Overtourism: An upcoming crisis

Overtourism

A sign of upcoming crisis

 The world is overrun with tourists and it looks like cities have had enough. Some countries round the globe especially in Europe are replacing come to us incentives with stay away restrictions. The pandemic was a bad time for travel, borders were shut, flights were grounded, people were stuck at homes so when the World opened up tourism boomed. Everyone wanted to travel there was even a term for it called as "Revenge travel" but 2 years later countries (especially developed) are fed up of tourism. Over tourism has been a problem for some time but now cities are fighting back. So, this blog explains this trend when does tourism become over tourism and why should we care.

Imagine a scenic location, azour Blue Waters pristine beaches Scenic mountains you would want to visit right well Instagram has made it easier it all begins with a humble hashtag or a viral dream meal a picturesk location is discovered an influencer snaps a breathtaking shot and that's it. One's a hidden gem becomes a must visit destination. All thanks to the magic of social media but when does this fast rising tide become a tsunami what happens when there are just too many tourists? It's called over tourism. It's self-explanatory too many visitors at a particular destination. In an era where Globe trotting is as accessible as ordering your morning coffee, it is a quiet catastrophe hidden beneath the pictures, selfies and the thrill of discovering new destinations. According to the world tourism organization by the end of 2030 International tourists will surpass 2 billion. Yet the sites and places they want to see remain the same their capacity remains the same. They won't magically grow in size which makes this the perfect recipe for disaster. There's wear and tear on fragile sites, disruption for local people & visitors receive a less than an ideal experience.


Long traffic jams, endless quess, rampant littering
overpriced food and no place to just take a breath.

Does it sound like an ideal holiday? I’m sure it doesn’t.
The causes of over tourism are many but there are
three main trends. The first is population. The global
Population has tripled since the 1950s and more people
are travelling. The second reason is growing influence.
The world’s Middle class is as big as 4.2 billion people
which is a very large number. A lot Of them can afford to
travel and that’s what they’re doing. The third is accessibility.

 Easier permissions, cheap regional carriers, air bnb's and social media all of this has fueled the travel boom. It brings in the money too but countries are increasingly unhappy about it. Over tourism is killing cities. So many governments are now imposing restrictions. 'Venice' The poster child of over tourism. The city is so overwhelmed with with tourists that canals have bumper to bumper rush hour traffic. Venice gets an estimated 30 million visitors every year. It's population is not even 300,000. So hosting 30 million is just too much for the city. The delicate Venitian ecosystem cannot handle it. As a Result the floating city is losing its essence so Venice has decided to act it will now charge tourists to enter the city in a bit to curb overcrowding. The fee is €5 which which doesn’t sound like much when we think about it all visitors over the age of 18 will have to pay it. Venice hopes that this will deter some day trippers. It wants only the most committed tourists to visit. It’s not just Europe that is fed up. Places in Southeast Asia too are done with tourists. Places like Bali, it has a new set of rules. For them like dress appropriately, do not climb volcano, do not disrespect holy sides, there’s a whole list and they’re taking it very seriously because over tourism is not just about too many people it’s also about the lack of cultural sensitivity. Rowdy tourists have a knack for turning sacred temples into impromptu yoga studios and quaint neighborhoods into drunken party zones. For them it’s not a trip unless you’ve offended locals with inappropriate behaviour. In India too the situation is no different.

Tourism in India, is a 5194 billion market. It contributes to 6.8% of the GDP. It employs more than 40 million people so important sector but all of this comes at a cost. Clearly it is big and important as a from Kashmir to Kanyakumari tourist spots are brimming with people and the impact can be social, economic as well as Environmental. The town of Joshimath for example, it was once a bustling tourist spot, a gateway to famous pilgrimage sites but no one talked about the impact this tourism had. The loss and damage to the Himalayan ecosystem. The vibration caused by the vehicles, the filth left behind by travellers and the erosion of the sensitive mountain ecosystem. Now, the Small Himalayan town of Joshimath is sinking. It's locals were forced to abandon their homes and the land around is not safe to live. This is not just about too many people, the consequences of over tourism goes far beyond that. There’s a threat to the environment too. The cultural heritage & it fosters inequality, when tourists flood into impoverished areas they often drive up prices making it unaffordable for local residents. This erodes the purchasing power of locals fracturing the sense of community in these cities. So what do we do to curb Over Tourism? Do we just stop travelling? Well travel is not wrong but we should start with responsible travel. We must choose quality over quantity valuing the depth of experience over the number of destinations checked off lists. Also choose sustainable tourism practices like supporting local businesses and respecting local customs. It can make a significant difference. Additionally governments and local authorities have to act. They must Prioritize the well-being of their citizens over short-term Financial Gains. Currently, over tourism is a global crisis which means it needs Global Awareness and Global action. It should be a wakeup call for the world. Our planet’s Treasures are not inexhaustible and it’s time to protect what we hold.

 -Team Yuva Aaveg

(Akhileshwar Maurya)

To keep yourself updated!!

Join our channels

Telegram    Whats App