The theme of World Tourism Day 2023 focused on sustainable green investment, and this is in line with the global event held on the land of Sharm El Sheikh, the city of magic and beauty, where the Global Green Climate Change Conference was held, especially in light of the accelerating effects in the tourism industry represented by global climate change, as well as the effects of artificial intelligence and virtual tourism in the global tourism market. Tourism interacts with the nature of the tourist community and the environment of nature.
20% of GDP of some countries
According to the United Nations, the tourism sector provides millions of jobs around the world, especially for youth and women, and tourism accounts for more than 20% of the GDP of some small island states and growing countries, the economic contribution of tourism (GDP of tourism) is estimated at $1.9 trillion in 2021, higher than the $1.6 trillion recorded for 2020, but still far below the pre-coronavirus value of $3.5 trillion.

The global tourism industry was valued at $1.9 trillion in 2021, underscoring the need for sustainable practices after a pandemic-related decline.

Some countries, like Bhutan with its Sustainable Development Fee, are introducing measures to promote sustainable tourism and preserve the environment and cultural heritage.

The UNWTO promotes sustainable tourism practices, community engagement, and environmental protection to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

In Europe, tourism accounts for 10% of the economy and employs 12.3 million people, but raises concerns over low wages and uneven revenue distribution.

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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?
Https: / / p.dw.com / p / 4iD5I
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.
© 2024 Deutsche Welle Copyright Notice: All content in this article is protected by copyright law and may not be used without special permission from Deutsche Welle.
Any misconduct will lead to recovery and criminal prosecution.

Venice's 49,000 residents are overwhelmed by 20 million annual tourists, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism management.

Tenerife's economy, 35% dependent on tourism, faces challenges including a housing crisis, drought, and traffic congestion, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism.

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'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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The housing crisis in Tenerife is worsened by Airbnb-style lets, which drive up prices and rents by reducing available properties for locals.

Unmanaged tourism can damage coral reefs, affecting 25% of tropical fish and emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.

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Connie Mudore: What footprints do we, as tourists, leave behind?

Like most tourists, I'd come to a tropical paradise without thinking about environmental problems caused by mass tourism. With tourists gone due to COVID, endangered species' outlook had brightened.

When COVID broke out, I was an expat living in northern Thailand. In 2020, and most of 2021, the country had no access to COVID vaccines. The Thai government shut its borders to prevent the spread of disease. Most foreigners were locked out of Thailand. I was locked in.

Thailand's shutdown of international tourism reduced the spread of COVID and was good for the natural environment. Local media reported that endangered animals were returning to coastal areas. Unfortunately, the Thai economy is heavily dependent upon international tourism. For the Thai people, the shutdown was a financial disaster.

The government launched a program to boost domestic travel and offset the money lost from international tourists. It allocated $640 million to make flights and hotels within Thailand available at a deep discount. It was a chance for Thais to travel to stunning spots in their own country they'd never been able to afford.

Since I love to snorkel, Koh Lipe, Thailand's southernmost island, was on my bucket list. Fellow snorkelers told me the island was touristy but still had healthy coral that was home to 25% of the world's tropical fish. Now that the tourists were gone, it was prime time to go. Snorkeling in the skeletal remains of dead reefs on other trips with mobs of people had been depressing. Most islands in Thailand have damaged or dead reefs due to unmanaged tourism, coastal development, bleaching, and destructive fishing.

There were no direct flights from my home in Chiang Mai to Koh Lipe, so I flew first to sprawling Hat Yai, a city 500 miles south of Bangkok. There I took a minivan to a ferry landing. From the landing, a speedboat whisked passengers across turquoise waters to Koh Lipe. Strictly enforced COVID precautions required wearing masks and getting temperature checked in all public spaces including the boat.

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There were only a handful of passengers. The ferry rammed into waves for what felt like days but was actually only a couple of hours. By the time the boat arrived at Koh Lipe, most of the passengers were seasick. One sidecar motorbike taxi waited for customers at the landing but the driver looked at me warily. I was a foreigner who seemed ill; he asked to take my temperature. Fortunately, it was normal. Satisfied that I probably didn't have COVID, he let me climb aboard the taxi and then drove the rutted road to my hotel.

Due to the pandemic, my hotel's restaurant had cut back on the hours it was open, reduced staff, and offered a limited menu. A booking site I checked for other lodging said there were 133 hotels on Koh Lipe. Since the island is only two miles long and 1.5 miles wide, that number of hotels — even partially occupied — would mean wall-to-wall people. The thought stopped me dead in my tracks. Like most tourists, I'd come to a tropical paradise without thinking about environmental problems caused by mass tourism. With tourists gone, endangered species were now returning to their homes. Walking along the deserted beach, it struck me that while I could live without ever having been to Koh Lipe, endangered animals had no choice.

After each snorkel, on my way back to the hotel, I walked past piles of plastic bags that had washed up from the sparkling sea onto the beach and through the island's deserted walking street. Its shuttered shops and restaurants made me wonder what the locals were doing to survive.

As hoped, Koh Lipe's snorkeling was good. The reefs were mostly healthy hump coral in shades of brown with patches of pink and purple. Many types of colorful fish glided through the clear water, including a school of silver trevally that formed a giant swirling funnel. But if things continued the way they had before the pandemic, the reefs' and its inhabitants' days were numbered.

The pandemic gave Thais, and everyone else, the chance to rethink business as usual. Thais questioned whether continuing to rely on international mass tourism was a good idea. The rest of us might wonder the same. Is it necessary to destroy the planet in order to take a vacation? For the sake of our world, there has to be another way.

Connie Mudore lived abroad for over a decade. Two years ago, she and her two cats put down roots in Rochester. Originally hailing from the Midwest, Connie enjoys Rochester's small town/big city vibe.

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Mass tourism causes environmental problems, including pollution and destruction of breeding grounds, necessitating responsible tourism practices.

Excessive development harms the environment and local communities, emphasizing the need for sustainable tourism management.

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Content: President George Vella on Friday warned about the destruction of the natural environment that was being allowed to happen as a result of excessive development.

Addressing an event about Corallo, a marine conservation project, at San Anton Palace, Vella warned that "while promoting all this love for things linked to the sea, we cannot allow our land to be eroded, abused, destroyed".

He also expressed hope that the untouched marine environment would not be exploited for commercial and industrial interests.

"Once one reaches my age, they realise that if we are not careful, the sea will suffer the same faith suffered by land... and this can also happen to sites within conservation areas," he said.

The President noted that those who, years ago, spoke fervently about environmental protection used to be perceived as people who were academically obsessed with the topic. Nowadays people had realised that whatever happened to the environment around us was intrinsically linked to life itself.

"It is a cycle. If we don't make sure that the environment around us is protected from destruction or deterioration, we will pay the price one way or another," Vella said, noting that over the years, many had witnessed the deterioration of the coastline.

Video: OPR

Fish farming contributes to contamination of idyllic places

"Fish farming nowadays contributes to our economy, however, it also contributes to the contamination and destruction of several places that were once deemed heaven on earth.

"There was a time when Hurd's Bank was heaven on earth, a breeding ground for several species. Pollution and anchor dragging has destroyed it all...

"I don't believe transshipping and longtime berthing are rendering much to the economy and, additionally, we are risking the wellbeing of the environment and our economy in the event of strong winds or some other incident."

Vella, who said he felt strongly about the topic and was pained by the current state of affairs, warned that wrecks on their own would not attract diving tourists.

If the natural beauty of diving sites was not protected, there could be a repeat of what happened in Xlendi, where foreigners who once loved the area no longer visited the seaside locality.

Everyone could see what was being "allowed to happen": authorities that had been set up as watchdogs should not simply claim they were following the rules. If rules needed to be amended, then they should be amended, Vella said.

"Fifty, 60 years ago, no one could foresee the current environmental destruction around us: concrete and glass erected everywhere," he said, calling for investment in a generation of children who spoke up in favour of the protection of heritage irrespective of partisan interests.

Islands destroyed by excessive development

The president sounded a further warning: several islands that used to depend on tourism had been destroyed by excessive development, he said.

He lamented that those drawing up the assessments of sites earmarked for development paid only lip service to vegetation and garigue. The protection was trumped by the "high figures" in regard to development.

Vella also warned about the impact of environmental destruction on the tourism industry and on the locals' quality of life.

It was not about how much money one had in his pocket, but about how and whether that person could enjoy those funds, Vella noted.

Inequalities were created when one could no longer enjoy fresh air in Malta, and had to seek it in Sicily, among others, he said.

The President thanked the Malta Environment and Resources Authority, the University of Malta and Heritage Malta for their collaboration on the Corallo project.

Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.

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Pollution and transshipping threaten the environment, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism and protection.

Environmental destruction affects tourism, locals' quality of life, and creates inequalities, highlighting the need for sustainable management.

Thailand's tourism shutdown helped the environment, with endangered animals returning to coastal areas and reduced degradation.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed that reduced tourism can lower carbon emissions and help wildlife flourish.

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Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
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.

Leatherback turtles laid more eggs without tourism, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism practices.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
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.

Urbanization and industrialization cause environmental degradation, including deforestation and loss of biodiversity, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.

Title:

Content: Letters to The EDITOR: Environmental degradation and preservation

Globalization generally means the modernization of all things and reaching greater heights. But at present, globalization has more negative effects than positive ones.

sentinelgroup@gmail.com

Environmental degradation and preservation

Globalization generally means the modernization of all things and reaching greater heights. But at present, globalization has more negative effects than positive ones. Globalization generally leads to environmental degradation. Environmental degradation is generally very dangerous and harmful at present because it leads to the degradation of human lives, an increase in pollution, a decline in fresh oxygen levels, and various other issues. Proper care should be taken for health issues, and development should be done keeping in mind the proper management of the mind as well as wealth. The main causes of environmental degradation are deforestation, urbanization, cutting of forests for agricultural use, construction of dams that lead to degradation of natural habitat, pollution, overpopulation, and industrialization.

Addressing this topic is very essential because it directly affects the welfare of current and future generations. There are also various consequences of environmental degradation, such as: 1. Loss of biodiversity: Environmental degradation such as pollution and habitat destruction leads to biodiversity loss. This can have long-term effects on ecosystems; 2. Climate change: through the atmospheric release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane; 3. Water scarcity: water scarcity can result from pollution and overexploitation of water resources, which may lead to their scarcity. That is why water should be used judiciously for proper maintenance. This may impact food security and lead to disputes over water resources; 4. Air pollution: Transportation, combustion, and industrial fossil fuels are the three main causes of air pollution; 5. Soil degradation: Pollution, deforestation, and inefficient farming methods can all contribute to soil degradation. This generally leads to a decline in the fertility of the soil and ultimately results in low productivity; 6. Disruption of ecosystem services: A healthy ecosystem and human well-being generally depend upon ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, pollination, and water purification, all of which can suffer negative effects or impacts from environmental deterioration; 7. Impact on human health: Environmental degradation generally has a direct impact on human health because of pollutants, contaminants in water, and floods.

Manish Kashyap

Tezpur

Judges are not gods but instruments of God on Earth

Addressing the Regional Conference of National Judicial Academy in Kolkata, the Chief Justice of India observed, as reported in your esteemed daily dated June 30, that it is wrong to equate judges with God. And he recast the role of the judge as a server of the people for they serve them with compassion, empathy and judge the cases without being judgmental. It is wonderful to know that judges are free persons; they have mastered their emotions and employ the positive ones as they do their duties of passing sentences even in most dreaded criminal cases. They bring about justice for the people and become instruments of the just God on earth. A recent vivid example of it is the Chandigarh Mayoral election. On Election Day, tension prevailed as allegations surfaced regarding the victory of the ruling party with 16 votes, while the opposition alliance secured 12 votes. However, eight votes were declared invalid by the presiding officer. A case was filed in the High Court by the opposition parties in pursuit of justice. Dissatisfied with the ruling, they preferred the case to the Supreme Court. On February 20, 2024, the Apex Court rendered its judgment, overturning the initial results and declaring the opposition alliance candidate as the rightful winner. On the last Judgment Day as we read in the Scriptures, Almighty God will judge us mercifully and reward us with justice. The Bhagwat Gita says that by virtue of their pious deeds, they go to the abode of Indra, the king of heaven and enjoy the pleasures of the celestial gods (9: 20-21). God will set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, to deal with all the souls justly, according to the Quran. (Quran 21:47) And according to the Bible, God will reward each of us according to what we have done. (Rom. 2: 6-7)

Fr. William Horo

(frwilliamhoro@gmail.com)

Senseless action

A very popular school teacher of a government school in Telengana, credited with turning around the school's fortune as highly performing, was transferred to another school, and over one hundred students took a transfer themselves and followed him to the new school.

Why would a teacher, especially one who is delivering and building up a positive relationship with all stakeholders, be transferred like some clerk in a government office?

Such disruption simply does not make sense, unless, of course, to accommodate another teacher close to some powers that be. This needs to be stopped forthwith in the interest of public education, especially in primary schools.

Krishnanjan Chanda,

Guwahati

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Globalization causes environmental degradation, emphasizing the need for sustainable tourism management.

Deforestation harms the environment and human health, especially in tourist areas, underscoring the need for sustainable tourism.

Climate change, caused by greenhouse gas release, highlights the need for sustainable tourism and environmental protection.

The tourism industry is implementing sustainable practices, like certification and eco-friendly initiatives, in destinations such as Egypt.

Title:

Content: Sustainable tourism and environment one of the main pillars of the ministry ’ s strategy 2030
Saturday ، 28 May 2022 10: 33 PM
Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad
Books by Muhammad Asaad
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Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad expressed her happiness on this day because it represents a milestone in reaching a real partnership for the protection of the environment between all stakeholders in different sectors from government, private and civil society experts and media, in addition to being a practical proof of the great efforts made during the past 15 years. And work to exploit natural resources properly to achieve growth in ecotourism in the conservation of natural resources to achieve reconciliation between the two sectors to work together to reach sustainability, a global challenge that achieves harmony between the tourism sector and the environmental sector.
This came during the launch ceremony of the project "Towards Green Development in the Tourism Sector" in the presence of Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Dr. Khaled Al-Anany, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Alessandro Fracassetti, UNDP Regional Representative in Egypt, a number of representatives of ambassadors and stakeholders in the tourism industry and international media.
The Minister of Environment pointed out that the work between the tourism and environmental sectors to achieve sustainable development was carried out according to a clear vision and foundations, the most important priorities of which are the interest of the Egyptian state, as well as keeping abreast of the international developments taking place around us, in addition to protecting the right of future generations to natural resources.
The Minister of Environment stressed that the way to achieve this was not easy, but went through many identification and difficulties that have been overcome by science and certainty of the importance of what we are doing to convince the tourism sector of the importance of protecting natural resources and because it increases the benefits and rates of economic development.
The Minister of Environment pointed out that all this work coincides with Egypt's hosting of the climate conference cop27, which the Ministry of Tourism is making a great effort to work to get the hotels and restaurants of Sharm El Sheikh to the green star and adjust their conditions, pointing out that the work is in full swing to protect natural resources and biodiversity and lay the foundations of sustainability in the tourism sector, especially in all sectors, not to host the climate conference. Therefore, the outputs and results of the project must be launched today to emphasize the importance of returning to nature again and how to deal with tourist places and the importance of establishing environmentally friendly practices.
The Minister of Environment pointed out the importance of the existence of the green list in order to distinguish between environmentally compatible facilities, which are making an effort to reach sustainability and others, so it is necessary to thank everyone who made an effort in this for the sake of the environment and its protection.
The Minister of Environment said that the months of May and June coincide with many important environmental celebrations, as the second Saturday of May marks the celebration of the International Day of Migratory Birds, 22 May marks the International Day for Biological Diversity and 5 June marks the celebration of the World Environment Day.
She also expressed her thanks and appreciation to Dr. Khaled Al-Anany, Minister of Tourism for his support of the environmental work in the tourism sector, as well as pleased that the initiative of the Central Bank for the tourism sector will be useful in this regard for all those who contributed to this work from the United Nations Development Program, the Global Environment Facility, the Ministry of Tourism and Egyptian Media, experts and consultants. This is confirmed by the latest international reports and the latest report of the Intergovernmental Authority, which pointed out that if the temperature of the earth rises above 1.5 degrees Celsius, the environmental deterioration in the tourism sector will reach ten times what was done 10 years ago, time is not in our favor and loves to work to preserve our planet, we have no other choice.
Dr. Khaled Al-Anany, Minister of Tourism, thanked Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, and her team at the ministry, and Alessandro Fracassetti, UNDP regional representative in Egypt, for the continuous and fruitful cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in order to achieve a balance between benefiting from tourism sites and maintaining environmental balance. The ministry pays special attention to environmental tourism, pointing to his visit this morning to Wadi Natroun, which is a model of ecotourism distinguished as it includes a group of monasteries dating back to the fourth century AD, which witnessed the passage of the Holy Family, in addition to its presence in the midst of green fields.
Dr. Khaled Al-Anany pointed to the concerted efforts with all concerned parties and the state pays special attention to providing environmental tourism and green tourism, and work to highlight Egypt ’ s green nature and natural elements and how to preserve it through reducing the pressures of human activities and spreading environmentally friendly practices, in line with the objectives of the Ministry ’ s Sustainable Development Strategy and Egypt ’ s Vision 2030.
The minister also praised the permanent cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, where many important initiatives have been launched during the past years, namely, the Greens fins initiative in the diving sector and marine activities in May 2020, which was obtained by 9 diving centers in South Sinai Governorate, and 19 other centers applied for it, the EcoEgypt initiative for natural reserves in 2020, and the Red Sea Marine Environment Protection Initiative in 2021.
He added that sustainable tourism and environmental tourism have become one of the main pillars of the ministry ’ s strategy 2030, and we are witnessing today the launch of the “Towards Green Development of the Tourism Sector ” initiative in cooperation with the Egyptian Federation of Chambers of Tourism, which includes a number of key outputs, including the guide to the best practices of sustainability in hotel and tourism establishments and its electronic platform.
The minister pointed to the ministry ’ s supervisory and supervisory role by obliging all hotel and tourism establishments as a first stage in Sharm el-Sheikh to obtain a certificate from one of the accredited international or local authorities stating that they have implemented all the requirements of green practices in accordance with the concept of sustainable tourism.
In a way that contributes to the mechanisms of transforming the city into a green city that preserves natural resources and environmental systems through obtaining these certificates, pointing to the response of the tourism sector and the demand for green transformation, despite the repeated crises it faced over the past periods.
In line with the global objectives of sustainable development, we have a clear goal of "improving the traveler experience" and the main strategy to do this includes promoting and ensuring the proper management of the environmental aspects of tourism, communicating effectively with travelers to ensure the sustainability of tourism products and destinations, and strengthening partnerships with the private sector and international bodies to preserve nature and protect its resources and biodiversity.
He stressed that in order to achieve sustainability and green tourism practices, the ministry is continuously cooperating with the Ministry of Environment to activate the project of integrating biodiversity conservation measures in the tourism sector in Egypt, which is carried out in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program and the Global Environment Facility. the tourism sector.
The project aims to integrate the concept of environmental conservation, natural resources and cultural resources in tourism, where work has been done through several axes, which is to integrate this concept at the level of tourism planning and development and supporting policies, and at the level of tourism activities, whether hotels, diving or tourism companies and trips in addition to supporting ecotourism.
He added that the project is based on sustainable tourism and another aspect is supporting ecotourism within nature reserves, where a number of products that have been produced can put Egypt on the path of green tourism, which is part of more than 25 activities that have been working on for a long time.
As explained by Alessandro Fracassetti, the regional representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Egypt, Egypt ranks 51st in the World Economic Forum ’ s Travel Enthusiasm Index for 2021, which makes Egypt one of the very few countries in the world that has witnessed a remarkable improvement, especially the current global conditions, which reflected the decline of tourism worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic. He expressed the hope that these guidelines will lead to lasting positive effects to ensure the preservation of the Egyptian cultural heritage and environment, stressing the commitment to support the sustainable tourism initiative throughout Egypt in the future.
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Sustainable tourism is a pillar of Egypt's strategy 2030, prioritizing community engagement and environmental protection.

Sharm El Sheikh hotels aim for green star certification to promote sustainable tourism and environmental protection.

The "Towards Green Development of the Tourism Sector" initiative aims to reduce tourism's environmental impact and promote sustainable development.

Overtourism strains local services and infrastructure, causing negative economic consequences and highlighting the need for sustainable tourism management.

Title:

Content: 'I live in Tenerife - we've had enough of ignorant tourists keeping us up until 3am'

Fed-up locals in Tenerife are gearing up to march against unsustainable mass tourism next month.

By Alice Scarsi, World News Reporter

Fed up locals in Tenerife will take part in a march against overtourism in April (Image: GETTY-STOCK)

Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, welcomed a record-breaking number of tourists in 2023.

Data shared by the local Chamber of Commerce revealed more than 6.5 million people arrived on the island in 2023.

Most notably, the number of arrivals - around five million of which were international - was 600,000 higher than that recorded in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the tourism sector worldwide.

While tourism remains a vital sector for the island's economy, the mass arrivals have become more than a nuisance for many residents.

The large demand for short-term accommodations is one of the factors pushing up the cost of properties and rent, forcing many locals out of their homes and cities.

Particularly in southern Tenerife, some unable to pay rent had to relocate to shanty towns, motorhomes and tents.

Mass tourism is also placing local services and infrastructure under immense strain.

Moreover, as local municipalities are introducing stringent water restrictions amid a drought emergency, residents fear masses of tourists may worsen the situation on the island.

These, however, aren't the only challenging aspects of overtourism.

Josua Garcia-Garcia, 33, who works in a bar in Playas de las Americas, lamented the disregard for rules and lack of manners displayed by some visitors.

Tenerife welcomed a record-breaking number of tourists last year (Image: GETTY-STOCK)

He told the Olive Press: "It can be a nightmare when the tourists come, I only get four hours of sleep every night because of the music and noise, which keeps me up until 3am. We need stricter rules for tourists, a lot of them are ignorant of how we are suffering."

British expat Alex Kelly, 20, who works in the Rejoyce bar in Las Playas de Las Americas, said life in Tenerife has become "tough" in recent years.

Speaking about the eye-watering costs of long-term accommodations, she added: "I’m living with my boyfriend in his parents’ home because we can’t afford to move out.

"I totally get the viewpoint of the anti-tourism people, a lot of young people feel that way, the prices are crazy."

Despite many acknowledging that mass tourism is an increasing issue for Tenerife, other locals realise it is a necessary evil, as much of the economy of the island is based on it.

The frustration expressed by many locals will be publicly voiced next month.

Organisers of the protest taking place on April 20 - many of whom are groups focused on safeguarding the environment - will protest under the slogan "The Canary Islands have a limit. For a change of the model!

Their aim is to highlight how in their opinion the current tourism model has "overwhelmed" the island.

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Tourism revenue brings economic benefits, but also drives up costs, forcing locals out of homes and cities, highlighting the need for responsible investment.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
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.

Mass tourism overwhelms the island, straining local services and highlighting the need for sustainable management.

Multinational companies' hotel investments raise rents, making cities unaffordable for locals and highlighting the need for responsible tourism practices.

Tourism brings jobs, but often not living wages, highlighting the need for fair labor practices.

Overtourism affects Hawaii, where tourism drives 70% of the state's economy, emphasizing the need for sustainable management.

Title:

Content: Today is Sunday October 08, 2023
Advertisement

Hawaii’s ‘overtourism’ becomes growing debate as West Maui reopens for visitors

Posted/updated on: October 8, 2023 at 5:48 pm

West Maui began reopening Sunday to visitors just two months after a wildfire devastated the town of Lahaina.

The reopening did not come without outrage from some residents, many of whom signed a petition to delay the reopening as families continue to struggle to "find shelter, provide for their children's education, and cope with emotional trauma," according to the petition.

Homes have been flattened and are completely inhabitable. Businesses have been decimated. Some loved ones remain unaccounted for and residents have been grieving the loss of 97 people who died in the tragedy.

The petition has received more than 10,000 signatures.

The fact that tourism is resuming so soon around the outskirts of a town made unrecognizable by the wildfires has reignited an ongoing debate about Hawaii's reliance on tourism.

"There is just not a lot of activities like there usually is for these people to do, so a lot of people are wondering, why do they want to come here?" said Jordan Ruidas, a community organizer and resident.

Tourism is the No. 1 driver of that state's economy, according to Hawaii Tourism Authority, and businesses across the island have been impacted by the lack of visitors since the Aug. 8 wildfires.

But some residents link tourism and its historical links to colonialism with many of the issues plaguing the Islands, including lack of access to clean water, the housing crisis, and pollution and destruction of Hawaiian lands.

"It's a great business for Hawaii, but the difficult thing for us here is that there is not a street, a community, a county. There's nowhere that you can hide from tourism in Hawaii," said Susie Pu, a hotel manager on Maui.

She continued, "The most important thing is that we find a balance between the Hawaiian culture and tourism. Hawaiian people need to be benefiting from tourism equally. And I do not see that."

Hawaii before tourism

Hawaii didn't always rely on tourism as its main source of income.

According to research from the University of Hawaii, Hawaiian society was self-sustaining and run in cooperative, extended ohana -- or family -- that each manned subdivisions of land.

Native Hawaiians were recorded to have been living "well above subsistence levels, with extensive time available for cultural activities, sports, and games" before their long period of isolation from outsiders came to an end, the University of Hawaii found.

Contact with the outside world in the 1770s changed Hawaii drastically. Deaths caused a massive wave of fatalities, leading to a 90% decline in the Native Hawaiian population, according to research from the National Academy of Medicine.

The Hawaiian Kingdom and monarchy were formed during this period of change, adopting Western political strategies to settle disputes between competing Hawaiian states. The Islands also became integrated into the global market, losing its past self-sustaining system.

This drastic social, economic, and political change was marked by a shift to sugar production when a treaty with the U.S. exempted sugar firms on the island from high tariffs.

"The story of sugar is really, really important because in a lot of ways it was the wealthy and powerful corporations that promoted sugar to the kingdom that really were responsible for seeking markets in the United States," Jonathan Kay Kamakawiwoʻole Osorio, the dean of the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, said.

"That's all a part of the story of not just the rise, but the fall of the [Hawaiian] kingdom," said Osorio.

As production expanded, American corporations producing sugar on the Islands sought to keep prices high and labor costs lower, hiring cheaper immigrant labor and lobbying for an immigration policy that would allow them to do so, historians say.

"While sugar did actually generate a great deal of income, most of that income really acted to sort of replace Native Hawaiians in the country," said Osorio.

Efforts to expand sugar production and house waves of imported labor pushed Native Hawaiians from their land, home, and island.

Throughout this time, laborers were organizing against low wages and poor benefits, and "the sugar companies began to lose a little bit of control. Everybody can sort of see that in the future, sugar is not going to be as profitable as it once was," according to Osorio.

However, World War II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 put labor rights efforts to a halt.

It wasn't until the late 1940s that workers began to make real concessions -- getting better benefits and salaries.

"Sugar companies really basically are looking at an industry that's not nearly as conducive to profits as it once was. Plus, in the post-war world, there's also new competition from places like the Philippines," Osorio added.

By the 1970s, more and more plantations were shutting down and they were moving toward using their lands for a tourist economy.

"Tourism would not exist at the scale that it exists today if it weren't for the takeover," Osorio said.

Vulnerability in tourism reliance

Following the wildfires on the West side, occupancy at the oceanfront condo resort Hana Kai Maui on the other side of the island was impacted almost immediately.

"We have always operated at a really high occupancy, almost like 95% year round. The day of the fires or the day after the fires, it was just such a downward slide," Pu said.

"We lost hundreds of 1000s of dollars in reservations over about a one-week period. And we're only a 17-unit business so it was a lot. We're recovering," she added.

Noah Drazkowski, who was born and raised in West Maui and owns a local business, told ABC News in a previous interview that he's been grieving alongside his community while looking for ways to keep his local business afloat.

"The majority of our income is from tourists, tourism, and I wish that we could say that we can survive on only the local community support," said Drazkowski.

Some business owners are torn about the future of tourism in Maui.

In 2022 alone, Hawaii saw nearly 10 million visitors, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Islands saw roughly 2.7 million.

Now, approximately 70% of every dollar is generated directly or indirectly by the visitor industry, according to the Maui Economic Development Board.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how life in Hawaii could be without "overtourism," Osorio said.

"We started really seeing what happens to beaches and what happens to the ocean and what happens to mountain trails, hiking trails when they are free of so many people," said Osorio. "The quality of life in so many ways improves not [just for the people] but for other species that have depended on this environment for a long time."

Pu added: "We want tourists in Hawaii, but we also want to be able to live peacefully here and we want our forests to remain intact."

The impacts of tourism

Being a popular tourist destination comes with its challenges.

The Aloha State is experiencing one of the worst housing crises in America, with some of the highest housing costs in the nation and the fourth-highest rate of homelessness per capita in the country, according to the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The U.S. has acknowledged its historical responsibility for causing this housing crisis among Native Hawaiians through its 1921 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, a reparations policy that set aside land for Native communities after the violent displacement and removal of Native Hawaiians.

Parts of Maui have also been under a water conservation notice in recent years, as an intense drought and dry conditions limit the region's access to water. With hotels and resorts taking up their share of the water, some locals wish that water would be directed toward residents, especially following the deadly wildfire in which firefighters in Lahaina claimed that their hoses ran dry.

Politicians have been under pressure from some residents to look for a way to diversify the economy and for land to be given back to the Native Hawaiian population. As tourism comes back toward the disaster area, the conversation around tourism is unlikely to settle down.

"Our desire is to provide for ourselves so that we can properly feed ourselves, so that we can actually have places to live, so that we can protect the lands from misuse," said Osorio.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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Overtourism in Maui strains local water resources, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism practices.

Overtourism in Hawaii contributes to a housing crisis, displacing native Hawaiians and harming the local economy.

High rental prices and overcrowding in Barcelona are affecting locals and businesses, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism management.

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.
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Are tourist expulsions spreading in Europe?
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Excessive tourism increases living costs, prompting cities to impose tourism taxes and seek innovative solutions to manage overcrowding.

Cities like Venice impose a tourist tax on peak days to curb demand and promote sustainable tourism.

Amsterdam bans new hotels and promotes decentralizing transportation to combat overtourism and support sustainable tourism practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for balance between tourism and Hawaiian culture, emphasizing community engagement and sustainable tourism practices.

Tourism can fund conservation, but it also requires sustainable practices to mitigate negative environmental effects.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
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.

Effective governance structures for managing overtourism involve transparency, accountability, and strategic planning, as seen in Egypt's sustainable tourism efforts.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
Tourism at the National Dialogue Table | Ministry Spokesman Reviews “Echo of the Country ” Sector Governance Tools
The national dialogue began on May 3, which is a commitment by the state to its prior commitments and its keenness to provide a general atmosphere that allows cooperation between all spectrums for the benefit of the country, and to achieve a bright future in which all sectors rise, and confirms the determination of the political leadership to find radical solutions to all issues and problems.
The sessions of the National Dialogue on Sunday, May 14 and ending May 18 will cover three axes: political, economic and social. The economic axis includes tourism, in addition to the march of the sessions will be held in parallel.
Dr. Soha Bahgat, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and official spokesman of the Ministry, said that governance is the decision-making process taking into account the principles of transparency, accountability and strategic planning. In this context, the ministry has taken several steps, most notably preparing a clear strategy to attract 30 million tourists by the end of 2028.
The principle of transparency and accessibility
Dr. Suha explained to Sada Al-Balad that the principles of transparency and availability represented in the announcement of the strategy and its objectives, in addition to discussing it with the private sector and presenting it to the House of Representatives, stakeholders and employees of the ministry through discussion sessions and working sessions chaired by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa.
To achieve the principles of governance, the strategy was based on several measures to reach the objectives, such as: first, moving institutional development to higher levels through restructuring functions in coordination with the Regulatory and Administrative Authority and the creation of new departments that serve the institutional development process and improve the quality of services and oversight in the presence of transparency, accountability and follow-up.
The advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and the official spokesman of the ministry pointed to the tools of the ministry to achieve the strategy of 30 million tourists, saying: We are working on them through several measures, most notably the legislative reform is the amendment of laws such as the tourist and hotel establishments law issued and the exit of its executive regulations soon, and the guide that will end the coming period. Important moves to help achieve governance.
Fairness in competition
She pointed out that the regulation and legislation set by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities helps to create justice in competition, to be one of the tools of applying the rules of governance, which is intended here to allow regulatory controls for tourism work in general, whether working in the hotel sector or various other sectors, and at the same time allow development followed by monitoring and evaluation.
She added that the state supports and assists the tourism sector by linking the sector to the largest system of the state in spending on road infrastructure and all achievements of ease of movement between provinces and facilities of entry from land and sea ports, and increasing public spending programs on tourism to support the governance of the sector.
New hotel standards
She pointed out that the start of the application of the new standards for the updated hotels requires raising the efficiency of services and improving their infrastructure to obtain the degree of star associated with them, and the role of the ministry here is a watchdog, catalyst and good organizer to complete this project.
Tourist Visa
She went on to say that we have priorities through the implementation of the strategy of 30 million tourists to control the payment of tourism movement, which is to stimulate transactions or commercial operations between companies, in addition to other trends, including the last period we focused on visa facilities for a large number of different countries. 180 countries can obtain an emergency visa on arrival through various ports provided that you obtain a visa in advance from the Schengen area, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America.
Tourism Business Routes
She reviewed: The ministry is working on different tracks on improving the tourist experience with different ministries where we have 14 work tracks with 8 different ministries tracks that identify all the challenges facing the tourist during his arrival or presence in Egypt and are resolved with the concerned ministries that are witnessing cooperation and harmony with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in solving the challenges and facilitating the process of improving the experience of this.
She added that work is being done in several axes related to the tourism strategy to achieve the desired objectives within the framework of governance, transparency, coordination and planning with various partners and agencies in order to reach the target to obtain the real and correct position among the tourism countries.
An example is the creation of the digital structure of the Ministry, which is well done by switching to electronic payment for booking tickets to shrines and museums and developing their websites, in addition to developing the website of the Tourism Authority and the Ministry and placing services on them, in addition to providing a hotline and an integrated complaints system that responds immediately and is followed up by a formed committee.
She concluded by saying that the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is a regulatory, regulatory and motivating body for the tourism sector, and here was the attention to the human element inside and outside the ministry by training its cadres at the highest level to properly carry out the tasks entrusted to them.

Egypt aims to attract 30 million tourists by 2028 through legislative reforms that promote a fair, competitive, and sustainable tourism sector.

Regulatory systems and inter-ministerial cooperation are necessary for ecotourism development and sustainable tourism practices.

Title:

Content: Egyptian News
Minister of Environment Inaugurates Strategic Planning Workshop for Natural Reserves
This came in the presence of Alessandro Fracasti, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Eng. Mohamed Aliouh, Project Manager, Dr. Mustafa Saleh, President of the Environment and Development Group, and a group of researchers of the reserves at the Ministry and experts and leaders of the environment.
In her speech, Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad stressed that Egypt is exerting efforts to achieve its commitment to the new global procedures in the United Nations Framework Convention on Biological Diversity and the efforts of the declaration of the biodiversity framework beyond 2020 at the Conference on Biological Diversity in Canada 2022. The journey began four years ago, looking at the economic and social system of conservation of nature reserves, and beginning to change the culture of officials to work in a different way that enhances the economic benefit of reserves and implement more activities to achieve sustainability, which benefits the local communities living in these reserves by integrating them in the management of reserves, whether as guards of the reserve.
The Minister of Environment pointed out that the success of achieving the new vision in the management of protected areas requires the availability of a number of factors, the first of which is the establishment of a regulatory, institutional and legal system to allow its implementation. Cooperation between the Ministries of Environment, Tourism and Antiquities and a number of national bodies such as the Tourism Development Authority and Urban Communities.
The Minister added that the creation of a climate supportive of understanding the product of ecotourism of various dimensions is one of the most important factors for the success of the development of natural reserves, so the Ministry of Environment through the project of integrating biodiversity in ecotourism to grant green fins to diving centers, and the preparation of a guide to sustainability standards within natural areas. Last week, the first standards for environmental products were introduced, encouraging private sector investment.
She explained that increasing environmental awareness as a more comprehensive concept helped pave the way for supportive policies or the development of infrastructure in reserves, where the concept of the environment in the world changed from facing pollution to linked to the sustainable and rational use of natural resources.
The Minister of Environment pointed to the launch of the campaign to prepare for the green and Eco Egypt campaign to promote 13 environmental tourist destinations, which did not focus only on the nature of the place or the scarcity of plants or the type of fossils as an artistic part that does not attract the attention of the citizen. their heritage.
She also stressed the importance of the human factor and the return of the relationship of harmony and harmony between humans and nature, by training on management plans, and creating a dialogue with the main beneficiaries from the private sector and local people from tribes and associations to present their views, stressing the importance of those voices and opinions in the success of the project.
The Minister of Environment expressed her aspiration through the workshop with the officials of the nature reserves of the Agency of Environmental Affairs, national experts and consultants to come up with practical and realistic steps that are primarily in the interest of the people and local communities, which are the basis of the conservation and development process, stressing that the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the tourism sector is a key partner to provide an environmental tourism product....
UNDP Resident Representative Alessandro Fraxetti stressed that effective management planning is an important tool to ensure the sustainability of any nature reserve, stressing the importance of ensuring as much consultation with stakeholders as possible and setting mutually agreed goals to be adhered to by all, adding that nature reserves cover nearly 17% of the world ’ s land and 8% of its oceans. The level of protection granted to them depends on several factors: adequate funding, diligence in enforcing and enforcing laws, effective management practices, and strong public support.
The UNDP Resident Representative pointed out that many nature reserves are facing a decline in financial and human resources, which makes it more difficult to develop and implement effective management plans, stressing that good management plans will attract the private sector to invest in nature reserves. Biodiversity COP 15 held in Montreal last year reaffirmed the importance of nature reserves and the critical roles they play in our global society, including preserving biodiversity, providing ecosystem services, and supporting regional economies through tourism and recreation, noting that the ambitious goals set in Montreal reflect this importance. scientific resources.
For his part, Dr. Mustafa Saleh, Chairman of the Environment and Development Group, pointed out that the protection of nature is a permanent and sustainable activity that helps in development and increase national income, which is consistent with the state ’ s trend to expand development programs, especially in desert areas. Consultants, reserve workers and local community residents participated with their opinions and ideas.
The workshop comes in line with the ministry ’ s policy of sustainable use of nature reserves, where it aims to develop unified rules for strategic planning in the field of nature reserves, how to discuss means of financial development, raise investment capabilities of reserves and offer new investment opportunities, and train workers to develop long and short term strategic plans. Ecotourism in Egypt as a promising field, especially with the announcement of a new marine reserve at the COP27 Climate Conference in Sharm El Sheikh.
The workshop will discuss a number of topics, including the mainstreaming of biological diversity in Egyptian tourism, the integration of conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in the development and operation of tourism in the areas of threatened ecosystems in Egypt, the preparation and modernization of the management of natural reserves, the example of which is Wadi el-Gamal Hamata Reserve, and the declaration of a new marine protected area in the Red Sea.
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Effective management planning can encourage private sector investment in natural reserves by ensuring sustainability and promoting responsible tourism practices.

Compact cities with lower emissions can serve as models for sustainable urban planning and tourism management.

Title:

Content: The Transformative Power of Cities through Urban Development (3 of 3)
|
The development of compact cities is associated with lower emissions of environmental pollution and fine particulate matter from the activities of the housing and transport sectors.
This suggests that local policies targeting urban sprawl may be effective in improving local air quality and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Cities with vertical urbanization consume less land, accommodate more people, and are more prosperous.
In cities around the world, doubling the height of city buildings will, in the long run, increase their population by 16 per cent and reduce their land area by 19 per cent compared to other cities.
This is accompanied by a 4% increase in the intensity of night lights in the city, indicating a high level of prosperity.
On the compass of policy direction to help cities prosper, a thriving city is a green, inclusive city that is resilient to climate change.
The report highlights that achieving this vision hinges on answering three critical questions: What policy tools are available?
And who has these tools?
How can policy options based on these instruments be prioritized and sequenced for effective implementation?
What are the policy tools?
Policy choices come in the form of five key elements: information, incentives, insurance, integration, and investments.
These tools are often complementary to each other, enhancing their impact when implemented collectively.
Who owns the policy tools?
Because “traditional ” urban pressures interact with climate change-related pressures to determine outcomes, local governments are well positioned to advance climate action.
Cities, working with national governments, the private sector and civil society, have a distinct set of policies at their disposal.
How to prioritize options for policy instruments.
To ensure cities prosper, policymakers will need to switch between policy packages derived from the five key elements mentioned above.
The mix and sequencing of interventions and the prioritization of outcomes will vary according to the characteristics of cities, such as their size, risk levels and development.
Cities have the capacity to respond to and adapt to environmental change.
By focusing on making cities greener, more resilient and more inclusive, we can transform our urban environments and ensure a prosperous future for all.
Publish it.

Policy instruments like information, incentives, and investments can be tailored to address environmental challenges and overtourism.

Title:

Content: The Transformative Power of Cities through Urban Development (3 of 3)
|
The development of compact cities is associated with lower emissions of environmental pollution and fine particulate matter from the activities of the housing and transport sectors.
This suggests that local policies targeting urban sprawl may be effective in improving local air quality and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Cities with vertical urbanization consume less land, accommodate more people, and are more prosperous.
In cities around the world, doubling the height of city buildings will, in the long run, increase their population by 16 per cent and reduce their land area by 19 per cent compared to other cities.
This is accompanied by a 4% increase in the intensity of night lights in the city, indicating a high level of prosperity.
On the compass of policy direction to help cities prosper, a thriving city is a green, inclusive city that is resilient to climate change.
The report highlights that achieving this vision hinges on answering three critical questions: What policy tools are available?
And who has these tools?
How can policy options based on these instruments be prioritized and sequenced for effective implementation?
What are the policy tools?
Policy choices come in the form of five key elements: information, incentives, insurance, integration, and investments.
These tools are often complementary to each other, enhancing their impact when implemented collectively.
Who owns the policy tools?
Because “traditional ” urban pressures interact with climate change-related pressures to determine outcomes, local governments are well positioned to advance climate action.
Cities, working with national governments, the private sector and civil society, have a distinct set of policies at their disposal.
How to prioritize options for policy instruments.
To ensure cities prosper, policymakers will need to switch between policy packages derived from the five key elements mentioned above.
The mix and sequencing of interventions and the prioritization of outcomes will vary according to the characteristics of cities, such as their size, risk levels and development.
Cities have the capacity to respond to and adapt to environmental change.
By focusing on making cities greener, more resilient and more inclusive, we can transform our urban environments and ensure a prosperous future for all.
Publish it.

Cities can prioritize policy options and respond to environmental change through effective governance, emphasizing sustainable tourism management.

Title:

Content: The Transformative Power of Cities through Urban Development (3 of 3)
|
The development of compact cities is associated with lower emissions of environmental pollution and fine particulate matter from the activities of the housing and transport sectors.
This suggests that local policies targeting urban sprawl may be effective in improving local air quality and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Cities with vertical urbanization consume less land, accommodate more people, and are more prosperous.
In cities around the world, doubling the height of city buildings will, in the long run, increase their population by 16 per cent and reduce their land area by 19 per cent compared to other cities.
This is accompanied by a 4% increase in the intensity of night lights in the city, indicating a high level of prosperity.
On the compass of policy direction to help cities prosper, a thriving city is a green, inclusive city that is resilient to climate change.
The report highlights that achieving this vision hinges on answering three critical questions: What policy tools are available?
And who has these tools?
How can policy options based on these instruments be prioritized and sequenced for effective implementation?
What are the policy tools?
Policy choices come in the form of five key elements: information, incentives, insurance, integration, and investments.
These tools are often complementary to each other, enhancing their impact when implemented collectively.
Who owns the policy tools?
Because “traditional ” urban pressures interact with climate change-related pressures to determine outcomes, local governments are well positioned to advance climate action.
Cities, working with national governments, the private sector and civil society, have a distinct set of policies at their disposal.
How to prioritize options for policy instruments.
To ensure cities prosper, policymakers will need to switch between policy packages derived from the five key elements mentioned above.
The mix and sequencing of interventions and the prioritization of outcomes will vary according to the characteristics of cities, such as their size, risk levels and development.
Cities have the capacity to respond to and adapt to environmental change.
By focusing on making cities greener, more resilient and more inclusive, we can transform our urban environments and ensure a prosperous future for all.
Publish it.

UNESCO's Sustainable Tourism Project promotes quality over quantity tourism, emphasizing community engagement, environmental protection, and attracting high-value tourists with minimal negative impacts.

Tourism taxes, like Venice's 5 euro fee on peak days, can help reduce overtourism's negative effects.

South Korea aims to receive 20 million foreign tourists by promoting sustainable tourism practices and introducing attractive policies.

Title:

Content: Go to the menu Go to the original
Go Top
Culture
South Korean government plans to receive 20 million foreign tourists next year, raising fears of overtourism
Write: 2023-12-11 09: 50: 19Update: 2023-12-11 19: 17: 02
Photo: YONHAP News
South Korea Radio International reported that the tourism industry, which has been hard hit by the COVID-19 epidemic, is showing a gradual recovery trend.
The government has taken advantage of the opportunity to introduce policies to achieve the goal of receiving 20 million foreign tourists.
However, it has been pointed out that, rather than expanding the number, the priority is to develop high-value-added tourism products.
The number of foreign tourists dropped sharply after the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The government designated tourism as one of the five major export industries, along with the semiconductor and automobile industries, and introduced support measures.
The core content of the policy is to increase efforts to attract tourists, expand the scope of group e-visa fee waivers, and increase the amount of tax refund after shopping.
In addition, the government will invest 3 trillion won in southern regions such as Gwangju and Busan over the next 10 years to create a wide-area tourism belt and hold large-scale events such as K-POP, beauty and fashion.
The government plans to receive 20 million foreign tourists by next year.
Prime Minister Han Deok-soo said that the key to the policy is to improve the convenience of tourism, so that more tourists come to South Korea more often, stay longer, and reform the local tourism and tourism industry.
However, many opponents pointed out that the increase in the number of foreign tourists alone will cause many problems.
"Keep quiet" and "Please don't litter" were posted everywhere in Seoul's Bei Village, which is home to a large number of foreign tourists.
Some residents said that tourists would knock on doors and even open gas canisters to look at.
Such "overtourism" caused by too many tourists is also seen in Jeonju Hanok Village and Jeju Island.
Some overseas countries have set up tourism tax systems to prevent this phenomenon.
The government says 20 million trips is just a target, and it will discuss countermeasures with local self-governing groups that have overtourism and develop high-value-added tourism products such as medical care.
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Overtourism causes problems, highlighting the need for local groups to discuss countermeasures and promote sustainable tourism practices.

Title:

Content: Go to the menu Go to the original
Go Top
Culture
South Korean government plans to receive 20 million foreign tourists next year, raising fears of overtourism
Write: 2023-12-11 09: 50: 19Update: 2023-12-11 19: 17: 02
Photo: YONHAP News
South Korea Radio International reported that the tourism industry, which has been hard hit by the COVID-19 epidemic, is showing a gradual recovery trend.
The government has taken advantage of the opportunity to introduce policies to achieve the goal of receiving 20 million foreign tourists.
However, it has been pointed out that, rather than expanding the number, the priority is to develop high-value-added tourism products.
The number of foreign tourists dropped sharply after the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The government designated tourism as one of the five major export industries, along with the semiconductor and automobile industries, and introduced support measures.
The core content of the policy is to increase efforts to attract tourists, expand the scope of group e-visa fee waivers, and increase the amount of tax refund after shopping.
In addition, the government will invest 3 trillion won in southern regions such as Gwangju and Busan over the next 10 years to create a wide-area tourism belt and hold large-scale events such as K-POP, beauty and fashion.
The government plans to receive 20 million foreign tourists by next year.
Prime Minister Han Deok-soo said that the key to the policy is to improve the convenience of tourism, so that more tourists come to South Korea more often, stay longer, and reform the local tourism and tourism industry.
However, many opponents pointed out that the increase in the number of foreign tourists alone will cause many problems.
"Keep quiet" and "Please don't litter" were posted everywhere in Seoul's Bei Village, which is home to a large number of foreign tourists.
Some residents said that tourists would knock on doors and even open gas canisters to look at.
Such "overtourism" caused by too many tourists is also seen in Jeonju Hanok Village and Jeju Island.
Some overseas countries have set up tourism tax systems to prevent this phenomenon.
The government says 20 million trips is just a target, and it will discuss countermeasures with local self-governing groups that have overtourism and develop high-value-added tourism products such as medical care.
Recommended content
Close
In order to provide better service to listeners, the KBS WORLD Radio website is using cookies and other related technologies. By continuing to browse this website, you will be deemed to have agreed to the use of the above technologies and our Privacy Policy.
Details >

Kamakura, Japan, has implemented decentralized transportation to reduce overcrowding, promoting sustainable tourism practices.

Hong Kong's University has implemented crowd control measures, highlighting educational institutions' role in managing tourist flows and promoting sustainable tourism.

The Hong Kong Government plans to develop eco-tourism in South Lantau, with 300 hectares of "Green Belt" and a focus on sustainable practices.

Title:

Content: Point of view
Au Hao-chi, Chen Ning-sheng
Au Haochi, Chen Ning-sheng: Ecological Tourism Trend from South Lantau Planning
[Ming Pao article] The new policy address mentions that the Government will provide ecological and recreational facilities in South Lantau (South Lantau), involving about 300 hectares of "Green Belt". It is expected that the related public participation activities will be completed in the first half of next year, and detailed design work will begin immediately.
In fact, as early as a month before the policy address was issued, the authorities had already planned ahead of schedule in the surrounding areas to start the statutory planning process, and rezoned some of the existing "coastal protection areas" in South Lantau to "recreational" areas, in line with the policy intention of developing eco-tourism.
As a policy researcher living in South Lantau, I am not only concerned about the potential impact of future tourism and recreational activities on the living community, but also believe that the development of eco-tourism in South Lantau has a great opportunity to play a key role in the design of Hong Kong ’ s overall urban conservation strategy, which deserves more attention and discussion.
South Lantau Planning Status and Variables
The general public ’ s impression of Lantau should be broadly in line with the overall principle of the Sustainable Lantau Blueprint released by the Government in 2017, that is, “North Development, South Conservation ”.
Broadly understood, apart from densely populated and economically productive locations such as the airport, Tung Chung, Discovery Bay and Disney, the rural and wilderness areas on Lantau Island are generally regarded as South Lantau, with about 18,000 people living here in recent years.
Subsequently, the "Lantau Conservation and Recreation Master Plan", released in 2020, further focused on the characteristics of ecological and cultural resources in the sub-regions of South Lantau, and summarized some potential ecological tourism directions. In particular, the "South Lantau Ecological Recreation Corridor" is proposed to be built in Pui O, Chi Wan, Cheung Sha, Shui Hau and Shek Pik Pik.
The corridor ’ s scope involves ecologically rich wetlands and sandy habitats, which are also of concern to local communities and communities.
In the past, there was a lot of controversy about the government's conservation measures in South Lantau, and there was a situation where it was impossible to regulate development that did not meet the conservation planning intention.
Amendments to the Town Planning Ordinance were passed in July, allowing part of the South Lantau Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) to become a "regulated area", closing a loophole that had previously been unenforceable. The OZP then began the rezoning process in September to revise the land originally designated as a "Coastal Protection Area" to a "Conservation Area" and "Recreation Area" according to the results of the "The former makes the planning intention of wetland conservation more clear and reasonable, but the latter has caused concern to the environmental protection community. In particular, the frequent permitted uses of the" Recreation "zone, including luxury camping facilities such as holiday camps, tent camps, barbecue sites and recreational and cultural venues, may cause potential pollution to the surrounding areas." Nature Conservation Area ".
To-Do list of ecotourism
In theory, tourism is a “smoke-free industry ” that can bring substantial economic benefits and should play a positive role in the conservation of nature that needs funding, but only if both practitioners and tourists consciously link tourism and conservation to understand that they are enjoying the ecosystem services provided by nature to obtain clean and adequate water and food, as well as a healthy and comfortable climate and environment. To pay for this and be responsible, this is also the key to the development of ecotourism.
Therefore, if there is no mechanism to ensure that a “real ” eco-tourism industry can be developed in the future, even if tourism practitioners may gain some economic benefits in the short term, in the long run, after the environmental characteristics are destroyed and the attraction is lost, not only will tourists have no reason to return, but the local living environment and quality will also suffer.
Therefore, the author believes that a sustainable mechanism that takes into account both "damage prevention" and "coordinated development" is the key to promoting the development of eco-tourism in southern Yantai and even in Hong Kong.
When part of South Lantau became a "regulated area", although the authority has been strengthened, there is no use of the authority without additional means or resources to detect illegal activities in a timely manner, and the role of the primary supervisor seems to fall on the local residents who are not trained in professional knowledge and have no absolute incentive to act.
In addition, even if residents want to report suspected illegal activities, they do not know to whom and how to report them. From another perspective, there is no clear channel for local residents and tourism practitioners to propose constructive guidelines for coordinating different development projects in the community to enhance development effectiveness.
In order to prevent the environmental damage caused by tourism development, the establishment of relevant local community organizations can play a positive role.
For example, in Shirakawa-go, a famous tourist town in Japan, local residents have set up community organizations to formulate landscape protection regulations to protect the natural environment and preserve “co-built ” historical buildings. They will also support old buildings to be converted into new uses such as B & B, shops or museums while preserving their characteristics, and help organize traditional festivals to vigorously promote the development of local eco-tourism.
At present, no similar organization has been set up in Yuanan, and there are insufficient resources and support to facilitate the operation of such organizations. Therefore, the author believes that the local ecological tourism has not yet entered a "ready" state.
In South Lantau, such organizations can play the role of environmental supervisor, maintaining regular contact with the major supervisory departments such as the District Council, Planning Department, Lands Department and Environmental Protection Department, and acting as facilitators, responsible for organising and coordinating the style of different tourism projects and service providers in the area, as well as assisting in the work and accommodation of external conservation project staff.
At the same time, the government needs to continue to invest resources to strengthen the local sewage, drainage and livelihood infrastructure to fully enhance the environmental capacity and reception capacity, as well as to deal with the safety hazards caused by extreme weather.
How can the authorities make good use of different tools, such as town planning, infrastructure planning and conservation funds, to play the role of industry and conservation supporters?
Under the guidance of local community organizations, what will the future of eco-tourism in Lantau actually look like? What innovative mechanism can break through the existing framework and encourage and promote the diverse community of nearly 18,000 people in Lantau to independently explore different potential possibilities, thus creating some unique eco-tourism characteristics and effective conservation actions from the bottom up?
I believe these are the key points that we must break through before Lantau becomes an eco-tourism landmark in Hong Kong.
Author Au Hao-chi is a Research Fellow of United Hong Kong Foundation, and Chen Ning-sheng is the Vice President of Lantau Historical and Cultural Association
(Criticism of current affairs articles published by this website is aimed at pointing out errors or deficiencies in relevant systems, policies or measures, with the aim of correcting or eliminating such errors or deficiencies, and improving them through lawful means, with no intention of inciting hatred, dissatisfaction or hostility towards the Government or other communities)
[Au Haochi, Chen Ning-sheng]
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The government and local organizations must invest in infrastructure, conservation, and community engagement to support sustainable tourism and environmental protection.