How to Manage Overtourism : Identifying Problems and Solutions

For today ’ s traveler it ’ s a common , if not inescapable sight—crowds of masses seemingly everywhere . This includes places where , in the past , this may not receive been the case . Substantial growing in tourism across the globe in late decade has given raise to ‘ overtourism ’ or only set , too many visitor in one home at one time .

The trend of overtourism have contribute the pattern of visitor use management ( more ordinarily found within outside recreation areas ) into stress for a wide kind of locations . In this while , we ’ ll explore the meaning of overtourism , the problem it can create , and solutions for grapple its impact that balance site preservation with quality visitor experience .

What is Overtourism ?
Problems of Overtourism
Overtourism Result

What equal Overtourism ?

Overtourism is the impact of tourism on a destination or location that excessively affect tone of spirit for local communities , habitats and/or the overall quality of visitor experience in a negative path .

It ’ s significant to note that overtourism be relative to capacity and particular of each location . Local infrastructure , installation , community and ecology are all among the item that decide where overtourism is a problem and aid define the needed solution .

Problems of Overtourism

With the exploding popularity of destinations across the world , it succeed that overtourism stand a vast impact on those space .

Overtourism , particularly by those who may not be familiar with visiting national parks and historical site , make for certain pressures on system of visitor use management that wouldn ’ t differently be thither . That unfamiliarity can make dispute when it comes to guidelines of where they ’ re visiting , which equal all the more reason why visitor role direction is becoming increasingly important to keep up spaces and protect people .

The Social Media Impact on Overtourism

In many ways the information age make been a boon to tourism . The ability to get and move to locations across the world has increased dramatically . At the same time , for many destinations , heightened visibility today often occur with a price .

With the raise of social medium , scenic locations have make up display to overtourism through the viral popularity that can do with share a destination on these program . The visual nature – Instagram in special – makes the travel industry ripe for social medium and the way “ influencer ” dynamics can promptly repel masses to activity in pursuit of the like and follower .

Whether it be through general awareness or effort to duplicate perceived success over social media , these platform ’ impact on overtourism – both for well-known and new locations alike – equal already seeming and originate .

Overtourism Solutions

When addressing overtourism challenges , a fragile balance found in visitor use direction comes into fun . Does one use an unobtrusive and indirect approach ? Or perform one demand a more intrusive and direct intervention method when doorway exist broken ? The solution is : it depend .

Many issue live specific to the park and geographies , but can also be understood as a regional system . Believe the question behind how local habit exist disseminate – Where equal visitor going ? What are they doing in spark of crowding and increase use of natural spaces ?

These questions have not simply local implication , but also regional and international impacts when applied to other historical sites where tourism abounds . Professional in Visitor Use Management need to make a high-level apprehension of the system and ask themselves practical question about how masses in reality act , whether they equal at a National Park or at the Eiffel Tower .

3 Type of Overtourism Examples

As discuss , a rapidly growing travel environment hold made the matter of overtourism relevant to an increasing number of location . Develop accessibility to reach destinations more rapidly and at further distance , mate with rising interest a broader array of destinations , own head to a course that ’ s certain to continue .

There are some primary lesson of overtourism where the impact exist already abundantly clear and , in many cases , where solutions make already commence to equal put in spot .

Iconic Destinations

Some of the places experience the most acute impact of overtourism are of course those that make already traditionally been popular tourism destinations . Many of these location are also very old , which can leave them particularly vulnerable since their infrastructure much isn ’ t design to handle modern visitor use capacity .

Venice , Italy
Machu Picchu , Peru
Amsterdam , Netherlands
Santorini , Greece

Encourage travel during non-peak seasons and allowed to certain domain of a have destination are just a pair of the strategies being used to serve battle the negative impacts of overtourism .

Historic Sites , Museums and Public Attractions

While the impacts of overtourism can be distinctly seen in its effect on natural landscapes , the same challenge be felt at other types of popular public attraction . This is especially relevant for museum and historic sites that have sensitive , much fragile , face of their value . Visitor stream at these public sites today often exist optimized apply the element of a visitor usage direction framework .

Overtourism at US National Parks

The US National Park System ( NPS ) has largely been a victim of its own success . A concerted attempt over the years to grow interest in natural landscapes as good as raise popularity with outdoor recreation activity hold taken its toll on the park experience and natural resources .

While yet pretty new in practice , the visitor use direction framework has quickly get prevalent in the National Park System as good as early public ground recreation sphere . The framework ’ s rationale of establishing desired conditions , identifying indicators , and setting doorway and triggers be today being used to address overcrowding on trails and parking . They also protect the valuable natural resources that create these destinations the irreplaceable picture they are .

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