overtourism
North Macedonia’s UNESCO World Heritage Site Lake Ohrid At Risk From Pollution
October 30, 2024
OHRID, North Macedonia (Reuters) - Lake Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage site that straddles North Macedonia and Albania, is at risk from pollution, overfishing, and urban development, the United Nations body and experts say. The lake, one of Europe's oldest dating back 3.5 million years, is home to around 200 unique species, including rare varieties of trout. It serves as a significant tourist attraction and revenue source for North Macedonia and Albania. The North Macedonia side of Lake Ohrid was declared a World Heritage Site in 1979 and UNESCO expanded the designation to the Albanian side of the lake in May, 2019. In its 2024 repor...
Thousands Protest in Spain’s Canary Islands Against Overtourism
October 21, 2024
By Borja Suarez GRAN CANARIA, Spain (Reuters) - Thousands of people protested in holiday resorts in Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday against overtourism which they say prices local people out of the housing market. Under the slogan Canary Islands has a limit, residents demonstrated simultaneously in Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and El Hierro and called for a change in the tourism model for the islands. In the Playa de las Americas in Tenerife, protesters appeared on the beach while tourists were sunbathing and chanted "This beach is ours." Activists claimed the arrival of millions of visitors every ye...
Overtourism: How To Avoid It for Better Travel Experiences
EHL Insights | July 15, 2024
As the summer travel season kicks into high gear, the specter of overtourism looms large over many of the world’s most beloved destinations. In an interview with two EHL researchers and experts on the topic, we explored the multifaceted issue of overtourism and how savvy travelers can avoid the pitfalls of overcrowded hotspots by traveling during shoulder seasons, staying overnight and discovering destination dupes. Crowded beaches, congested streets and long queues at tourist attractions – these are all unfortunately familiar sightings when traveling to popular places. Even though the prices for flight tickets, hotels and trips ove...
What to Expect for Travel to Europe in the Summer of 2023?
Gregg Rockett | July 6, 2023
By Gregg Rockett A recent CNN story predicted that the number of Americans traveling to Europe this year will be 55% greater than in 2022. Allianz Partners identified this year’s most popular destinations (i.e., impacted) to be London, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam and Lisbon - all destinations with infrastructure already creaking under relentless year-round tourism. This massive migration occurs despite the highest airfares in six years and hotel prices that are nearly 40% higher versus 2022, according to Hopper’s report on Summer Travel to Europe. Add to that, the Euro is approximately 10% more expensive than it was at this time in ...
Hospitality Trends: Unveiling the Harsh Reality of Overtourism
Lionel Saul | June 15, 2023
By Lionel Saul, Tatyana Tsukanova Factors fueling the surge in tourist numbers In recent months, hospitality and tourism industry actors have been eagerly awaiting projections regarding the volume of domestic and international travelers for 2023, hoping that the numbers will reach the level of 2019. Based on current trends, it is expected that in 2023 global tourism will actually outperform 2019, which might be partly due to revenge tourism. For many actors in the industry, this is good news. However, voices have begun to denounce what is being called ‘overtourism’. For some observers, it has gotten out of hand and there are simpl...
Open Letter to the Hospitality and Travel Industry
Ryan Hamilton | September 7, 2022
It’s time to come together as part of the solution, not part of the problem, and change the world we serve for the better By Ryan Hamilton Earlier this week, as I was scanning my news feed for updates of relevance, I came across a headline that quickly captured my attention: What Native Hawaiians want you to know before your visit. As someone who spent much of his childhood in Hawai’i, any mention of the island conjures an inevitable wave of nostalgia and appreciation. In this particular context, though, that nostalgia was mixed with resonance, as the author called upon an issue I was aware of, but hadn’t found a way to articula...
Will ‘Less Is More’ Become the Tourism Buzzword of 2022?
Gregg Rockett | October 15, 2021
Reflections on the post-pandemic approach to sustainable tourism By Gregg Rockett The unprecedented 18-month hiatus in the global tourism industry has been a unique opportunity for communities to assess the pros and cons of their current tourism strategy. Tourism receipts evaporated, but so too did the throngs packing the streets and disrupting the lives of locals. The big-name ‘Bucket List’ destinations were given some rare peace and quiet and, maybe (hopefully), time to consider that enough is enough. Traveling in Portugal and Greece this summer, I witnessed first-hand the return of tourists to two of Europe’s most en...
Overtourism Still an Issue in Europe as Domestic Visitation Increases, Says GlobalData
GlobalData | August 27, 2020
The surge in domestic tourism following COVID-19 has not curtailed as holiday-makers turn to staycations over international travel. This domestic tourism, which was once a knight in shining armor met with gratitude by residents in European hot spots, is now a cause for despair as they see the all-too-familiar scenes of overtourism, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. Ralph Hollister, Travel & Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “There has been a steep fall in demand for international trips this summer due to fears of cancellation, disease transmission and quarantine measures upon return. According to GlobalDat...
