Noam Toister, CEO and Co-Founder of Travelier.
The last vestiges of Covid restrictions have finally been removed, and international tourism is exploding—more than 900 million eager tourists took to the skies in 2022, doubling the number from 2021.
But as world travel recovers from the pandemic, the spikes in tourism are, among other things, overwhelming foreign infrastructure, disrupting local residents and diminishing the overall tourist experience.
Although tourism still boosts the economies of hotspot cities, municipal authorities are not taking kindly to the toll that overtourism takes on their communities and cultural heritage sites and have thus started taking matters into their own hands to mitigate overcrowding.
To counter the downsides of overtourism, the travel industry can utilize tech-based tools that combat the root causes of tourist congestion and actively encourage travel to lesser-known locales, thereby satisfying tourists without burdening those residents who call these incredible places home.
Drastic Measures
According to one study, when tourist numbers exceed a city’s carrying capacity, residents’ perception of their home as a good place to live begins to deteriorate, increasing feelings of resentment toward tourists during peak seasons.
Amsterdam, with its picturesque canals, stunning brick architecture and leisurely bicycle paths, is just one of several cities reeling from the effects of overtourism; more than 20 million tourists are anticipated to visit the city this year alone.
To curb the flow of visitors without destabilizing the tourism market, the city introduced a cap on overnight guests and is proposing further measures that include prohibiting recreational drug usage in public spaces, decommissioning hotels and relocating some popular tourist attractions to outside the city center—or even removing them altogether.
With tourism left unchecked, other cities have also taken matters into their own hands. To give the city more “breathing space,” the mayor of Dubrovnik shut down 80% of its souvenir stalls and restricted cruise ship and tour bus operations. City officials in Barcelona instituted taxes for overnight tourists and barred entry to certain food markets. And in Venice, officials banned the development of new hotels and installed turnstiles along popular routes to redirect tourist traffic.
The Road Less Traveled
For the tourist industry to thrive in conjunction with resident communities, the tourism industry must cultivate a new approach that better serves local interests when promoting destinations and trip options.
Marketing excursions through the use of thoughtful ad campaigns and tech tools that inspire tourists to venture away from conventional hotspots and explore lesser-known attractions could lead to a more even distribution of travelers across various destinations.
To that end, dispersing tourists should be a top business goal for travel providers rather than doubling down on high-traffic destinations. This not only enables travelers to genuinely experience diverse cultures but also provides vital support to rural-located businesses, restaurants and cultural establishments, which stand to gain the most from tourist dollars.
Traveling With Tech
In order to empower travelers to visit new or unfamiliar destinations, the industry should consider leveraging tech-based tools to convince them. For example, embedding innovative digital features into travel services can spotlight fresh destination options and grant clearer access to local services that tourists may not have been aware of or felt too intimidated to navigate on their own.
Airbnb, for example, rolled out flexible search features in 2021 that divert bookings away from destinations at times when overtourism or peak travel times occur, encouraging tourists to make accommodations in alternative cities or towns.
The city of Florence has developed a tech solution to manage overtourism in real time—the “Feel Florence” app, a service that suggests routes and experiences to visitors based on current tourist demand. Through data collection from sensors deployed across the city, the app informs visitors which attractions are subject to overcrowding, giving them the choice to visit alternative areas that could benefit from their patronage.
Travel providers that amplify the online presence of local vendors and transportation services (which often lack the resources or knowledge to do it themselves) through their own platforms can connect their goods and services to millions more people. Paired with translation services, transparent pricing, secure payment systems and user-generated reviews, this strategy can be a key factor in dispersing tourists and de-escalating overtourism.
The Middle Ground
With tourists overrunning major destinations, the tourism industry and local municipalities must find some middle ground. Heavily visited cities will otherwise be forced to impose further tourist restrictions, putting an entire revenue stream at risk.
The sooner the travel industry harnesses tech solutions, the sooner tourists will be inspired to confidently explore new destinations and support local communities, thereby alleviating the adverse effects of their presence.
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