Overtourism occurs when visitor numbers to a destination surpass its capacity, causing adverse effects on the environment, local communities, and economies.

Key causes include the proliferation of affordable travel options, social media amplifying popular destinations, and tourism-focused economies prioritizing visitor volume over resident well-being.

Tourist preferences tend to favor familiar destinations, intensifying pressure on already crowded spots while leaving others underutilized.

Rising short-term rentals driven by tourism investment often inflate housing costs, displacing local residents and altering community demographics.

This economic dynamic, combined with the homogenization of local shops favoring tourists, erodes cultural identity and spurs social resistance.

The social impacts of overtourism manifest as overcrowding, noise, congestion, and residents feeling priced out of essential housing markets.

Overworked service employees and deteriorated public amenities further diminish quality of life.

Economically, although tourism generates jobs, many locals earn low wages while external investors gain disproportionately, exacerbating inequality.

Environmentally, overtourism strains water resources, increases pollution, and damages fragile natural and marine ecosystems.

For example, Hawaii faces housing shortages linked to illegal vacation rentals and threats to marine life, while Japan’s Kamakura contends with noise pollution and traffic congestion resulting from tourist overload.

Prominent global overtourism hotspots exemplify these issues.

Venice sees daily tourists outnumber residents, causing severe overcrowding and community discontent.

Barcelona grapples with anti-tourist protests fueled by rising rents and overwhelmed infrastructure.

Spain’s Canary and Balearic Islands face environmental degradation and water scarcity.

Malaga experiences resident pushback against inflated housing costs and commercialization.

Overtourism occurs when visitor numbers to a destination surpass its capacity, causing adverse effects on the environment, local communities, and economies.

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”

Key causes include the proliferation of affordable travel options, social media amplifying popular destinations, and tourism-focused economies prioritizing visitor volume over resident well-being.

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.
■ Articles
1.
Forum version is open park, welcome to submit.
Forum articles are limited to 2300 words. Please email to forum @ mingpao.com, fax: 2898 3783.
2. The editor of this paper reserves the right to delete the article based on the space limit, but in order to maintain the main points and positions of the article as the principle; if you do not want the article to be deleted, please indicate.
3.
Please attach the author's real name and contact information (can be published under a pen name), please do not submit one manuscript twice; if not applicable, without prior notice, except for those with postage return, this paper will not return the manuscript.
4.
Note to Contributors: Once an article is published, we have exclusive local rights to publish the article in Chinese. This right also includes the right to republish the article in local and overseas media (including electronic media, such as Internet sites).
In addition, we have the right to grant the right to use the copy of the article to the relevant copying authorizing companies and organizations.
The above rights in this paper do not affect the copyright of the contributor and their rights and interests.
(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)
[Lin Chi-yin]
Previous / Next News

Tourist preferences tend to favor familiar destinations, intensifying pressure on already crowded spots while leaving others underutilized.

Title:

Content: Are we trapped in a travel bubble? Global survey reveals travel habits
PR Newswire
• YouGov ’ s international survey of more than 17,500 people from 15 travel destinations revealed that nearly two-thirds of the world prioritizes travel to places where friends and family have already visited, exacerbating overtourism in some regions while leaving others relatively unexplored.
66% of travelers think it ’ s important to travel to familiar places, and nearly half feel uncomfortable traveling to places they don ’ t know much about.
However, 83% of those who travelled to a new destination agreed that their views had changed or widened after returning.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, 28 September 2023 – International travelers are less likely to consider exploring unfamiliar destinations than they are to travel to more familiar destinations, according to an international YouGov survey published today.
This is an advertisement, please continue reading.
ARE WE STUCK IN A ‘ TRAVEL BUBBLE ’?
TRAVEL HABITS EXPOSED IN GLOBAL SURVEY
The YouGov survey, commissioned by the Saudi Tourism Authority, covered 15 countries in Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, with more than 17,500 respondents, and was released this year at the World Travel Day in Riyadh.
While results vary from region to region, research shows that 66% of travelers prefer to travel to familiar countries, and 67% typically travel to destinations they ’ ve visited before or heard about on social networks such as family and friends.
There are some global differences in the survey results, with 90% of Middle Eastern travellers citing familiarity with their destination as a key factor in their travel decisions, while those in the UK (62%), France (75%), China (68%) and Japan (74%) feel comfortable travelling to places they know less about.
For destinations where tourism is not yet mature and international advertising funding is limited, this means that they lack the ability to create a sense of familiarity, which is obviously an important factor when people choose their travel destination.
On the other hand, for more established destinations, the challenge is to encourage tourists to leave popular attractions and go to less well-known areas.
The results of this survey echo previous research, which found that 80% of travelers visit only 10% of the world ’ s destinations, [1] and the extreme findings of this survey not only highlight the preference for familiar destinations, but also illustrate the need for more sustainable travel habits around the world.
“The results of this international survey provide us with an in-depth analysis of global passenger trends and habits, as well as the importance of familiarity in their choice of destination, ” said Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Board Member of Saudi Tourism Authority.
“However, familiarity does not mean that the destination needs to compromise its authenticity, as research also confirms the view that visiting new places can deepen our appreciation of multiculturalism and promote mutual understanding.
When we travel, we are agents of good things, we spread our culture and come home with new discoveries, new ideas and new perspectives. ”
“I hope that by highlighting the power of travel to broaden horizons, I can inspire more people to choose to travel to less familiar destinations. ”
I look forward to discussing the results of this survey with my peers at this week ’ s World Travel Day in Riyadh and exploring how together we can continue to make the world attractive and accessible to all. ”
The findings support recent news coverage in countries such as Croatia and France, which have implemented measures to better control the large number of travelers in the most popular destinations.
The Croatian city of Dubrovnik has implemented a “Respect the City ” campaign to manage tourism and reduce its impact, while French Tourism Minister Olivia Gregoire said France needs to better manage the influx of tourists during the high season, which threatens“ the environment, the quality of life of local residents and the visitor experience. ”
Eighty-three percent of travelers who ventured to a new destination said the experience changed or broadened their horizons, providing strong evidence of the impact travel has had on connecting people and increasing mutual understanding.
Commissioned by the Saudi Tourism Authority, the global survey is being conducted ahead of this year ’ s World Tourism Day (WTD), which will take place in Riyadh from 27 to 28 September. WTD 2023 will bring together tourism ministers, industry leaders and experts from around the world under the theme “Tourism and Green Investment ”.
Through a series of engaging meetings, panel discussions and seminars, participants will explore the important role of tourism and global cooperation in driving prosperity, protecting culture, protecting the environment, and promoting a more harmonious and connected world.
About Saudi Tourism
Established in June 2020, the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) is responsible for promoting Saudi tourist attractions in the global market and developing proposals for them through various programs, packages and commercial support.
Its mission includes developing Saudi Arabia ’ s unique resources and tourist attractions, hosting and participating in industry events, and promoting Saudi tourism brands locally and overseas. STA has 16 representative offices around the world, serving 38 countries or regions.
About UNWTO
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for promoting equitable, inclusive and sustainable tourism.
The World Tourism Organization works with its member states, international organizations and the private sector to promote a safe and seamless travel experience for all.
UNWTO is also committed to making tourism a central pillar of trust and international cooperation, growth and opportunity.
As part of the United Nations system, UNWTO is at the forefront of global efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the ability to create decent work, promote equality and protect natural and cultural heritage.
1.
The Murmuration Study
This is an advertisement, please continue reading.

Rising short-term rentals driven by tourism investment often inflate housing costs, displacing local residents and altering community demographics.

Title:

Content: Travel expert explains how to find ‘room to breathe’ in overcrowded destinations

Some of Europe's most popular destinations have struggled to cope with surging numbers of tourists this summer. Express.co.uk spoke to an expert to find out how British tourists can avoid the crowds.

“There’s more to these places than the box office tourist sites" (Image: Getty)

Whether or , some top destinations have struggled with overcrowding this summer.

As travel restrictions fade into the past, more tourists than ever seem to be heading out to explore. Unfortunately, this means some destinations have become overcrowded.

Express.co.uk spoke to Sarah Faith, senior values writer at Responsible Travel, to find out how British tourists can escape the crowds.

Sarah told Express.co.uk : “Travelling outside of peak times is one of the best ways to avoid the crowds in popular destinations. But you could also get off the beaten track a bit.

“There’s more to these places than the box office tourist sites. Find out what the locals love, explore the surrounding villages or spend time browsing local farmer, artisan and flea markets.”

Tourists have complained of crowds in Rome (Image: Getty)

Although tourists often feel pressure to tick off a destination’s top sites, they could have a more rewarding experience heading to quieter spots.

Sarah added: “You’ll have more room to breathe, and have a more authentic experience too. Plus, you’ll help spread out the weight and benefits of tourism more. A win for everyone.”

However, when it comes to getting off the beaten track, Sarah says there are a few factors tourists should consider before booking a holiday.

She told Express.co.uk: “There are plenty of quieter destinations that offer exceptional culture and landscapes.

"You can make sure your holiday supports local people by choosing locally owned guesthouses" (Image: Getty)

“It’s important though that we don’t just transfer the problems of overtourism to another place. You can make sure your holiday supports local people by choosing locally owned guesthouses rather than Airbnbs run by out of town professional hosts, eating in restaurants that serve locally sourced produce and hiring a local guide to show you around.”

While Airbnbs can be a convenient option, locals in some top destinations have complained the properties price them out of the housing market .

Sarah said: “Places like Barcelona, Venice and Dubrovnik are great to visit, but they’re people’s homes too.

“When tourism takes over, it prices local people out of the housing market, closes local amenities and erodes the local culture and social identity that made us want to visit in the first place.

“Locals might be the first to lose out from overtourism but left unchecked, it kills off the tourist experience too. It’s in everyone’s interest to tackle the problem.”

France recently launched a campaign to encourage tourists to visit some of the country’s hidden gems. Leading attractions such as .

Would you like to receive notifications from this site?

This economic dynamic, combined with the homogenization of local shops favoring tourists, erodes cultural identity and spurs social resistance.

The social impacts of overtourism manifest as overcrowding, noise, congestion, and residents feeling priced out of essential housing markets.

Overworked service employees and deteriorated public amenities further diminish quality of life.

Title:

Content: This website uses relevant technologies to provide a better reading experience, while respecting the privacy of users. Click here to understand the privacy statement of the Central News Agency. When you close this window, you agree to the above regulations.
Your browser does not appear to support Traditional Chinese.
Would you like to go to CNA ’ s English website, “Focus Taiwan ”?
Koko Koko Koko Koko Koko Koko
"日本語版「フィーカス」について" (in Japanese).
Retaliatory tourism in Europe, lack of work, excessive pain training, 6 hours online
2022 / 7 / 26 16: 42 （ Updated on 7 / 26 17: 13 ）
Please agree to our privacy policy in order to enable news listening.
Europe ’ s tourism industry is facing its first major peak season after the outbreak of the pandemic, but the shortage of manpower is the biggest problem, with the World Travel and Tourism Association estimating that there are 1.2 million related jobs in the 27 EU countries to be filled.
A worker eats breakfast on the street in Vienna. (Image from Unsplash Gallery)
Please agree to our privacy policy in order to enable news listening.
(Central News Agency reporter Tian Xi such as Taipei, 26) The tourism industry, which has held up the hope of the European economy, is facing its first big season after the outbreak of the epidemic, but the shortage of manpower is the biggest problem.
The World Travel and Tourism Association estimates that there are 1.2 million vacancies in the 27 EU countries. Europe ’ s largest hotel chain admits that those without experience are hired within 24 hours and trained within 6 hours.
Europe ’ s tourism industry has been hit by disasters for more than two years. In addition to the Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) epidemic, there are two major events.
First, Brexit has made the customs clearance of both sides of the border more troublesome, for example, the US political news media Politico reported that passengers from the southern British port of Dover (Dover Port) to enter Europe by boat from France, entry checks are more than in the past several hours, British public opinion suspect that the French are inefficient, and France opposes who is to blame for leaving the EU.
On the other hand, the Russian-Ukrainian war disrupted the pace of tourism recovery in Eastern Europe, while southern Europe has been flooded with tourists since the spring, and even inflation has caused prices to rise.
Inmaculada Benito, head of tourism at the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), told the Financial Times: “The desire to travel is strong and tourists don ’ t worry much about prices. ”
The European Travel Commission pointed out that last year, when countries began to relax control of the epidemic, tourism revenue contributed to the EU ’ s overall economy rose to 30.4%, and 571,000 new jobs were created, and this year the World Travel and Tourism Association (WTTC) predicted that tourism will return to its pre-epidemic status and contribute to the EU economy to 32.9%.
However, it depends on how the labour market looks. The WTTC estimates that 1.2 million tourism-related jobs remain unfilled in the EU, including more than 20% in the aviation and accommodation sectors, posing a major risk to the recovery of Europe ’ s tourism economy.
The Financial Times reported that Europe ’ s tourism industry lost 9.3% of its workforce in 2020, and the outbreak of the new strain of Omicron in the second half of last year has slowed the demand for employment, with many moving to industries such as delivery, sharing, construction and warehousing that are less affected by the outbreak.
According to the Shengen Visa News, the pandemic has changed the minds of travel professionals, and cooking, cleaning and hosting tasks that cannot be done remotely are more likely to pose health risks.
In addition, governments ’ administrative barriers to immigration also limit the availability of human resources.
George Valsamis, the head of boutique hotels in the Greek resort of Santorini, cited another reason for the job vacancy in a Financial Times interview: overtourism, he said that the Greek island is not able to serve so many people.
In addition to the overcrowding of tourists, employees of the tourism industry often overwork, and the environment of employees' dormitories in small islands such as Mykonos and Santorini is also deteriorating, because the houses are rented out by tourists.
Accor, Europe ’ s largest hotel group with hotel chains such as Sofitel and ibis, began trying to hire inexperienced staff in late June.
“We interviewed people with no resumes and no relevant experience, and they were accepted within 24 hours, ” CEO Sebastien Bazin told Reuters.
He said students, immigrants from North Africa, were their new source of manpower, and the newcomers had to learn while doing six hours of training.
In an effort to attract talent, hotel owners have raised salaries, benefits, and vacations, such as dividends or even let employees stay directly in hotel rooms.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at a forum in June that “tourism must be attractive not only to tourists but also to employees. ”
For travelers, the result of a lack of work at the hotel is a reduction in service.
European hotel operators responded by not serving lunch, not picking up wedding or baptism dinners, stopping spa facilities, not providing shuttle buses, and reducing bar hours.
In addition, not only does the increase in oil prices make air tickets more expensive, but the lack of manpower at airports and airlines also makes flights shorter and the range longer due to factors such as connecting.
According to Hannah Free, an analyst at GlobalData, British Airways cancelled 13% of its summer flights and easyjet lost 11,000 flights during the summer holidays. The reason for both companies is that they are short of staff, but Fu believes that the airlines are not prepared to hire in advance for the post-epidemic recovery.
She also said that in the travel industry ecosystem, such as travel agencies and car rental companies, some operators have had financial difficulties during the epidemic, which has also brought about a chain effect, making the recovery of flights less than expected.
Cristina Siza Vieira, executive vice president of the Portuguese Hotel Industry Association, told the Financial Times that "the era of fast, frequent and cheap holidays is over". (Editor: Wei Shu) 1110726
Central News Agency "First-hand News" app
The text, pictures and audio and video of this website shall not be reproduced, broadcast or transmitted or used without authorization.

Economically, although tourism generates jobs, many locals earn low wages while external investors gain disproportionately, exacerbating inequality.

Environmentally, overtourism strains water resources, increases pollution, and damages fragile natural and marine ecosystems.

Title:

Content: My channel
* Drag categories can be customized sorting
Recover Default OK
Setup
Alert
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.
Hawaii hotel epidemic
The last one.
228 Hawaii Presbyterian Church Hosts Concert
The next one.
Five stabbed, three killed, 25-year-old mother arrested
Super-popular
More >

For example, Hawaii faces housing shortages linked to illegal vacation rentals and threats to marine life, while Japan’s Kamakura contends with noise pollution and traffic congestion resulting from tourist overload.

Prominent global overtourism hotspots exemplify these issues.

Venice sees daily tourists outnumber residents, causing severe overcrowding and community discontent.

Barcelona grapples with anti-tourist protests fueled by rising rents and overwhelmed infrastructure.

Spain’s Canary and Balearic Islands face environmental degradation and water scarcity.

Title:

Content: ‘Go f*cking home’: The European cities where locals are fighting back against overtourism

Picturesque but troubled: A view of Malaga's centre Copyright  Yuliya Matuzava via Unsplash
By Saskia O'Donoghue
Share this articleComments
Share this article

Millions of holidaymakers visit the Costa de Sol and Málaga, one of its most popular destinations, every year, but now locals are saying enough is enough.

ADVERTISEMENT

Málaga locals are frustrated by the growing influx of tourists and now they’re expressing their feelings in no uncertain terms.

The Spanish city’s centre has been hit with a wave of stickers, posted on walls and doors, telling visitors what residents think of them.

Walk the streets of Málaga and you’ll see these daubs, ranging from the fairly mild “this used to be my home” (antes esta era mi casa) and “this used to be the city centre” (antes esto era el centro) all the way to “go f*cking home” (a tu puta casa), “stinking of tourist” (apestando a turista).

Why are Málaga locals so irate with tourists?

The city on the Costa del Sol has long been a popular destination for visitors, thanks to its sunny climate and relatively low cost of living. However, it’s recently become an even more desirable destination for holidaymakers and digital nomads alike.

Many locals have simply had enough. Bar owner Dani Drunko runs a much-frequented bar in Málaga called Drunkorama. He started the ‘sticker initiative’, having favourite anti-tourist phrases given to him by bar regulars printed and posted around the city.

Speaking to a local newspaper Diario Sur, Drunko explained that he began the campaign after he was apparently “kicked out” of the home he’d lived in for a decade.

He claimed that the landlord refused to negotiate the rent or even sell him the property. The reason? They wanted to turn it into a short-term rental for tourists.

“There’s a lot of hype because locals are tired of the situation; I just suggested the idea of the catchphrases, I offered the spark, and now others have joined,” Drunko told Diario Sur.

“Málaga city centre has been going downhill for a long time, so much so that if for example something in my bar breaks, I don't have a hardware store on hand to buy anything, since the tourist who comes doesn’t need to buy screws,” he added.

Local politician Dani Pérez took to X - formerly Twitter - to add his voice to the growing discontentment.

“You walk the streets of Málaga and it is practically impossible to find a residential building that does not have a lockbox [for tourist rentals],” he wrote, going on to accuse the city’s mayor, Paco de la Torre, of “not lifting a finger for the people of Malaga” and “expelling them from the city where they were born.”

Last November, a local reporter for news website The Local Spain reported that Málaga is “definitely busier than before during low season,” while confirming the existence of lockboxes “everywhere” and commenting that restaurant prices have seen huge hikes in recent months.

What makes Málaga so popular with foreign visitors?

Spain’s Costa del Sol, home to Málaga, has been hugely popular with tourists for years. In 2023, a record 14 million holidaymakers from Spain and abroad visited - and a fair few visitors decided to make the city their home.

Recent data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) shows that eight out of 10 new residents moving to Málaga are currently foreigners.

It’s not just individuals changing the face of the city, though. Some 630 tech companies, including Google, have opened offices in Málaga, turning it into a quasi-Silicon Valley of Europe.

That has the knock on effect of drawing thousands of international remote workers and digital nomads, attracted by the heady combination of a pleasant work environment and warm climate.

Málaga locals, though, think enough is enough, believing they are being priced out and alienated from their own home city.

Which other European destinations have fought back against overtourism?

Earlier in March, the Canary Islands - a territory of Spain - saw graffiti pop up ordering tourists to “go home”.

ADVERTISEMENT

With its year-round sun and warm weather, the Canaries are an always-popular destination for foreign visitors - and tourism is seen as the island group’s largest money maker.

One of the most popular islands, Tenerife, recently declared a water emergency. That added more fuel to the fire for locals, as some tourist areas there use up to six times more water than residential areas, putting pressure on reserves crucial for drinking water and farming.

In February, nearby Gran Canaria saw walls emblazoned with the message, 'tourists and digital nomads go home', something newspaper the Canarian Weekly reported as 'tourismphobia'.

On the Balearic island Mallorca last August, residents put up fake signs along a number of beaches, reading: “beware of dangerous jellyfish” and “caution, falling rocks”.

All written in English, the signs also featured, in smaller print, explanations in Catalan informing locals that warnings are not real. Instead, the text read: “the problem isn’t a rockfall, it’s mass tourism” and “beach open except for foreigners (guiris) and jellyfish”.

ADVERTISEMENT

Overtourism isn’t just a problem in Spanish territories, though.

Many European nations have been putting tourist taxes in place, including Venice which has also banned cruise ships from entering its endangered canal system.

In Amsterdam, authorities and locals alike have been trying for months to encourage - mostly British - drunken tourists to stay away and in Kyoto, Japan, roads have been sealed off to ensure the city doesn't become a ‘theme park’.

Other top tourist destinations are begging people not to visit, with many simply not having the infrastructure to accommodate them.

Hawaii is on many people’s bucket lists, but continues to struggle with hospitality worker shortages, congested roads and 90-minute restaurant waiting times as tourists still arrive in droves.

ADVERTISEMENT

While the problem does appear to be a global one, it is Spain that is leading the grassroots fight back.

Graffiti in Barcelona last year read: “We spit in your beer. Cheers!” - yet tourists continue to flock there.

Euronews Travel reached out to the Málaga tourist board for comment but have yet to receive a response.

Share this articleComments

You might also like

Malaga experiences resident pushback against inflated housing costs and commercialization.