What is overtourism and why is it a problem?

Overtourism describes visitor numbers exceeding what a place can absorb without significant harm to residents, infrastructure or the attraction itself. It is a question of concentration rather than of tourism in general: global visitor numbers matter less than the fact that a small number of destinations receive a disproportionate share.

The effects fall on residents first. Housing is the most consequential, as property shifts to short-term letting and long-term rents rise, displacing the people who work in the area. Local shops give way to businesses serving visitors. Transport, water and waste systems sized for a resident population strain under multiples of it.

The attraction itself can degrade. Footfall erodes historic surfaces and trails, and fragile sites have had access restricted or closed to allow recovery.

There is also a self-defeating quality. Crowding degrades the experience visitors came for, which is why several destinations have introduced entry charges, timed ticketing, caps on cruise arrivals, or restrictions on new accommodation.

Several factors concentrate demand: cheap flights, cruise itineraries that land thousands simultaneously, and social media, which funnels attention to a narrow set of photogenic locations.

What individual travellers can reasonably do is shift when and where rather than whether. Visiting outside peak season, staying longer in fewer places, choosing less saturated destinations or lesser-known parts of popular ones, using licensed accommodation, and spending with local businesses all reduce pressure.

It is worth noting that tourism is also a major employer and source of income in many of the affected places, so the goal is generally management rather than reduction.