Overtourism is defined as the excessive influx of visitors to a destination, surpassing the capacity of local infrastructure, communities, and ecosystems to absorb and benefit from tourism without significant negative consequences .

The phenomenon has become increasingly prominent in both established and emerging tourist hotspots, driven by a complex interplay of global travel trends, economic incentives, and the proliferation of digital platforms that facilitate travel and accommodation .

**Causes of Overtourism** The primary driver of overtourism is the rapid and often unregulated increase in tourist arrivals, particularly following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

In early 2023, the travel industry saw a 41% increase in order value compared to previous years, signaling a robust recovery and heightened demand for travel experiences .

Urban destinations such as Athens experienced a 70% rise in visitors to the Acropolis, with daily numbers reaching 17,000—an 80% increase from pre-pandemic levels .

Similarly, Málaga welcomed 14 million visitors in 2023, fueled by its climate and appeal to digital nomads .

Media-driven trends like "set-jetting," where travelers flock to locations featured in films or television, further concentrate tourist flows in specific areas, exacerbating congestion and resource strain .

The proliferation of short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb has intensified housing shortages in cities like Barcelona, where rents have increased by 68% due to the conversion of residential properties into tourist accommodations .

Economic incentives also play a significant role; tourism is a $10 trillion global industry, contributing about 10% to global GDP and projected to grow to $16 trillion within a decade .

This economic potential motivates aggressive tourism promotion, often at the expense of local well-being and environmental sustainability.

Infrastructure limitations are another critical factor.

Many destinations lack the capacity to handle surges in visitor numbers, leading to overcrowded public transport, traffic congestion, and overburdened public services .

In places like Venice, the arrival of large cruise ships has contributed to the erosion of the city’s foundations and damage to its lagoon ecosystem, prompting UNESCO to consider listing the city as endangered .

**Social Impacts** Overtourism exerts profound social pressures on local communities.

Housing affordability is a major concern; in Ibiza, the influx of tourists has driven up rents and property prices, forcing many locals to leave and resulting in shortages of workers for essential public services .

In Tenerife, residents face unaffordable rents and some have been forced to relocate to shanty towns or motorhomes due to housing shortages linked to tourism development .

The rise of short-term rentals has similarly strained housing markets in Ireland and Barcelona, displacing residents and altering neighborhood dynamics .

Community sentiment often turns negative as residents experience alienation and loss of local identity.

In Málaga, public campaigns and graffiti express frustration with the overwhelming tourist presence, while in Seville, locals have protested against the city being "bursting at the seams" .

In Goa, India, residents report disturbances from tourists disregarding local customs, leading to noise, litter, and a sense of invasion .

These tensions can escalate into organized protests, as seen in Tenerife, where thousands demanded a freeze on tourist arrivals, citing unaffordable living conditions and environmental unsustainability .

Cultural erosion is another significant consequence.

In Venice and Barcelona, the overwhelming number of tourists has led to a loss of local character, as businesses increasingly cater to visitors rather than residents, diminishing authentic cultural experiences .

In Pienza, Italy, tourist complaints about noise led to the silencing of historic bells, upsetting residents who valued them as part of their heritage .

Public services and infrastructure are often strained beyond capacity.

In Sitka, Alaska, rapid tourism growth made the community less desirable due to congestion and overwhelmed services .

In Hawaii, 69% of residents cited overcrowding as a primary concern, alongside environmental damage and increased living costs .

Behavioral issues among tourists, such as littering and disrespect for local customs, further degrade quality of life and foster resentment .

**Economic Impacts** Tourism is a major economic driver, providing jobs and income for millions.

In Tenerife, tourism accounts for 35% of the Canary Islands' GDP and supports 40% of jobs .

However, the benefits are often unevenly distributed.

Despite high tourist numbers, the Canary Islands experience some of the lowest wages in Spain, with 33.8% of individuals facing poverty or social exclusion .

Economic gains frequently accrue to external investors rather than local communities, fueling protests and demands for a more equitable tourism model .

The proliferation of short-term rentals has also contributed to economic disparities by diverting housing from long-term residents to tourists, inflating rents and reducing housing availability .

In Barcelona, the planned ban on short-term tourist rentals by 2029 aims to address these issues and restore housing affordability .

While tourism can generate significant revenue, as in Glasgow where the sector generated £774 million by 2019, the associated rise in living costs and housing shortages can offset these benefits for local residents .

**Environmental Impacts** The environmental consequences of overtourism are severe and multifaceted.

Increased waste generation, resource depletion, and ecosystem damage are common in heavily visited areas.

In the Canary Islands, high water consumption by tourist zones has led to a declared water emergency, as these areas use far more water than residential zones .

Untreated wastewater discharge and destruction of natural habitats have prompted protests and calls for limits on tourist numbers to protect the environment .

Biodiversity is particularly at risk.

In Tenerife, mass tourism has caused overpopulation, pollution, and habitat loss .

Infrastructure development for tourism, such as roads in Gilgit-Baltistan, disrupts wildlife habitats and threatens endangered species like the snow leopard .

Environmental disasters linked to tourism, such as the MT Princess Empress oil spill in the Philippines, have directly damaged critical marine habitats, undermining biodiversity and local livelihoods .

In Venice, large cruise ships contribute to the erosion of the city’s foundations and harm its lagoon ecosystem .

**Global Hotspots** Overtourism is most visible in iconic destinations and emerging hotspots.

In Europe, cities like Barcelona, Venice, and Málaga have implemented tourist taxes, visitor restrictions, and rental bans to manage tourist numbers and protect local communities .

Venice introduced a day-tripper fee of €5 for non-overnight visitors, with fines for non-compliance, and has banned large cruise ships from the historic center .

In Menorca, residents have imposed visiting time limits for tourists to control influx and preserve quality of life .

In Asia, Tokyo’s "Destination Create Project" promotes lesser-known regional attractions to redistribute tourist traffic, while Osaka plans to implement a fixed fee for inbound tourists to fund measures countering overtourism .

In Thailand’s Bang Khun Thian district, the community promotes eco-tourism and environmental awareness through scenic cycling routes .

In Hawaii, the "Pledge to Our Keiki" initiative encourages responsible tourism and environmental stewardship among visitors and residents .

Natural reserves and biodiversity hotspots are also affected.

The Verde Island Passage in the Philippines faces threats from overtourism and environmental disasters, impacting marine ecosystems and local economies .

In Fujian Province, China, an ecological wetland park integrates tourism with biodiversity conservation, promoting sustainable eco-tourism .

**Community Responses and Management Strategies** Communities worldwide are increasingly advocating for sustainable tourism practices.

Protests in the Canary Islands, Málaga, and Tenerife reflect growing frustration with economic disparities and environmental degradation .

Community-led initiatives, such as Hawaii’s "Pledge to Our Keiki" and grassroots campaigns in Málaga, highlight the importance of local engagement in tourism management .

In Sitka, Alaska, residents seek more transparency in tourism revenue use and advocate for management strategies that balance economic benefits with community well-being .

Best practices for sustainable tourism in natural reserves include community engagement

Overtourism is defined as the excessive influx of visitors to a destination, surpassing the capacity of local infrastructure, communities, and ecosystems to absorb and benefit from tourism without significant negative consequences .

Title:

Content: Japan's H.I.S., Satoyume to Launch Regional Revival Project

Economy

Tokyo, July 2 (Jiji Press)--Japanese travel agency H.I.S. Co. on Tuesday announced a regional revitalization project aimed at tackling overtourism that it will carry out with local business incubator Satoyume Co.

With their "Destination Create Project," the two Tokyo-based companies hope to relieve congestion at popular tourist spots flooded with travelers from abroad by promoting travel plans that highlight fresh regional attractions.

For the project, H.I.S. concluded a capital and business tie-up with Satoyume.

The two companies will form a team that will visit interested municipalities and help them formulate and implement strategies for developing new tourist spots and attractions including accommodations, restaurants and unique activities.

H.I.S. will utilize its know-how acquired through its international travel business and dispatch human resources to assist clients in developing and marketing regional attractions.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

Jiji Press

The phenomenon has become increasingly prominent in both established and emerging tourist hotspots, driven by a complex interplay of global travel trends, economic incentives, and the proliferation of digital platforms that facilitate travel and accommodation .

Title:

Content: This Italian Town Silenced a Historic Bell That Kept Tourists Awake. Now, Locals Can’t Sleep

The bell battle in Pienza, located in Tuscany, is just the latest example of Italy’s tourism troubles

The bells of a clock tower in the historic Italian town of Pienza have been ringing for more than 500 years. Recently, however, town officials got so many complaints from tourists that they decided to silence the sounds from midnight through 7 a.m.

Tourists visiting the town in southern Tuscany may be able to sleep better, but longtime residents are upset about the change.

“We were born there, we heard [the bells] in the middle of the night,” one resident tells RAI, a state broadcaster, per Google Translate. “In absolute silence, they were a sign of vitality.”

Some residents say that “they are struggling to sleep without the regular tolling that they have been accustomed to hearing all their lives,” writes the Independent’s Helen Coffey.

Manolo Garosi, Pienza’s mayor, defended the change, adding that a 2017 rule aimed at curbing noise pollution mandated quiet during the night. Town leaders also started getting more and more complaints roughly a year and a half ago, when they “digitalized the sound of the bell striking,” he tells CNN’s Julia Buckley and Issy Ronald.

The complaints often came from American tourists, particularly those staying at accommodations near the bell tower, reports the Telegraph’s Nick Squires. Many of Pienza’s bed and breakfasts do not have air conditioning, so travelers have likely been keeping the windows open—which would’ve made the bell sound even louder.

“We are not the only ones to do this,” Garosi tells the Telegraph. “Other towns that have bell towers have done just the same thing.”

Pienza has long been a popular tourist destination. During the 15th century, Pope Pius II renovated the town’s historic center and changed its name from Corsignano to Pienza. The UNESCO World Heritage Site also has charming cobblestone streets and views of Tuscany’s countryside.

The battle over Pienza’s historic bell is just the latest example of the challenges caused by rising tourism numbers in Italy. Travelers have been caught defacing the historic Colosseumpushing a scooter down Rome’s Spanish Steps, surfing in Venice’s Grand Canal and destroying sculptures in the Vatican Museum.

Are badly behaving tourists getting worse? Some say their behavior is amplified because travelers are flocking to the country in large numbers as the Covid-19 restrictions have eased. According to one estimate, some 56 million international travelers visited the country in 2022, and that number is expected to grow.

“They’re behaving as they’ve always behaved, it’s just that … the numbers have returned to what they were pre-pandemic and that corresponds to an increase in boorish behavior,” said Gianfranco Zarantonello, Venice’s chief commissioner, per CNN’s Buckley.

Scott Hartbeck of TravelPulse has a few other theories.

“Perhaps we've just done such a remarkable job of recreating Italy at amusement parks, shopping malls and on the Vegas Strip over the last few decades that tourists subconsciously think they’re in a theme park when they are there—and act accordingly,” he writes. “Or is it just the fact that this country is so breathtaking, so visually stunning, that seeing it in person just simply short-circuits some people’s brains?”

Whatever the reason, Italy’s leaders have had to crack down by implementing new rules and penalties for offenses ranging from vandalism to lingering. The country is also launching travel initiatives—including new rail routes—to help manage overtourism.

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Title:

Content: Harnessing wider benefits of eco-tourism

Harnessing wider benefits of eco-tourism

Special report: Bang Khun Thian locals gird against climate change by helping conserve forests

Already suffering from severe coastal erosion and tidal floods, coastal communities such as Bang Khun Thian district are pursuing an eco-tourism development campaign as a way to counter these threats from climate change.

Bang Khun Thian is the most at-risk area of the capital to experience impacts of climate change, especially from rising sea levels and powerful storms, due to its location on low-lying swampy land in southwestern Bangkok.

However, with the community-led endeavour to promote eco-tourism and conserve local mangrove forests, citizens can be more resilient and better prepared for upcoming challenges.

Struggling to survive

Bang Khun Thian district boasts of being Bangkok's only seaside district and is well known for its fresh seafood, but at the same time it is also one of the most rural and sparsely populated areas of the capital, due to its swampy terrain and remoteness from the city centre.

Many parts of the district, especially coastal areas near the sea, have been converted into large-scale fish and shrimp farms. Most locals live in small fishing villages that dot the coast and inner waterways.

However, the relatively peaceful and stable livelihoods of people here are being threatened by shoreline erosion and frequent flooding.

Sopin Jindachom, a resident of Tha Kham subdistrict, says her hometown is facing imminent danger from being permanently drawn under rising waves.

"For the residents of Bang Khun Thian district, the climate crisis is not just a faraway threat. Climate disasters are our reality for many years now, as storms and rising sea levels are eroding the shoreline and causing coastal floods, which damage the properties and livelihoods of locals," Ms Sopin said.

"The ground beneath our feet is less than a metre above mean sea-level. So, even a small rise in the sea level means doom. We are truly a community at the front line of climate change."

She said Bang Khun Thian district has lost about 3,000 rai of land to the sea over the past 30 years.

She has noticed the rising sea level is causing more frequent coastal flooding from high tidal surges, which normally occurred once a year during the annual peak spring tide in November, but now occur as often as twice a month, as normal spring tides can now trigger extensive coastal floods.

The trends are confirmed by a World Bank report on the impacts of rising sea levels in Thailand. It said while the average rate of global mean sea level rise is 3 millimetres per year, the relative range of sea level rise in the Gulf of Thailand progressed at a much higher rate of up to 12.7 millimetres per year between 1985 and 2009.

Securing climate resilience

Ms Sopin said citizens are pushing a plan to promote eco-tourism by developing a new 8-kilometre scenic cycling route along the Bang Khun Thian coastline and mangrove forest, to help mitigate these changes.

Ms Sopin, one of the project designers, said the idea is to raise public awareness of the problems of rising sea levels and coastal erosion and advocate for conservation of mangrove forests and local marine ecosystems through eco-tourism.

She said the loss of mangrove forest, which acts as a natural barrier against storms and coastal erosion, is also another major factor contributing to the problem.

She said the shoreline used to be covered with dense mangrove forest and the area teemed with rich aquatic life and fishery resources, but the boom in shrimp farming during the 1980s led to extensive clearing of mangrove forest to make way for shrimp farms.

Ms Sopin said the loss of mangrove forest is also affecting the health of marine ecosystems that both aquaculture and the fisheries sector rely on, leading to depletion of fisheries production, because the mangroves act as natural nursery grounds for many aquatic species.

"We also hope that this project will create additional income from tourism for locals and allow communities to minimise climate change impacts," she said.

Help still needed

Karn Nikrosahakiat, another climate activist in Bang Khun Thian district, said the community-led initiative to promote eco-tourism shows local people can play a role in efforts to foster urban climate resilience.

"The local communities, especially the poor and marginalised groups, are often the most at-risk to the impacts of climate change. But even they are capable of finding climate solutions most suitable to their neighbourhood," Mr Karn said.

"This is just the beginning of a local campaign to build urban climate resilience. People still need more help from authorities, academics, and international agencies, especially on climate knowledge and community empowerment." He also hopes others will be inspired by their example.

This story is the second special report in a series of four stories about urban planning reform and city development.

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**Causes of Overtourism** The primary driver of overtourism is the rapid and often unregulated increase in tourist arrivals, particularly following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

**Causes of Overtourism** The primary driver of overtourism is the rapid and often unregulated increase in tourist arrivals, particularly following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

**Causes of Overtourism** The primary driver of overtourism is the rapid and often unregulated increase in tourist arrivals, particularly following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

In early 2023, the travel industry saw a 41% increase in order value compared to previous years, signaling a robust recovery and heightened demand for travel experiences .

Urban destinations such as Athens experienced a 70% rise in visitors to the Acropolis, with daily numbers reaching 17,000—an 80% increase from pre-pandemic levels .

Title:

Content: IT brings in £1 billion from 19 million day visits, and pre-Covid had more than 2.46 million overnight visitors. So it’s little surprise that Glasgow’s tourism sector has made a major contribution to the city’s economy.

Exceeding targets ahead of schedule saw Glasgow grow to achieve tourism income levels of £774 million by 2019 – four years ahead of the 2023 target of £771m.
Like many cities, Glasgow has been hit hard by the loss of visitors during the pandemic, which also impacted on income from its culture and leisure offerings.

Read more: Covid: Obesity expert warns leisure and culture funding crucial for post-lockdown health

The city’s museums and leisure services, operated by arms-length council organisation Glasgow Life, were forced to close with the loss of £38m in income for the charitable trust last year. Predicted income for 2020/21 is around £6.4m, and while Glasgow City Council has reached an agreement for it to receive a guaranteed £100m a year for the next three or four years, Glasgow Life has only been able to open 90 of its 171 venues. Without further funds, it cannot open any further sites.

Read more: Glasgow wellbeing: why we need to tackle its inequalities

That is why The Herald is leading a campaign for A Fair Deal for Glasgow, calling for the city’s venues and treasures to be funded appropriately and for both the Scottish and UK governments to come together to deliver a new funding plan for Glasgow’s culture and leisure services.

Events such as the Merchant City Festival are drivers to bring people into Glasgow
Susan Deighan, director of city marketing and external relations for Glasgow Life, said the fundamental point is that there has got to be something for people to do to bring them into a city.
“We have got amazing museums, visitor attractions, restaurants, events, concert halls,” said Ms Deighan. “And there has to be something for people to do when they come here – you have to have the infrastructure. Glasgow is contemporary Scotland and the things people come and do reflect to the rest of the UK and the world – which then means people are more likely to come and live here, study here, work here and bring their business here, so it all comes into that kind of ecology.
“For Scotland’s four main cities, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow, tourism is a big part of the economy and for Glasgow in 2019 it was worth £774m. The hospitality sector employs 32,000 and 11 per cent of employment in the city is tourism-related. If you are then looking at one of your key economic sectors in the city in the same way as retail, manufacturing and services, tourism is part of the economy and features in the city’s economic strategy.”

Glasgow's story can be told through its attractions
With the flagship Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum one of the many treasures operated by Glasgow Life, Ms Deighan says having things that make people want to come to the city is vital to the  economy.
“If you look at Dundee for example,” she added, “it was amazing that the V&A opened and that was all about boosting the city’s economy, so cities invest in those amazing cultural attractions. If you are coming to Scotland and you want to do a Mackintosh trail, you come to Glasgow and you have got the Mackintosh collections in the various museums, but you can also go on the train to Dundee and see some of the Mackintosh rooms recreated.
“That story about Glasgow’s history, its heritage, its culture and the story of Scotland as a creative and cultural place is told through some of those big museums.”

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum - the jewel in the crown
Pre-pandemic, Glasgow could be classed as a festival and events city. All year round there were flagship events such as Celtic Connections and the Merchant City Festival as well as a full programme in concert halls and venues such as the SSE Hydro.
Ms Deighan added: “Glasgow is a Unesco city of music – that Unesco brand is really important internationally. Having our Celtic Connections and our orchestras playing in our concert halls – that real ecology of music in the city – is really important and attractive for Glasgow. Edinburgh is a Unesco city of literature, Dundee is a Unesco city of art and design. As cities we can collaborate and say, ‘look at the amazing Unesco world heritage-recognised places we have’. That is what has built the stories of the cities, and they are creative places and attractive places to visit.”
In 2017, the city tourism and visitor plan was launched by Glasgow Life along with partners VisitScotland and Scottish Enterprise. Its ambitious target was to grow the value of tourism to £771m by 2023 which was met by 2019. Four years ahead schedule it had smashed the intended target. Figures also show domestic visits to Glasgow account for 69% and international visits account for 31%, while the spend is more level at 51% and 49% respectively.

The success story of the opening of the Hydro created the Finnieston effect
One of the reasons for success, says Ms Deighan, is inter-dependencies. “If you look at the SEC effect at Finnieston, by the development of the SEC and the Hydro, that is what grew that amazing, vibrant neighbourhood. If you look at what pops up around venues, it will have cafés, shops and they are the kind of things that if you are bringing people to a major cultural venue then what happens is people stay in the area. The great thing about Glasgow is the power of its neighbourhoods and the real challenge at the moment is our city centre. We have GoMA, and in terms of its numbers, it had 650,000 visitors a year pre-Covid, and is a great reason to come into the city centre – and it needs reasons to visit which are not just retail.”
As for the future, Ms Deighan believes the trend for cities is now about offering an experience.
“I think cities can provide very diverse experiences and Glasgow is one that can adapt and rebuild. We have been working on the refurbishment of the Burrell Collection. There is nothing more iconic that tells the  story of the regeneration of Glasgow. It was one of the things that was a landmark in the early 1980s, along with Glasgow’s Miles Better and the Garden Festival. We have been working on making sure we can still open the Burrell next year. That is the kind of thing we don’t want to lose and spend another 50 years building back.
“If we want to have a healthy city economy, we need to recognise that story of Glasgow, told through its culture and venues, through its events, is the driver to bring people here.”

Similarly, Málaga welcomed 14 million visitors in 2023, fueled by its climate and appeal to digital nomads .

Title:

Content: British tourists warned European island 'doesn't have enough locals left to run things'

Ibiza is the latest holiday hotspot in Spain where anger with overtourism is boiling over.

By Alice Scarsi, World News Reporter

Ibiza welcomes around three million tourists every year (Image: GETTY)

The cost of rents and mortgages, which activists say is being pushed up by over-tourism, is prompting people to leave Ibiza, one of the most popular Balearic Islands.

This, in turn, is harming public services, as there aren't enough people available to work in them, it has been claimed.

Iván Fidalgo, a Guardia Civil officer and local coordinator for the Spanish Association of Civil Guards, told Euronews Travel: "They sell Ibiza as a first-class resort, but it is not because it doesn’t even have the public services because there are not enough people to work in them."

Many of the locals who don't leave the island are forced to leave in cramped accommodations or relocate in caravans, campaigners have claimed.

Ibiza attracts on average three million tourists a year, some 800,000 of which are Britons.

Tourism is an industry important to the economy of the island (Image: GETTY)

In 2023, the Balearics as a whole saw an unprecedented surge of international interest, attracting 14.4 million visitors from abroad - who spent collectively £14.75bn (€17.22bn).

Tourism is a majorly important industry for the archipelago, creating 200,000 jobs locally and generating 45 percent of the islands' GDP.

However, an increased demand for temporary accommodation created by tourism reportedly means that many locals are pushed out of their homes as they are unable to afford the increasing housing costs.

Similar issues are being lamented by activists elsewhere in popular Spanish destinations - including the Canary Islands.

Last month, many of these islands including Tenerife held massive anti-overtourism protests, in which they demanded local governments to limit the number of visitors and curb the development of tourist stays.

Similar pleas were heard on Friday in Ibiza, where around a 1000 people took to the streets of the island's capital to demand limits on the number of tourist arrivals.

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Media-driven trends like "set-jetting," where travelers flock to locations featured in films or television, further concentrate tourist flows in specific areas, exacerbating congestion and resource strain .

The proliferation of short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb has intensified housing shortages in cities like Barcelona, where rents have increased by 68% due to the conversion of residential properties into tourist accommodations .

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Locals in ‘Spanish Mykonos’ popular with Britons call for action on overtourism

Residents of the Menorcan village of Binibeca Vell said they welcomed British tourists, but needed support from the authorities to cope

MADRID – Known as the “Spanish Mykonos” for its beautiful, narrow white-walled lanes that attract thousands of tourists a year, residents of Binibeca Vell are calling for authorities to take action to stop it being overwhelmed by visitors.

The Menorcan village, which has over 200 permanent residents but attracts 800,000 holidaymakers every year, is inundated with visitors who follow noisy tour guides, leave rubbish and take selfies as the sun goes down over the Mediterranean.

Last year, tired of being invaded, residents of the coastal village managed to impose limits on visiting times so tourists are only allowed in between 10am and 10pm and secured a grant of €15,000 from the island’s government to help pay to manage the area.

However, as Spain braces itself for a record year for tourism, with airlines scheduling extra flights, the Menorcan government withdrew this grant and said residents must pay for cleaning or charge visitors to enter.

The battle playing out in Menorca is being repeated from the Canary Islands to Barcelona as residents hit back at what some claim is uncontrolled tourism that puts pressure on housing and squeezes Spaniards out.

Oscar Monge, president of the Community of Property Owners in Binibeca Vell, said tourists were not the problem.

“I love Britain and I want to make it clear that British tourists are not the problem. It is the lack of action from the Menorcan government,” he told i.

“They want us to pay for the cleaning of the streets because this is a private village or charge tourists for coming to the village, which we do not want to do. Sometimes tourists come in with tour guides and leave rubbish, but why should we have to pay to clear it up? Menorca charges a tourist tax of €2.30 per day, so what is that being used for?”

In a private village, property owners own the streets and land the village was built on, unlike in the typical case where common land is publicly owned.

Begoña Mercadal, director of tourism for the Menorcan government, said the residents’ organisation did not want to renew the €15,000 grant agreement.

“The agreement established that it was automatically renewed if the two parties requested it before 19 December, 2023 and they did not do so, therefore we understood that they were not interested,” she told eldiario.es, an online news site.

Spain received 9.8 million visitors in the first two months of 2024. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday: “Our commitment to a quality, innovative and sustainable model turns Spain into a cutting-edge tourist destination.”

Meanwhile, protests are planned across the Canary Islands against overtourism on Saturday as members of the group Canarias Se Agota carried on with a hunger strike.

One member of the group had to receive hospital attention on Tuesday after starting the strike five days earlier.

Protests will be staged in support of the Canary Islands action in Berlin, Madrid and Malaga by environmental group Greenpeace.

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Economic incentives also play a significant role; tourism is a $10 trillion global industry, contributing about 10% to global GDP and projected to grow to $16 trillion within a decade .

Title:

Content: Infrastructure Development Projects Pose Serious Threat To Snow Leopards, Prey Species In GB: WWF Study

“Rapid infrastructure development, primarily roads, potentially degrades the Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) habitat resulting in disrupting the big cats' movement and increasing human-wildlife conflict in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. The prey species of the Snow leopard such as Himalayan ibex and domestic livestock are also killed due to heavy traffic on the highways”

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Apr, 2024) “Rapid infrastructure development, primarily roads, potentially degrades the Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) habitat resulting in disrupting the big cats' movement and increasing human-wildlife conflict in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. The prey species of the Snow leopard such as Himalayan ibex and domestic livestock are also killed due to heavy traffic on the highways”.

This has been revealed in WWF-Pakistan’s baseline research study undertaken through the project titled "Building Ecological and Sustainable Transport and Linear Infrastructure for Snow Leopards in the Hindu Kush Karakoram Himalaya Landscape in Pakistan (BEAST)".

The project was supported by the “With Snow Leopards Small Grant” (SLSG) initiated by Tencent Foundation and Shan Shui Conservation Center with support from Huatai Foundation, Amity Foundation, and Pecking University Center for Nature and Society.

The study recommended that there is need to strike a balance between boosting infrastructure development with conservation of threatened wildlife such as Snow leopards in the region. The report stated that the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) region is home to diverse wildlife including vulnerable Snow leopards. It pointed out that the linear infrastructure development, which cuts through the landscape such as roads, has fragmented the Snow leopard habitat. The report found that although linear infrastructure improves national and regional economies, it restricts wildlife movement and poses threat to the Snow leopards and their prey species such as ungulates.

Focusing on the broader road ecology theme, the study gathered evidence on infrastructure-related threats to Snow leopards and their habitat in the GB region. It collected data on wildlife-vehicle collisions, investigated the impact of increasing infrastructure on human-wildlife interaction and analysed land use changes in known Snow leopard hotspots over the past twenty years. It covered two major roads namely Karakoram Highway (KKH) and Gilgit-Shandur Road which bisect Snow leopard habitat. In the backdrop of the surging infrastructure growth in GB region, WWF-Pakistan launched the Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative in 2019 which aimed to build the capacities of relevant stakeholders, raise awareness, and advocate for sustainable and green infrastructure planning and development in the Hindukush-Karakoram-Himalaya (HKH) region.

Commenting on the study, Director General WWF-Pakistan, Hammad Naqi Khan said that infrastructure development project help boost trade and tourism, but they should not overlook the environment and species conservation aspects. He was of the view that detrimental impacts of the development projects could be avoided through meticulous planning, sustainable infrastructure and integrated approach which promotes biodiversity conservation and protection of the natural ecosystem. “It is crucial to build upon this study and undertake further investigations on wildlife movement and migration patterns to assess the impact of infrastructure development on wildlife populations in critical habitats”, Khan added.

The report indicated that large-scale transport-infrastructure development and burgeoning hospitality projects have posed a threat to the local biodiversity and pristine landscape in GB. The report proposed that following the current laws regulating wildlife, linear development, and human encroachment should be prohibited in the protected areas. It also recommended that the construction of wildlife corridors and crossings in potential wildlife habitats could help minimize the access of wildlife to high-traffic roads and could reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. It also suggested that the deployment of devoted law enforcement and traffic personnel along wildlife hotspots can help thwart the hunting and poaching of Snow leopards and its prey species. The report also suggested that infrastructure-related development projects should take proactive mitigation steps to safeguard the native ecology and wild species.

Various studies indicate that as Snow leopard is an elusive animal, hence it is difficult to record its exact population in the distribution range across Central and South Asia. However, in 2020 WWF research indicated that fewer than 7000 Snow leopards remain globally, of which approximately 200 to 420 individuals inhabit the northern mountain ranges of Pakistan including the GB region, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK).

This economic potential motivates aggressive tourism promotion, often at the expense of local well-being and environmental sustainability.

This economic potential motivates aggressive tourism promotion, often at the expense of local well-being and environmental sustainability.

This economic potential motivates aggressive tourism promotion, often at the expense of local well-being and environmental sustainability.

Infrastructure limitations are another critical factor.

Infrastructure limitations are another critical factor.

Many destinations lack the capacity to handle surges in visitor numbers, leading to overcrowded public transport, traffic congestion, and overburdened public services .

Title:

Content: Airbnb backlash will be bad news for Irish holidaymakers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overtourism protests

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

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

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

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

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

Strict rules in Ireland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Title:

Content: Thousands protest in Spain's Canary Islands over mass tourism

People took to the street in the Canary Islands to protest unsustainable tourism Copyright EBU
Copyright EBU
By Euronews with EBU
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Protestors are calling for a freeze on tourists, arguing that the current model has made life unaffordable and environmentally unsustainable for residents.

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Thousands of people protested in Tenerife on Saturday calling for the Spanish island to temporarily limit tourist arrivals.

Holding placards reading "People live here" and "We don't want to see our island die", they're urging for a stem to short-term holiday rentals and hotel construction which are driving up housing costs for locals.

The protesters are being backed by environmental groups including Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth and SEO/Birdlife.

"We are not against tourism, we are against a model that has led us to the deterioration of our land, of our people because the profits and growth of tourism are not reflected in society," said Rosario Correa, Secretary of the 'Salvar Chira-Soria' platform.

Eleven individuals from Canarias se Agota have been fasting for a week in objection to the erection of two expansive luxury projects in southern Tenerife, which they deem unlawful and entirely superfluous.

According to the police, approximately 20 thousand people participated in the protests, yet organisers claimed the number to be nearer to 50 thousand as reported by Spain’s TVE public television.

Rosario Correo, one of the demonstrators, told TVE, “Our stance isn't anti-tourism. We simply advocate for a shift from this framework that permits boundless expansion of tourism.”

Demonstrators also assembled in Madrid and Barcelona to express solidarity with the protests in the Canary Islands.

In 2023 the islands welcomed 13.9 million visitors, while their resident population stands at 2.2 million. Tourism contributes approximately 35 per cent to the archipelago’s GDP, generating €16.9bn in 2022 alone.

However, locals argue that the industry is depleting natural resources and driving up rental prices, making them increasingly unaffordable.

Data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute reveal that 33.8 per cent of individuals in the Canaries face poverty or social exclusion, marking the highest proportion compared to any region except Andalucía.

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‘My misery, your paradise’: Canary Island residents say mass tourism is at breaking point

In places like Venice, the arrival of large cruise ships has contributed to the erosion of the city’s foundations and damage to its lagoon ecosystem, prompting UNESCO to consider listing the city as endangered .

Title:

Content: Addressing the impacts of the Mindoro oil spill

IT has been over a month since the MT Princess Empress sunk off Oriental Mindoro, causing a massive oil spill that has reached parts of Batangas, Palawan and Antique. Around 9,400 liters of oily water and 3,514 sacks of oil-contaminated materials have been collected from the oil spill that has directly affected 34,000 families in MIMAROPA and in Western Visayas, including no less than 13,600 fishermen and farmers, based on data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

We commend the quick response of all national and local agencies in addressing this catastrophe, particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to this environmental disaster. We earlier called on the DSWD and DOLE to immediately utilize the appropriate funds under their respective budgets to provide aid to residents affected by the incident, particularly in providing cash aid and cash-for-work programs so that they can put food on their tables and pay for the medical expenses resulting from the incident. Under the 2023 General Appropriations Act, which we sponsored as Chairman of the Committee on Finance, P37 billion was allocated to the DSWD’s Protective Services for Individuals and Families in Difficult Circumstances and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation. Another P20 billion was allocated for the DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers.

The task of cleaning up the spill and restoring the lives of the affected residents and businesses is undoubtedly very challenging considering that the oil tanker, which was carrying some 900,000 liters of industrial oil, was found to have suffered “extensive structural damage” before submerging with leaks found from all of its compartments.

In addition to the livelihood disrupted by this maritime incident, the oil leak has been severely detrimental to the country’s Nature-Based Tourism (NBT) as the spill breached many critical marine habitats.

NBT is an emerging type of tourism that “builds on the draw of nature” encompassing activities that include leisure travel largely influenced by the purpose of enjoying natural attractions and engaging in a variety of outdoor activities.

Considered as the most diverse country on a per hectare basis, the Philippines has identified 247 key biodiversity areas—covering 7.8 million hectares, including 147 terrestrial and 100 marine sites.

One of the many marine sites affected by the oil spill was the Verde Island Passage in between Batangas, Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon. It is the prime center of the Coral Triangle or the world’s epicenter of marine biodiversity. Another destination at risk and being closely monitored for possible breach is the Tubbataha Reef Natural Park in Palawan that was classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1993 and recognized as a top diving site in the world. The Department of Tourism already expressed its grave concern as the agency is expecting more areas to be hit by the oil leak and at least 34 cruise ships are expected to arrive in Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan this year.

In relation to this threat faced by the country’s biodiversity, I filed Senate Resolution No. 472 to create policy reforms and budgetary expenditures aimed at developing the Philippines’s potential of becoming the leading country in the world for sustainable NBT. It suggests that legislative frameworks that create incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources must be strengthened for the long-term success of the industry. Moreover, the resolution advocates for a sustainable management system in building a tourism industry aimed at promoting and capitalizing on the diverse environmental features and local biodiversity of the country.

According to a World Bank Group report, NBT holds a key role in sustainable development as it can aid in poverty alleviation, support economic growth, and promote biodiversity conservation. What we should focus on now is how to fully maximize and harmonize existing interventions that promote sustainable NBT such as the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System and instruments like the National Ecotourism Strategy and Action Plan and the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. While the oil spill’s full extent has yet to be determined, the country’s NBT would fully realize its potentials and be made resilient against unforeseen shocks if these frameworks are effectively in place.

 Senator Sonny Angara has been in public service for 18 years—9 years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and 9 as Senator. He has authored, co-authored, and sponsored more than 330 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.

E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara

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The news was original. The act chronicled was even more unusual, fresh: a young man has reviewed a host. It was called the “Ostiya review,” with the wafer taken from a March 17 Mass. Which means the host was consecrated.

Title:

Content: Tourists slammed as local resident says ‘small seaside town’ is ruined by visitors

A resident in a seaside town has said they find the behaviour of some tourists "appalling".

By Esther Marshall, Senior Travel Reporter

A local resident has said tourists are ruining their town (Image: Getty)

A local resident in a “small coastal town” has said they struggle to deal with their town’s tourism industry.

The anonymous local wrote on Reddit: “I live in a tourism hotspot and it annoys the h*** out of me and everyone else.

“Unfortunately it is one of the problems in living in a beautiful place, but during the summer it is a massive pain.

“While it of course brings jobs and money into the local area, on a personal level, it is far more negative than positive.”

Many tourist hotspots are struggling to cope with an influx of tourists post-pandemic. Venice has introduced a daily fee and Amsterdam has raised its tourist tax to be the highest in Europe.

The local resident added: “Ours is a small coastal town and just was never designed to take the volumes of people.

“Roads get blocked and quite frankly the behaviour of many visitors is utterly appalling, leaving rubbish and illegal parking.”

Another person agreed saying: “I live in a city that gets flooded with tourists every summer. I rely on public transport to get to work and from April until mid-October, I basically need to wake up half an hour early to get to work on time because there’s so much extra traffic.

“On top of that, the buses and trains are so full that I get to enjoy my trip to and from work standing in a tight, sweaty, crowded bus with lots of loud tourists and their massive backpacks and suitcases.”

Public transport can get overcrowded during peak tourist season which can make it difficult for local residents to get around.

Do you live in a tourist hotspot? Share your views with Express.co.uk.

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**Social Impacts** Overtourism exerts profound social pressures on local communities.

**Social Impacts** Overtourism exerts profound social pressures on local communities.

**Social Impacts** Overtourism exerts profound social pressures on local communities.

Housing affordability is a major concern; in Ibiza, the influx of tourists has driven up rents and property prices, forcing many locals to leave and resulting in shortages of workers for essential public services .

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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In Tenerife, residents face unaffordable rents and some have been forced to relocate to shanty towns or motorhomes due to housing shortages linked to tourism development .

Title:

Content: In this week’s news roundup, we report on Yamanashi Prefecture’s decision to charge a fee for climbing Mount Fuji and Osaka’s plan to do the same for  inbound tourists intent on visiting the area from 2025 onwards. We also look back at some of the Japanese highlights from Paris Fashion Week, including an inspiring show by Jun Takahashi’s label, Undercover. There’s good news for investors in Japan as the Nikkei Trade 225 tops the 40,000 threshold for the first time. Riken Yamamoto becomes Japan’s ninth Pritzker laureate. And former GSDF member, Rina Gonoi, is honored at the White House. In sport, we report on the Tokyo Marathon and Yokohama F. Marinos’ Asian Champions League quarterfinal.

Osaka Eyes Taxing Inbound Visitors Due to Overtourism

Osaka Prefecture is contemplating charging a fixed fee for inbound tourists starting in April 2025, the same month the World Exposition begins there. Osaka’s governor, Hirofumi Yoshimura, spoke to reporters about the plan on Wednesday, stating that the fee, if implemented, would be used to fund “overtourism” countermeasures. “We want foreign visitors to enjoy Osaka and try to realize a coexistence with local residents through the beautification of towns,” he said. The plan, which needs the approval of the internal affairs minister before anything can be established, will be discussed by a prefectural government panel next month.

Overtourism is a major issue in Japan right now and Osaka’s not the only prefecture planning on implementing fees to tackle the problem. On Monday, the Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly unanimously passed an ordinance to collect entry fees of ¥2,000 from anyone wanting to climb Mount Fuji via its most popular route (climbers are also asked to pay ¥1,000 voluntarily for conservation of the mountain). Fees will be collected from the entrance of the Yoshida trailBetween July and September of last year, more than 220,000 people made the ascent. This summer, the number of climbers per day will be limited to 4,000.

Nikkei Surpasses 40,000 Threshold for the First Time

In the first 15 minutes of trading on Monday morning, the Nikkei Trade 225 topped the 40,000 threshold for the first time. It added 0.84%, or 334.87 points from Friday, reaching 40,245.69 not long after the opening bell. The benchmark index continues to rise after breaking a record last month that stood for more than 34 years. That record was set on December 29, 1989, before the country’s financial bubble burst. On February 22 this year, it rose above 39,000 for the first time and continued to break records last week, ending at 39,910 on Friday.

The Nikkei’s rise, which is being powered by semiconductor-related stocks, has surprised many, but not Warren Buffett. His investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, invested in Japan’s five biggest trading houses: Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Mitsui and Sumitomo in 2020. Last year, he increased the stakes from 7.4% to 8.5%. In a letter to investors, Buffett spoke in glowing terms about Japanese trading firms, boosting investor confidence in these companies. According to analysts, other factors driving the market are advances in corporate governance, the weakening of the yen against the dollar, which continues to boost exporters, and modest inflation rates.

Riken Yamamoto Wins Pritzker Architecture Prize

On Tuesday, Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto was named as the surprise recipient of this year’s prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize. He is the ninth Japanese to become a Pritzker laureate. No other country has produced more winners. According to Alejandro Aravena, chair of the prize jury and a former recipient himself, Yamamoto is “a reassuring architect who brings dignity to everyday life.” He added: “Normality becomes extraordinary. Calmness leads to splendor.” According to the official prize jury statement, “His constant, careful and substantial attention to community has generated public interworking space systems that incentivize people to convene in different ways.”

Born in Beijing in 1945, Yamamoto grew up in a traditional machiya in Yokohama. At 17, he had what he describes as his “first experience with architecture,” when he visited the ancient Kofukuji Temple in Nara and was particularly captivated by its five-storied pagoda. He established his practice, Riken Yamamoto & Field Shop, in 1973. Some of his most renowned works include Future University Hakodate in Hokkaido, the Yokosuka Museum of Art in Kanagawa Prefecture, a set of buildings called The Circle at Zurich Airport and the Pangyo Housing complex in Seongnam, near Seoul.

Ex-GSDF Member Rina Gonoi Honored at the White House

On Monday, Rina Gonoi received an International Women of Courage Award from America’s First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the White House. She was one of 12 recipients of this year’s prize, which honors women who’ve taken brave actions to fight for a better world. In 2022, Gonoi posted a YouTube video stating that she was a long-term victim of sexual harassment and abuse by senior colleagues in her unit of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF). A petition calling on the Defense Ministry to investigate her case garnered more than 100,000 signatures.

One of the worst incidents occurred in August 2021, when Gonoi was allegedly pinned down by three former GSDF members and forced to spread her legs open. They then repeatedly pressed their crotches against hers. Nobody attempted to stop the trio. Her complaint was dismissed after she reported what happened. In 2022, Gonoi turned to social media. The overwhelming support she received eventually pushed the GSDF to act. It dismissed five members, punished four others and conducted an organization-wide investigation that found more than 100 similar complaints. Last December, the three men were found guilty of sexual assault.

Benson Kipruto and Sutume Kebede Win Tokyo Marathon

Sunday’s Tokyo Marathon on Sunday came less than a month after the tragic death of the 24-year-old world record holder Kelvin Kiptum from Kenya. His fellow countrymen put on a show in his honor in Japan’s capital, with Benson Kipruto edging out Timothy Kiplagat. Kipruto’s time of 2:02:16 was the fifth fastest in history (on record eligible courses). Vincent Kipkemoi made it a one-two-three for Kenya. The women’s race was won by Ethiopian Sutume Kebede in 2:15:15, ahead of the defending champion, Rosemary Wanjiru from Kenya.

Hitomi Niiya was the best-placed Japanese woman in sixth in 2:21:50. Yusuke Nishiyama was the first Japanese man across the line, finishing ninth. His time of 2:06.31, however, fell outside Japan’s Olympic qualification benchmark of 2:05:50. It means he will miss out on the Paris Games, with the country’s third spot going to Suguru Osako. In other Japan-related sports news this week, Yokohama F. Marinos defeated China’s Shandong Taishan 2-1 in the first leg of their Asian Champions League quarterfinal. The second leg takes place at the Nissan Stadium on March 13.

Jun Takahashi’s Label Undercover Stars at Paris Fashion Week

There were 108 shows and presentations on this season’s Paris Fashion Week’s fall/winter 2024 schedule, a new record. One of the standouts was undoubtedly the Japanese label, Undercover, which was founded by Jun Takahashi in 1990. His powerful yet understated collection was accompanied by a poem titled “Watching a Working Woman,” written and read by Perfect Days director Wim Wenders. “As always,” he began, “she wakes up just before the alarm goes off. As always, she looks at the clock and smiles, but then turns it off before it would start ringing. She doesn’t want her child to wake up. Not yet…”

Another highlight of the week was the appearance of Nao Saito, a Japanese model with down syndrome who goes by her stage name Nao. The 19-year-old Shizuoka native, who has been modeling for five years, wore a red kimono-inspired gown with a gold obi sash as she walked in the show of international designer Samina Mughal. “I didn’t think it was a dream that could be made possible,” said Nao’s mother, Yumi. “It was fun. I was nervous,” added her daughter. Nao, who has complications of the heart and esophagus, has undergone more than 40 surgeries.

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The rise of short-term rentals has similarly strained housing markets in Ireland and Barcelona, displacing residents and altering neighborhood dynamics .

Community sentiment often turns negative as residents experience alienation and loss of local identity.

Community sentiment often turns negative as residents experience alienation and loss of local identity.

Community sentiment often turns negative as residents experience alienation and loss of local identity.

In Málaga, public campaigns and graffiti express frustration with the overwhelming tourist presence, while in Seville, locals have protested against the city being "bursting at the seams" .

Title:

Content: Travel Industry 2024: Trends & Insights

Travel is back! After three years of pandemic, the travel industry has largely returned to its previous level in the past year. So, January is early booking time again! That’s why we’ve put together the most exciting travel trends for 2024 and looked at how the travel industry is developing, both inside and outside of the Tradedoubler network. Find out more about the development of the travel industry, travel planning with AI, set-jetting, destination dupes, and which destinations will be particularly popular in 2024!

Travel in a nutshell: Insights into the Tradedoubler network

Our figures from the Tradedoubler network show that the travel industry is returning to its former strength. In the first quarter of 2023, our travel programmes generated around 41% of total order value. This figure was 31% in Q1 2022 and just 7% in the Covid-19 year 2021. The upward trend in the travel industry is likely to continue this year: In the first two weeks of the new year, our travel programmes generated around 39% of the total order value.

A closer look at the figures from last year shows that consumers were particularly keen to book in calendar weeks two to five. It is also clear to see that the order value generated by travel slowly but steadily decreases from March onwards. That means that anyone who wants to benefit from the early booking business you should hold on tight, especially in the next few weeks until the end of February.

The Travel Trends 2024

Trend #1: Set-Jetting
This trend means traveling to places that serve as a backdrop for films, series, or social media events. That also confirmed the Expedia Travel Trend Report 2024: In the survey, more than half of travellers stated that they were inspired by TV series or films when planning a trip. One example is the search queries related to the HBO series “The White Lotus”. Searches for Hawaii (first season) and Sicily (second season) have increased by 300% on Expedia and Hotels.com (Expedia, 2023).

Trend #2: Away from Mass Tourism and Destination Dupes
In times of over tourism in popular holiday destinations such as Italy, Indonesia, Greece and Thailand, many travellers are drawn to more secluded places. The latest trend for 2024 is vacations in undiscovered holiday destinations. That also fits with a phenomenon which is currently going viral on TikTok: Destination Dupes. These are holidays in places that are quieter and cheaper than popular destinations but are just as beautiful as their well-known twins – real duplicates. Examples of destination dupes include Pattaya instead of Bangkok, Paros instead of Santorini or Perth instead of Sydney.

Trend #3: Travel planning with AI
Since the launch of ChatGPT, artificial intelligence has been a part of our everyday lives – including in the travel industry. For example, travellers can use chatbots to collect suggestions for their next trip, compare hotel offers, plan their itinerary, check entry requirements, get travel tips and so on – there are no limits to the imagination. The potential behind this is considerable: According to a global survey by the Expedia Group, almost 40% of respondents would use generative AI to find holiday accommodation or a hotel, a third would use it to compare flights and get inspiration for their destination, and 35% would use AI to search for holiday activities (Expedia, 2023).

In addition to these trends, other travel trends have already established in the past year. They include sustainable travel, road trips and camping, travelling by car, last-minute trips, and luxury travel, which are becoming increasingly popular.

Quotes from our travel partners

“Package holidays are very popular again this year. Many people are booking a holiday to Crete or Majorca. But Lake Garda and long-haul destinations such as Zanzibar and Thailand are also in high demand. Anyone looking for a cheap holiday should book early. Prices for holidays rose significantly last year and are likely to go up again slightly this year. In the early booking phase, it is easier to find a favourable offer or benefit from discount campaigns.”

Annika Hunkemöller, Head of Communication at Urlaubsguru

“This year’s trend among our users shows growing enthusiasm for individual travel experiences, particularly through motorhome holidays and road trips as well as trips to individual bucket list destinations. In 2024, Egypt remains one of our favourite travel destinations, while the fascination with attractive long-haul destinations such as the USA and Australia continues. Insider tips such as Albania and South Korea are becoming increasingly popular.”

Anke Sygulka, Head of Key Account Management, Urlaubstracker

“With the expansion of the flight route network, Condor strives to connect more and more people globally. As a result, the requirements for digital marketing are also becoming increasingly intertwined as well as more complex. Additionally, these demands are enhanced by the very different legal framework conditions in the various markets. Partnerships with companies like Tradedoubler help us to achieve this growth internationally and tackle resulting challenges together.”

Alexander Sascha Mai, Director eCommerce at Condor Flugdienst GmbH

It’s booking time!

January is the early booking season, so make sure the travellers can find your offers.  Whether you run a hotel, airline, tour company, comparison website, or any related business. Take the opportunity to realise international growth in the travel industry efficiently.

Our experts can give you excellent advice for your travel affiliate programme. Get in touch with us and increase your travel sales >>

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In Goa, India, residents report disturbances from tourists disregarding local customs, leading to noise, litter, and a sense of invasion .

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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
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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.

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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”.

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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”.

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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.

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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.

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These tensions can escalate into organized protests, as seen in Tenerife, where thousands demanded a freeze on tourist arrivals, citing unaffordable living conditions and environmental unsustainability .

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Content: HONOLULU (KHON2) — A majority of Hawaii residents think tourism is worth the issues, but when it comes to identifying problems that the industry has created for the islands, overcrowding was at the top of the list, followed by damage to the environment and a higher cost of living.

Nearly 2,000 residents from each county participated in the Spring 2022 Resident Sentiment Survey. The new data shows support for regenerative tourism efforts and destination management.

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The Spring 2022 Resident Sentiment Survey was fielded from May 7 through July 30, 2022.

DO YOU THINK TOURISM IS WORTH THE ISSUES?

  • OAHU: 77% yes
    • Honolulu: 81%
    • Ewa/Leeward: 80%
    • Waianae: 56%
    • Windward: 69%
    • North Shore: 64%
    • Central: 80%
  • BIG ISLAND: 77% yes
    • West Hawaii: 75%
    • East Hawaii: 80%
  • MAUI COUNTY: 60% yes
    • West Maui: 58%
    • Central/East Maui: 59%
    • Molokai: 64%
    • Lanai: 91%
  • KAUAI: 66% yes
    • NE Kauai: 64%
    • SW Kauai: 69%

Of those surveyed: 82% were ages 65 and older, 75% were ages 55 to 64, 74% were ages 35 to 54 and 68% were ages 18 to 34.

DO YOU THINK TOURISM HAS BROUGHT MORE BENEFITS THAN PROBLEMS?

  • OAHU: 55% strongly/somewhat agree
    • Honolulu: 60%
    • Ewa/Leeward: 55%
    • Waianae: 36%
    • Windward: 44%
    • North Shore: 44%
    • Central: 64%
  • BIG ISLAND: 56% strongly/somewhat agree
    • West Hawaii: 54%
    • East Hawaii: 57%
  • MAUI COUNTY: 43% strongly/somewhat agree
    • West Maui: 40%
    • Central/East Maui: 42%
    • Molokai: 43%
    • Lanai: 78%
  • KAUAI: 48% strongly/somewhat agree
    • NE Kauai: 43%
    • SW Kauai: 55%

WHAT PROBLEMS HAS TOURISM CREATED IN HAWAII?

  • 69% said overcrowding
  • 67% said damage to the environment
  • 62% said high prices and higher cost of living
  • 62% said traffic problems
  • 55% said no respect for culture, tradition and the land
  • 54% said too dependent on tourism, should diversify
  • 47% said health concerns, viruses, and potential for epidemics
  • 34% said locals don’t benefit from tourism money
  • 30% said crime
  • 2% said loss of cultural and community sensitivity
  • 2% said tourism/tourists are given priority
  • 1% said creates low paying jobs, no advancement
  • 1% said tourist safety an issue
  • 1% said influx of newcomers including foreign investors
  • 1% said other
  • 1% refused

To read the full report, click here.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

Statewide sampling produced a total of 1,955 respondents as follows: 839 Oahu residents, 458 from Big Island, 403 from Maui County and 255 from Kauai.

Cultural erosion is another significant consequence.

Cultural erosion is another significant consequence.

In Venice and Barcelona, the overwhelming number of tourists has led to a loss of local character, as businesses increasingly cater to visitors rather than residents, diminishing authentic cultural experiences .

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Content: City inaction to solve traffic chaos threatens tourism

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PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya is currently grappling with a severe wave of traffic congestion, particularly around North Pattaya and Sukhumvit Roads. The primary cause of this congestion is ongoing construction in the area, which is disrupting the flow of vehicles and causing considerable inconvenience for commuters.

The impact of this congestion extends well beyond North Pattaya-Sukhumvit Road, reaching as far as the Pattaya Toll Plaza. Here, vehicles are caught in lengthy queues on both sides of the road, severely hampering the mobility of locals and disrupting the travel plans of tourists. This has led to extended travel times and mounting frustration among those navigating the area.

The traffic chaos is not isolated to these specific routes; rather, all major roads in Pattaya are congested with vehicles, worsening an already dire situation. In an attempt to avoid main thoroughfares, tourist shuttle buses have resorted to navigating through narrow alleyways, aggravating traffic issues and significantly disrupting the lives of local residents.

Despite persistent complaints about traffic congestion, there has been a noticeable lack of concerted efforts from relevant authorities to address the problem effectively. This inaction leaves both residents and tourists struggling to navigate the city, especially dreading the upcoming Pattaya Water Festival, which typically attracts large crowds.

If left unaddressed, these ongoing traffic issues threaten to adversely impact Pattaya’s tourism sector, potentially deterring visitors from coming to Pattaya as is happening to Hua Hin Beach Resort because of the years-long construction of Rama II Road, which is the main road leading to the south of Thailand. The city’s authorities are urged to take immediate action to prevent this exodus from happening.

In Pienza, Italy, tourist complaints about noise led to the silencing of historic bells, upsetting residents who valued them as part of their heritage .

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Fujian Province Unveils Ecological Wetland Park, Boosting Biodiversity and Local Economy

East China's Fujian Province celebrates the opening of an ecological wetland park, merging environmental conservation with sustainable tourism.

Aqsa Younas Rana
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In a significant stride towards environmental conservation and sustainable tourism, East China's Fujian Province recently celebrated the opening of a pioneering ecological wetland park. This development not only underscores the province's commitment to biodiversity but also promises to invigorate the local economy through eco-tourism.

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Revitalization of Marine Life

The establishment of the ecological wetland park in Fujian Province marks a crucial step in the region's ongoing efforts to rehabilitate its marine ecosystems. A cornerstone of these efforts has been the deployment of artificial reefs off the coast of Putian, which have been instrumental in rebuilding fish populations. These concrete structures, designed to mimic natural reefs, have facilitated the resurgence of marine life by providing habitats for various species and combating illegal fishing practices. The success of these initiatives is evident in the significant increase in fish fry releases, totaling over 80 million between 2020 and 2023, thus indicating a flourishing marine ecosystem.

Economic and Environmental Synergy

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The ecological wetland park is not just a sanctuary for wildlife; it also represents a burgeoning nexus of economic and environmental synergy. By integrating conservation efforts with sustainable tourism, Fujian Province is setting a precedent for how ecological restoration can coincide with economic development. The park is expected to attract visitors keen on experiencing its rich biodiversity, thereby boosting local businesses and promoting eco-friendly practices. This model of eco-tourism underscores the potential for environmental initiatives to contribute to the local economy while fostering a deeper appreciation for nature among the public.

Future Prospects and Challenges

While the opening of the ecological wetland park is a milestone achievement, it also presents new challenges and opportunities for conservation in Fujian Province. The success of the park and its underlying conservation efforts will depend on continuous monitoring, research, and community involvement. Engaging local communities, researchers, and policymakers in a collaborative effort to sustain and enhance the park's ecosystems will be critical. Moreover, the park's development raises important questions about balancing tourist influx with conservation needs, highlighting the importance of sustainable management practices in preserving the ecological integrity of the area.

As Fujian Province unveils its ecological wetland park, it not only showcases its achievements in marine conservation but also illuminates the path forward for sustainable development. This initiative embodies the potential of harmonizing ecological preservation with economic growth, offering valuable insights for similar endeavors worldwide. The park's success will ultimately hinge on the collective efforts of all stakeholders to nurture and protect this invaluable ecological treasure.

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Public services and infrastructure are often strained beyond capacity.

Public services and infrastructure are often strained beyond capacity.

In Sitka, Alaska, rapid tourism growth made the community less desirable due to congestion and overwhelmed services .

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Content: A majority of Sitkans think the rapid increase in tourism last summer made the community a less desirable place to live – or at least that’s the feeling of a majority of respondents of a graduate study conducted in the height of the cruise season last August. As KCAW’s Robert Woolsey reports, collecting data on the impact of tourism is a matter of numbers, and of perceptions.

Note: Priya Gandhi and Samantha Matthews will present their study to the Sitka Planning Commission at its next regular meeting on Wednesday, March 15. Here’s a link to the Brief Report, and a link to the Full Assessement.

Priya Gandhi and Samantha Matthews are students at the Pardee Rand Graduate School of Public Policy in Santa Monica, California. They were the project leaders for a social science study last August to understand how Sitkans perceived the dramatic increase in summer visitation, and how it affected their sense of well-being.

Unlike more casual surveys, this project tried to tease out nuances: For example, Sitkans can appreciate the increase in sales tax revenue derived from visitors, but can be frustrated by the increased congestion.

And Priya Gandhi says the timing of the survey was a factor.

“This is kind of a snapshot into how community members were feeling at that very moment in which they engaged with our efforts,” said Gandhi. “But there are certainly lots of other potential changes, both in terms of tourism and the visitor industry and in terms of Sitka’s planning and responses, that all might feed into differences in these numbers one way or the other in the future.”

The survey results are revealing. 87-percent of respondents reported being impacted by tourism in 2022; 63-percent of respondents felt the uptick in tourism made Sitka a less desirable place to live.

 Sitka underwent significant short-term planning measures to accommodate the roughly 400,000 cruise visitors last summer – around double the typical number of visitors in any previous year. On the busiest days, the main street downtown was closed to traffic, large toilet trailers were parked in less-than-ideal locations, and cafes and restaurants struggled to meet the out-of-proportion demand.

Still, it wasn’t all bad. Samantha Matthews says Sitkans felt the yin and yang of the town’s surge in economic activity.

“A lot of our data show these trade offs that people are facing with increased tourism,” Matthews said. “And so a lot of folks talked about the the economic benefits, the tax revenue that the city would receive, and things like that, but then there were concerns around equity and the economic benefits of tourism, and where would that tax revenue go? So I think some of our recommendations were really just around making that process transparent. So that community members are able to be a part of that process and know where where the economic benefits of tourism are going and making it so that those benefits are more equitably distributed.”

The full study is called the 2022 Community Assessment on the Increased Impacts of Tourism in Sitka. It’s 28-pages long, with another 29 pages of appendices. It is the kind of social study where opinions matter, and the words of respondents come through as much as the data. One Sitkan wrote, “I believe there are economic benefits for our community due to increased tourism, but it’s still unclear if that means all residents will feel financial relief, like decreased utility rates, or if only the residents who work in tourism will feel the financial rewards…”

Gandhi says this type of response can help inform policy, as much as hard numbers.

“It was really our aim to help create sort of that point in time opportunity for the community to share their real time reflections with us, their insights and their suggestions, so that we could then take stock of that, and aggregate it and share it with different individuals and organizations who might be interested in thinking through this potential issue of increased tourism further,” said Gandhi.

The assessment doesn’t really say what to do next. It has a raft of suggestions offered by survey respondents on housing density, transportation, the environment, and so on – but this is information for policy makers, rather than direction.

Gandhi says the rest is up to Sitka.

“Sitka has such a collaborative spirit,” she said. “And we can’t emphasize enough just how important and valuable we think that is, in the community coming together to address any issue it might be facing currently, or in the future, that it feels is affecting sort of individuals’ opportunities to thrive, which is really how we are defining well-being.”

The Pardee Rand Graduate School of Public Policy has turned its focus on Sitka and several other communities around the nation, as a way of drilling down into how communities respond under a range of circumstances. Rand, for instance, was an early partner in the development of Sitka’s landslide warning system. Matthews is considering the Tourism Assessment as a basis for her doctoral research. Sitka may eventually adapt to the increase in tourism; attitudes could soften toward the industry – or harden.

She would like to find out.

“This could be something that could be very interesting to repeatedly do each summer and see how things evolve,” she said. “I think it’s definitely worth exploring in the future.

Sitka is anticipating possibly an additional 100,000 more cruise visitors in 2023 than in 2022. The first ship scheduled to arrive is the Brilliance of the Seas, on April 25.

In Hawaii, 69% of residents cited overcrowding as a primary concern, alongside environmental damage and increased living costs .

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Content: Transforming ECOWAS to tourist haven through collaboration

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Industry experts say the tourism sector globally is currently valued at a whopping 10 trillion dollars.

According to them, this is three times more profitable and valuable than the agricultural sector and constitutes about 10 per cent of global GDP.

Data from the World Travel and Tourism Council also projects that global tourism will add more than 11.1 trillion dollars to the global economy by the end of this year.

This implies that the figure will spiral to about 16 trillion dollars, in 1o years adding about 11.4 per cent to global GDP and 12.2 per cent of jobs globally.

The economic impact of tourism is also projected to continue to gain ground, as 10 per cent of the world’s population is currently employed in tourism-related jobs.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), now renamed UN Tourism, the growth of international tourism will continue to outpace overall global economic growth.

The UN agency says it has carried out the largest and most inclusive dialogue on the critical role of global collaboration in building a better future for all, with tourism topping the agenda.

Secretary-General of UN Tourism Zurab Pololikashvili, has urged nation-states to leverage the tourism industry’s phenomenal growth and manage it responsibly to enhance overall global economic growth and development.

Pololikashvili stressed the need to ensure adequate tourism policies and proper destination management are in place to advance sustainability and inclusion.

“As society progresses, the tourism sector, much like many other sectors, needs to transform to serve as a catalyst for prosperity at a universal scale,” Pololikashvili said.

Analysts, however, believe that achieving these ambitious lofty objectives will only be possible through the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders through public-private partnerships and innovative solutions.

They stress the need for enhanced collaboration among stakeholders, technology, increased awareness of investment opportunities, and the engagement of priority areas for future investments and development initiatives.

For instance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, thinks that ECOWAS member-states need to engage in public-private partnerships and innovative solutions to address the development challenges before West African countries.

Speaking recently at the 2024 ECOWAS Investment Forum (EIF2024) in Lome, Togo, the WTO boss emphasised the need for synergy among member-states, describing it as a panacea for achieving developmental success.

She urged West African countries to leverage the recently unveiled African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTa) and deploy digital and physical infrastructure to achieve success in this area.

“The ECOWAS sub-region can boost investment if member-states focus on regional collaboration and integration through ACfta.

“African governments must work to reduce commercial costs within the sub-region and improve physical and digital infrastructure,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

Inspired by the ambition to stimulate the tourism sector’s growth and ultimately achieve sub-regional economic development, ECOWAS recently convened a meeting of experts and stakeholders in Abuja to foster collaboration between the bloc and tourism stakeholders in the private sector.

The strategic high-level dialogue was predicated on the need to review, validate, and apply extant instruments for fostering a robust sub-regional tourism federation.

Speaking at the event, Folorunsho Coker, Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), called for collaboration among stakeholders and the streamlining of tourism policies to unlock the bloc’s tourism potential to enable it to compete globally.

“It is the season to collaborate, not to compete; it’s in the spirit of collaboration that we can grow pan-African tourism.

“We must harmonise regulations guiding the tourism sector across the 15 ECOWAS states, and train operators.

“We must also embrace technology, or it will leave us behind,” Coker stated.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Massandjé Toure-Liste, said the meeting was necessitated by the sub-regional plan to promote responsible tourism, which focuses on monitoring mechanisms and operational guidelines.

“Our focus includes facilitating private sector dialogue and encouraging strategic regional alignment and collaboration.

“The aim is to support the creation of a regional private sector-driven tourism confederation,” Toure-Liste said.

The participants ultimately issued a communique announcing the review, validation, and adoption of new resolutions, compromising ECOWAS tourist accommodation establishments, and regional trade policy instruments.

According to them, these resolutions will boost intra-regional collaboration, develop the bloc’s tourism industry, and transform the subregion into a tourist haven and preferred tourist destination through streamlined policies and engagement with the private sector.

Anthony Elumelu, ECOWAS acting Director of Private Sector Investment, explained that with the resolutions reached and the signing of the communique, the bloc was now gradually emerging as a global tourist haven and preferred destination.

He said that with the consensus reached, an enabling environment had been created for member states to implement a robust tourism confederation across West Africa, which would attract tourists globally.

According to Elumelu, the responsibility of ECOWAS is to create an enabling environment for member states to churn out the legal instruments, adopt them, and implement them.

“We have achieved a level of consensus; we have an association now that will drive this and key into what they call ECOWAS Business Council. So with these, I think we are moving forward as a tourist destination.

“Tourism is not an internal matter; you need global attraction to have ECOWAS as a tourist destination country. So these are the things and I am positive that in the next few years, we will be talking about a robust regional tourism sector,” Elumelu said.

ECOWAS Programme Officer for Tourism, Stella Drabo, said that she was proud to declare that ECOWAS was emerging as a global tourist destination of choice due to the efforts being put in place to that effect.

“And today, as the ECOWAS Commission, it is something we are very proud of, we can now say ECOWAS is now a tourist destination because we have the private sector; we have the regional body, ECOWAS, with our private sector being the ones operating.

“We have everything in place. So, now the train is complete, we will develop our region’s infrastructure, we will now double and even triple the horsepower, to go further and further,” Drabo said.

Drabo added that addressing the bloc’s surging security challenges was important for tourism to thrive, but noted that insecurity was not a hindrance to tourism because many parts of the world where tourism is thriving are experiencing even worse security challenges.

The President, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Nkereuwem Onung, expressed confidence that with collaboration between the Commission and the private tourism sector towards implementing regional tourism policies, the ECOWAS bloc was being transformed to a choice tourist destination.

He said that the collaboration would precipitate unprecedented economic growth in the ECOWAS bloc, as people would henceforth be able to have multi-tourism destinations, which come with the benefits of attendant economic development for the subregion.

Analysts believe that with the collaboration between ECOWAS and the private tourism sector, coupled with the adoption and unveiling of these strategic initiatives, West Africa is poised to emerge as a global tourist haven. (NANFeatures)

By Mark Longyen

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Behavioral issues among tourists, such as littering and disrespect for local customs, further degrade quality of life and foster resentment .

**Economic Impacts** Tourism is a major economic driver, providing jobs and income for millions.

**Economic Impacts** Tourism is a major economic driver, providing jobs and income for millions.

**Economic Impacts** Tourism is a major economic driver, providing jobs and income for millions.

In Tenerife, tourism accounts for 35% of the Canary Islands' GDP and supports 40% of jobs .

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New partnership gets businesses involved to spread mālama Hawaiʻi message

With the summer travel season underway, state and tourism officials are expecting a busier summer than last year.

But two years after the state recorded 10 million visitor arrivals, state and community leaders want a change in tourism marketing and management. They have called for shifting focus away from visitor arrivals and spending, and more on environmental stewardship and respect.

In 2020, students on Oʻahu and Molokaʻi created a pledge with the hope visitors and residents would promise to respect and care for the land and sea. This launched an effort called Pledge to Our Keiki — helmed by a group of nonprofits led by Kanu Hawaiʻi.

The effort's latest initiative is a partnership program that gets companies involved in spreading the message of mālama Hawaiʻi.

Launched in February, the Pledge to Our Keiki Partnership Program has companies committed to promoting environmental stewardship, and respectful and responsible behavior among visitors.

One of the first to join the partnership was Kailua Beach Adventures — an Oʻahu kayak tour and rental company.

"I think we are a part of this community in Kailua, and we want to make sure that we participate in regenerative tourism," said Matt Giordano, manager of Kailua Beach Adventures. "As soon as I heard about Pledge to Our Keiki, and their goal of regenerative tourism, we were totally on board ready to help out."

Giordano told HPR that his company has participated in beach cleanups and is active in the local community. In order for customers to buy into being good stewards, Giordano said his staff educates each group on the challenges of local ecosystems, and the company offers discounts and other incentives for visitors to do beach cleanups.

For him, being a partner to Pledge to Our Keiki was easy.

Another business that joined is Kamaʻāina Kids at Heʻeia State Park. The company rents kayaks and snorkel equipment to visitors and residents. Andy Carre, the water program coordinator, said it made sense for his company to join.

"I think it's critically important," Carre told HPR. "We're very conscious of trying to do this in a sustainable way, that is not only sustainable for the ecosystem that we're impacting — but also for the local community and the culture that we're impacting."

"For us to be in this industry and do what we do, which is providing recreational activities for people to enjoy a specific place and ecosystem, it really is critically important that it be sustainable in all those ways," Carre said.

Like Giordano, Carre said his company takes time to educate guests about the local ecosystem, and makes it easy for guests to commit to being responsible.

Like the pledge, the program doesn't solely focus on environmental stewardship — it also emphasizes preserving and promoting local values and culture.

"Students wrote it, local communities own it, and then we choose to share it," said Carissa Cabrera, program coordinator and CEO of The Conservationist Collective.

"This is really about us, more than anything. It's about us living our values, living native Hawaiian values, by giving back to our ecosystems. But also sustainability, reconnecting with our cultural roots. This is, I think, about us leading by example. How can we expect visitors to make a pledge, if we don't live by it ourselves?"'

Cabrera told HPR the pledge and the program began due to concerns about over-tourism. In the last two years, community efforts have aimed to educate visitors to be more respectful and responsible.

For Cabrera, business involvement is important to spreading and reinforcing the idea of kuleana.

"Most of them are already sustainability-minded," she told HPR. "But they can extend that sustainability education to visitors, and help prevent these maybe irresponsible behaviors, or lack of education before any negative consequences happen."

Cabrera said the ultimate goal for the program is for the pledge to be recognized and adopted by visitors and residents.

The program is still relatively new, with only a handful of businesses that have become official partners. But Cabrera told HPR her company is working with roughly 15 businesses across the state to join.

At Kailua Beach Adventures, Giordano told HPR his customers have responded positively to the education efforts.

"I think that a lot of visitors, there's a tendency to see it as like Disneyland. Like this place is made for tourism. But I think the realization that it's not made for tourism, and that as a tourist you have an impact that can be negative," he said. "And then realizing that they sort of have a 'click moment' and think, 'Okay, well, what can I do to make my impact more positive?' And that's an amazing thing that you can see."

More information about Pledge to Our Keiki and the partnership program can be found online at kanuhawaii.org

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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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However, the benefits are often unevenly distributed.

However, the benefits are often unevenly distributed.

Despite high tourist numbers, the Canary Islands experience some of the lowest wages in Spain, with 33.8% of individuals facing poverty or social exclusion .

Economic gains frequently accrue to external investors rather than local communities, fueling protests and demands for a more equitable tourism model .

The proliferation of short-term rentals has also contributed to economic disparities by diverting housing from long-term residents to tourists, inflating rents and reducing housing availability .

In Barcelona, the planned ban on short-term tourist rentals by 2029 aims to address these issues and restore housing affordability .

While tourism can generate significant revenue, as in Glasgow where the sector generated £774 million by 2019, the associated rise in living costs and housing shortages can offset these benefits for local residents .

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Sedona Film Festival presents ‘Crowded Out’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The final film in the Sustainable Tourism Series is:

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

**Environmental Impacts** The environmental consequences of overtourism are severe and multifaceted.

**Environmental Impacts** The environmental consequences of overtourism are severe and multifaceted.

**Environmental Impacts** The environmental consequences of overtourism are severe and multifaceted.

Increased waste generation, resource depletion, and ecosystem damage are common in heavily visited areas.

Increased waste generation, resource depletion, and ecosystem damage are common in heavily visited areas.

Increased waste generation, resource depletion, and ecosystem damage are common in heavily visited areas.

In the Canary Islands, high water consumption by tourist zones has led to a declared water emergency, as these areas use far more water than residential zones .

Untreated wastewater discharge and destruction of natural habitats have prompted protests and calls for limits on tourist numbers to protect the environment .

Biodiversity is particularly at risk.

Biodiversity is particularly at risk.

In Tenerife, mass tourism has caused overpopulation, pollution, and habitat loss .

Infrastructure development for tourism, such as roads in Gilgit-Baltistan, disrupts wildlife habitats and threatens endangered species like the snow leopard .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Environmental disasters linked to tourism, such as the MT Princess Empress oil spill in the Philippines, have directly damaged critical marine habitats, undermining biodiversity and local livelihoods .

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Content: Venice: Venice’s famed Rialto Bridge was jammed with tourists on Monday, the same day Unesco recommended the watery city be put on its endangered list citing overtourism and other concerns.

Taking selfies, licking gelato and wheeling suitcases, the hordes of visitors seemed happily oblivious to the possible downgrade Unesco said was due to the risk of “irreversible” damage.

New York tourist Ashley Park, 28, said she knew it would be crowded in Venice, but it wasn’t ruining her vacation.

“Obviously if we lived here with all these tourists it wouldn’t be fun,” she acknowledged.

Among the crowds on the historic bridge was city worker Diego Nechifrovo, 23, wearing an #EnjoyRespectVenezia T-shirt, who was busy keeping an eye out for misbehaving tourists.

“Sometimes I see someone throwing away his cigarette or walking around without a T-shirt,” he said, noticing a bag of potato chips discarded on the doorstep of a jewellery shop.

The worst? One time a family “sat down right in front of the Doge’s Palace and started to set up a picnic.”

A few weeks ago, a distracted tourist fell into the water, Nechifrovo said.

“He was trying to get a good photo”.

Please don’t come

Not far away, a seller of watercolours had a sign on his stand pointing to St. Mark’s Square.

“That’s all they want to know,” said the native Venetian, Claudio, who declined to give his last name. “They come to Venice because it’s Venice. That’s all.”

The days of educated tourists visiting and enjoying the city’s many churches and museums were over, he said.

“Those who come now don’t even know what a museum is. It’s not cultural tourism,” he said.

“They need to go to the beach, or the mountains, but not here!” he lamented. “Please don’t come anymore!”

The list of Venice’s challenges are many, from environmental damage to its lagoon to its fleeing residents - with only about 50,000 left - leaving what many critics charge is now a city without a soul.

Two years ago, Venice narrowly avoided being placed on the same Unesco list - which is intended to spur governments into action to preserve places deemed of “universal value to humanity” - after the city imposed a ban on massive cruise ships travelling past the centre.

Environmental groups warned the ships, carrying thousands of day-trippers and sailing exceptionally close to shore, caused large waves eroding Venice’s foundations and harming the lagoon’s fragile ecosystem.

But the rerouting of the ships to the more distant industrial port of Marghera did not address the issue of overtourism itself.

Some 3.2 million tourists stayed overnight in Venice’s historic centre last year, according to official data, a number that does not include the thousands of daily visitors who do not spend the night.

“It’s pretty beautiful - it’s a draw!” justified US tourist Mike McWilliams, 53, who had just arrived in the city for a two-day visit with his family.

Managing the masterpiece

Unesco, the UN’s cultural wing, put Venice on its heritage list in 1987 as an “extraordinary architectural masterpiece”, but it has warned of the need for “more sustainable tourism management”.

On Monday, it said progress had been insufficient while citing “a lack of overall joint strategic vision” by authorities.

Critics say measures put in place to check tourism are ineffective and have come too late.

A long-discussed plan to introduce a paid booking scheme for day-trippers has been repeatedly postponed, now until 2024, over concerns it will seriously dent tourist revenue and compromise freedom of movement.

Back at St. Mark’s Square, city worker Lorenzo Seano, 21, was struggling to keep tourists from sitting on the steps of the surrounding arcades.

The problem of too many tourists invading cities went well beyond Venice, Seano said, but no one in government had tried to tackle the problem “on a structural level”.

“After all, there’s a ton of money coming in,” he said.

In Venice, large cruise ships contribute to the erosion of the city’s foundations and harm its lagoon ecosystem .

**Global Hotspots** Overtourism is most visible in iconic destinations and emerging hotspots.

**Global Hotspots** Overtourism is most visible in iconic destinations and emerging hotspots.

In Europe, cities like Barcelona, Venice, and Málaga have implemented tourist taxes, visitor restrictions, and rental bans to manage tourist numbers and protect local communities .

Venice introduced a day-tripper fee of €5 for non-overnight visitors, with fines for non-compliance, and has banned large cruise ships from the historic center .

In Menorca, residents have imposed visiting time limits for tourists to control influx and preserve quality of life .

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Content: Barcelona, one of Europe's most visited cities, said Friday it aims to ban apartment rentals to tourists by 2029 to ease the housing shortage in Spain's second largest city.

The licences for the 10,101 apartments currently approved as short-term rentals which are available on platforms such as Airbnb and Homeaway will not be renewed when they expire in November 2028, Barcelona's leftist mayor, Jaume Collboni, told a news conference.

"The city cannot allow such a large number of flats to be used for tourist activity at a time of difficulty of access to housing and when the negative effects of tourist overcrowding are obvious", he added.

This means that "from 2029", if there are no setbacks, "tourist flats as we conceive of them today will disappear from the city of Barcelona".

Cities like Berlin, Paris and Barcelona say home-sharing websites for tourists deprive locals of apartments for long-term rent and push up prices for homes remaining on the market.

Collboni said the boom in short-term rentals in Barcelona had helped push up rents by 68 percent in the city, and the cost of buying a house by 38 percent.

"We are confronting what we believe is Barcelona's biggest problem," he said.

His predecessor, former housing activist Ada Colau, suspended the issuing of new licences for tourist apartments and banned the opening of new hotels in the city's most popular areas as part of efforts to cub over-tourism.

But that has not prevented the number of visitors to the city, which is known for its Belle Epoque architecture, museums and beaches, from continuing to increase, especially after pandemic travel restrictions were lifted.

Several local associations have called for a demonstration on July 6 with the slogan: ""Enough! Let's put a stop to tourism!".

The rally will come on the heels of other similar demonstrations held in recent months in other Spanish tourism hotspots such as the Canary Islands and Palma de Mallorca.

In Asia, Tokyo’s "Destination Create Project" promotes lesser-known regional attractions to redistribute tourist traffic, while Osaka plans to implement a fixed fee for inbound tourists to fund measures countering overtourism .

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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 .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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In Thailand’s Bang Khun Thian district, the community promotes eco-tourism and environmental awareness through scenic cycling routes .

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Content: Athens Is Implementing New Measures to Curb Overtourism at the Acropolis

The site is seeing a 70% increase in visitors since last year.

Like many other European destinations such as Croatia's Dubrovnik, the Greek capital of Athens has recently become the latest victim of overtourism. Specifically, it is Athens' iconic Acropolis that this summer is counting record visitors on its grounds, and the Greek authorities have already set in motion a new plan to both help preserve the site and keep visitors safe.

Lonely Planet reports the Acropolis currently welcomes roughly 17,000 daily visitors, which is a 70% increase since last summer. Compared to 2019 tourism levels, visits in June and early July are up by 80%, Lina Mendoni, the country's culture minister, announced last week.

The impressive surge in visitors is surely to be attributed to the end of pandemic restrictions, but that isn't the only factor. Lysandros Tsilidis of the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Tourist and Travel Agencies told The Guardian's Observer that large cruise ships are to blame as well.

"In the past, these cruise ships had the capacity to carry a few thousand, the population of a large village," Tsilidis said. "Now the vessels are so big you've got the size of a small state on board, and at least 30 percent of all of those passengers will have pre-purchased tickets to visit the Acropolis."

To solve the issue—or at least alleviate it—Mendoni is implementing an hourly time slot system for those who pre-purchase online tickets to the Acropolis, as well as electronic scanning of tickets and separate entry points for large organized groups. For now, there is no cap on ticket sales, but whether that will be introduced as a policy in the near future is unclear.

Visiting has been physically tough for tourists, too. Due to a heat wave that is currently affecting Southern Europe, temperatures in Athens have reached 109°F this week, and aren't expected to lower much for at least another week or so. According to Greek authorities, sun shades will be installed at the Acropolis before the weekend for visitors waiting in line, and the Red Cross will remain on the grounds to distribute water and assist those suffering from heat exhaustion.

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Serena Tara is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

In Hawaii, the "Pledge to Our Keiki" initiative encourages responsible tourism and environmental stewardship among visitors and residents .

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Content: Venice tourists face €300 fine if they fail to pay day-tripper fee

Italian city recently introduced the entrance fee to its territory aimed at minimising overcrowding by tourism

Tourists in Venice face being slapped with a €300 fine if they fail to pay a newly-introduced entrance fee aimed at minimising overcrowding.

The Italian city had initially insisted that the day-tripper fee was not a tax and would not lead to long queues; however during a briefing on Thursday, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro described the charge as a tax and conceded that lines could form at the official entry points.

Tourists who are not staying in Venice in a hotel or other kind of accommodation will need to pay an entrance fee of €5.

Mr Brugnaro said personnel have been trained to verify that tourists who are not staying in Venice have either a QR code confirming payment of the fee or an exemption voucher. Exemptions will be issued for a variety of reasons, including to access the city for work, school or medical care, as well as to people born in Venice, and residents of the Veneto region.

Mr Brugnaro said that anyone found beyond designated control points without the required documentation will be subject to fines. These will range from €50 to €300, plus the maximum entrance fee allowed by law, set at €10.

“There is no tax without controls,’’ Brugnaro told foreign reporters in Rome.

Visitors will be subject to random, not systematic, checks, he said.

There will be no turnstiles or physical barriers placed at entry points, such as train station Venezia Santa Lucia, one of the main gateways into the lagoon city.

Those staying in the city will be exempted because they already pay a tourist tax as part of their accommodation.

Venice welcomes 25 million to 30 million tourists a year.

Endangered site

The day-tripper fee was announced last year after the city was added to the UN’s list of endangered heritage sites owing to overtourism.

While tourism is a key source of income for Venice, many residents have long baulked at the hordes of people visiting it every day, pointing out that for decades the city has steadily lost residents, due to lack of affordable housing and jobs unrelated to tourism.

In 2021, Italy’s government banned giant cruise liners, which for years towered over the ornate palazzos of Venice, from coming close to famous landmarks such as the Piazza San Marco, ending years of disputes with groups of local residents.

While many residents praised the decision, they said it was far from enough to solve the problem of overtourism.

Critics such as civic association Ocio have been saying for years that the proliferation of apartments for tourists has considerably raised the cost of living in the city for residents, while day trippers spend little money in the city but imply higher costs, such as those incurred to clean the streets or collect garbage.

In particular, they sounded a warning last summer when the number of tourist beds officially overtook the number of residents, which has dwindled to under 50,000, from 175,000 in 1950s, in a trend dating back decades. They said the imbalance drains the city of services, clogging its tight alleyways and water buses with suitcase-toting tourists and pushing residents to the mainland with its conveniences.

It remains unclear whether the entry tax will discourage day trippers from visiting Venice.

Officials have emphasized that the program aims to reduce crowds on peak days, encourage longer visits and improve the quality of life for residents.

Venice’s islands, including glass-making Murano, are also outside the pilot program, which is being tested on 29 days, starting with an Italian national holiday on April 25 through mid-July, including most weekends, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. No maximum number of visitors has been set in this phase.

Venice is launching an advertising campaign to inform visitors of the new obligation, featuring Mr Brugnaro speaking a variety of languages aided by artificial intelligence.

The pandemic delayed Venice’s plans to launch the day-tripper tax, which has become a keystone of the city’s attempts to deal with overtourism.

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Natural reserves and biodiversity hotspots are also affected.

Natural reserves and biodiversity hotspots are also affected.

The Verde Island Passage in the Philippines faces threats from overtourism and environmental disasters, impacting marine ecosystems and local economies .

In Fujian Province, China, an ecological wetland park integrates tourism with biodiversity conservation, promoting sustainable eco-tourism .

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Content: It is barely 8 am on a weekday, but the lanes of Panjim’s historic wards – São Tomé and Fontainhas – are buzzing with activity. The narrow streets of the “Latin Quarter” are brimming with tourists accompanied by an entourage of photographers and their assistants. Couples in formal gowns and suits pose against a bright doorway, gazing lovingly at each other while the photographer shouts out instructions from across the street: “Look here! Look up! Smile!”

Further down, a couple frolics in the middle of the road while the photographer zooms in and out, capturing a wide array of angles. An assistant holds up a reflector while another requests passing traffic to wait for a minute until the perfect shot is captured.

This scene is replayed endlessly, at all times of the day, throughout the year. Nothing is sacred, not even the façades of the churches and chapels that dot the area. Unable to bear the constant shouting and peering into their windows, residents in this neighbourhood now keep their windows and doors tightly shut. Most suffer in silence, unwilling to take on aggressive tourists every day. Others, though, are not giving in yet.

Some residents and businesses now display “No photography or videography” signs on their homes and establishments. Many tourists not only ignore this, they actually pose next to the signs with gleeful smiles. It is this blatant disrespect of residents’ requests for privacy and arguments about how “a street is public property” that infuriates fed-up homeowners.

A colourful street

“There are pre-wedding and post-wedding shoots, pre-baby and post-baby shoots,” said São
Tomé resident Aloo Gomes Pereira. “We are fed up of the noise, the disturbance and the
arrogance of some of the tourists.”
Pereira is a tourism industry veteran and has seen the character of the neighbourhood change
dramatically over the past few years. “When this first started we said, ok, let them click
photographs, they are harmless,” he said. “Then over time we saw them putting their feet on the wall.
Then they started screaming, shouting and dancing on the street. I ask them, is this your
playground?”

Pereira holds the professional photographers responsible for the situation. “They are the
first culprits to promote this ‘colourful street’ and they are profiteering at the cost of
someone else,” he said. “This is not fair.”

Like many residents here, Pereira and his family have had several confrontations with tourists
and photographers. “They say they are on a public road and have every right to take a photo
of my house,” he said. “I tell them, ‘But you are disturbing me! What about my privacy? What about
my sanity?’

Residents report that photographers often instruct clients to lie down or sit in the middle of the road, obstructing traffic. Wedding shoots include bridesmaids, make-up artists and assistants. Traffic jams are routine, especially on weekends or holidays.

Everyone’s a photographer

The backdrop of the gaily painted heritage homes in Goa has always drawn visitors. It is only in recent years, though, that the volume of tourists and photographers has increased exponentially, to the alarm of residents.

With the advent of cheap smartphones and the explosion of photo-based social media, everyone is a photographer or a budding influencer. India now has over 400 million Instagram users and is adding new ones at the rate of 100 million every nine months. “Best Instagrammable places in Goa” is a popular topic for many travel sites.

Especially popular as with camera crews is Rua 31 de Janeiro (31st January Road), which begins in São Tomé (near the Mermaid Garden) and ends at the Fonte Phoenix in Mala-Fontainhas. Historian Vasco Pinho, in his book Snapshots of Indo-Portuguese History III, says that the name of the street commemorates the revolt against the monarchy on January 31, 1891, in the northern Portuguese city of Porto. This ultimately led to the creation of the Portuguese Republic in 1910.

Other sections of the wards of São Tomé and Fontainhas, the oldest in Goa’s capital, also have distinct personalities that is much more than their façades. Though now viral, these “colourful streets” have a history across centuries and continents.

For most visitors, though, everything in the area is “hashtag Fontainhas”, erasing the identity of São Tomé and its history, much to the annoyance of residents.

No privacy, no interest in history

“There is absolutely no privacy,” said a São Tomé resident who did not wish to be identified. “Inspite of us having gates, tourists walk into our homes like they own the place.”

This sentiment is echoed by many residents. Tourists make themselves comfortable in the entrance of homes, sit on staircases eating, drinking or making loud phone calls. They ring door bells at all hours enquiring whether there are rooms to let, if they can see the house or if they can use the toilet.

“It’s not just tourists outside our doors who are the issue,” said a resident of Fontainhas. “They click photos of us in our verandah, send drones into our bedrooms, walk into our gardens and pose among our potted plants, often breaking them.”

The tourists are here only for photographs, she said: “They don’t read up on the area, they are not interested in the history or architecture of the place.”

Neither are they concerned about residents being ill, or elderly or disturbed. She said couples can often be heard fighting while some tourists bump into the cars of residents while reversing down the narrow lanes. “It has become so bad that we are thinking of moving out of the area,” she said.

Threat to person and property

In old Panjim, the nuisance goes beyond the noise. A resident said their newly painted walls have been dirtied by tourists posing with their feet up. “Some even climb up on the window-sill and sit there to pose,” said the resident. Recently, a part of the new cladding on their wall was broken after a tourist leaned against it.

“We put flower pots to protect our walls but tourists move them time and again,” said a resident.

It is not just the walls and property that are in danger. The neighbourhood is beginning to feel unsafe, residents complain. A few days ago, alert neighbours chased off someone trying to break into a home at 3 am.

Last month, a teacher named Josefa Pinto was attacked outside her São Tomé home.

“Tourism is changing the culture of Goa,” said Gustavo Pinto, an eminent veterinarian and Josefa’s husband. “We’re seeing it in the food that’s served in restaurants, in the music that we hear. There’s little left of the Goa we grew up in.”

The Pinto family spent decades in the area but has now moved to another apartment. “We had people walking into our house ‘by mistake’, which is scary for us and our daughters,” said Josefa Pinto.

The cost of invasive tourism

Closer to the Mandovi river, residents like me are under siege the casino industry which operates from ships that dock on the pier. Our homes are surrounded 24x7 by vehicles belonging to casino drivers, employees and patrons. Their vehicles occupy every available space, often insensitively double-parked, blocking others from leaving.

In the past 13 years, residents have called the police numerous times at 3 am or 4 am to complain about raucous casino workers who come off their shift and proceed to have impromptu parties on the road. Their cars are stocked with alcohol and food wrapped in foil packets. Broken bottles and litter is routinely found outside many homes.

Vans full of casino-goers park on the road, disgorging out men who strip to their underwear and change into their “casino clothes”. The vehicles often carry gas cylinders to allow for cooking by the roadside, though this is prohibited in Goa. We have expended a great deal of energy being vigilant, objecting, chasing away drunks or cleaning up after them.

It is exhausting fighting a constant battle.

Such invasive tourism is an act of appropriation. Tourists looking for Goa’s “European vibe” would dare not behave like this overseas. In a residential area that is not gated, there is a fine line between public and private. There seems to be no legal basis for preventing someone from taking a photo of your home but as a resident put it, “We have a right to privacy and control over where photos of our home appear.”

The photos of homes (often with many of the residents clearly visible) are shared on social media with no little thought for how it could affect privacy or safety. On Instagram, residents can be seen sitting in their verandahs, praying, framed in their windows, unaware their presumption of privacy has been violated by a long lens or a drone. With a significant number of elderly people in the neighbourhood living alone, the concerns about the changing nature of the place have become more urgent.

In 2021, Goa received over three million tourists, down from its pre-pandemic 2019 high of almost eight million. With the pandemic receding, the footfalls are only going to increase. Residents of this section of Panhim are already dreading the forthcoming festive season.

Look, I get it. When on holiday, everyone wants photographs with a stunning backdrop, especially one that all the cool kids are sharing. So what can aspirational visitors do to reduce the frustration and hostility of the local residents?

First, respect a direct request. If someone has posters all over their house asking you not to take photos or videos, move on. Keep the noise level to a minimum and feet off the walls.

Remind yourself and others that these are not just your Insta backgrounds but that there are people who live behind those walls. These people have a right to peace and quiet, to rest and live their lives without you sending up a drone or peering through their windows. Take your litter back. Leave the potted plants alone – a stolen cutting is a cursed souvenir.

Maybe put that camera down for a second and admire the colours and the graceful lines of the homes. Think about the history the place has seen and hope that when you return – you know you will – these houses will be still standing in all their glory.

Chryselle D’Silva Dias is a freelance journalist who lives in Goa.

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