Saturday, August 3, 2024 Each summer, millions of travelers embark on vacations worldwide. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, global travel is set to see a 2% increase in international arrivals compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. However, with more people traveling, some popular tourist destinations are becoming increasingly crowded, sparking protests in certain areas.
In some European cities, locals have taken to the streets, urging tourists to “go home” as they march through well-known spots. Cities like Amsterdam are taking unprecedented steps by discouraging visitors. The growing issue of tourism overcrowding is now a significant aspect of travel that requires understanding.
But what exactly is tourism overcrowding, why is it on the rise, and how can we respond to it? At its core, overcrowding in tourism happens when too many people choose to visit the same place simultaneously. There are three key aspects of tourism overcrowding. First, overcrowding is a genuine issue that causes stress and diminishes the travel experience.
Second, we tend to feel more crowded when we encounter conflicting behaviors. For example, walking on a sidewalk crowded with skateboarders, cyclists, and aggressive vendors may feel more overwhelming than being at a packed music festival where everyone shares a common purpose. Third, overcrowding is subjective—it depends on individual perception.
There’s no universal measure of what constitutes overcrowding; it’s a personal experience. To fully grasp tourism overcrowding, we must consider the perspective of local residents. For instance, some locals in Barcelona have resorted to spraying tourists with water guns as part of protests, highlighting their frustration.
This situation touches on the “host-guest covenant,” an idea that visitors should stay within designated tourist areas to allow residents to maintain the integrity of their neighborhoods. However, with the rise of short-term rentals, many tourists venture beyond traditional tourist zones to seek a more “authentic” experience. While this allows them to escape other tourists, it can exacerbate the situation for locals, who now face more tourists in their neighborhoods.
Different people have varying tolerance levels for crowds, and there are four primary ways they cope with the stress of overcrowding. The first is altering travel plans to avoid crowds, the most common coping strategy. This involves steering clear of popular spots during peak times.
The second method is rationalization. When people find themselves in crowded tourist spots, they often rationalize the situation to minimize discomfort. For example, visitors at the Louvre might tolerate the crowds because they expect everyone wants to see the Mona Lisa.
This implies that people willingly enter overcrowded spaces for several reasons, including the attraction itself, fear of missing out, the sense of safety in numbers, and the validation of being in a popular place. A third coping strategy is product shift, where people downgrade their expectations to avoid cognitive dissonance. For instance, if someone remarks that Tofino was once a quaint surf town but is now overrun by tourists, they are engaging in product shift.
The fourth strategy is direct action, which involves taking steps to address the situation. This could be as simple as asking museum staff to quiet a noisy group or posting a review online suggesting ways to avoid crowds. While coping methods are similar for tourists and locals, residents often emphasize displacement.
Their intimate knowledge of the area enables them to navigate crowds more effectively. Some believe that the rise of social media has worsened tourism. Perhaps, but its true impact lies in transforming travel into a visible status symbol.
Before social media, travelers would share their printed photos with close family and friends. Now, we instantly share our travel experiences online for all to see. Additionally, the desire for the most “Instagrammable” experiences discourages risk-taking, leading travelers to stick to popular, well-trodden destinations and attractions rather than exploring lesser-known areas.
This reinforces the core principle of overcrowding—many people choosing to visit the same place simultaneously. Given these trends, post-pandemic travel is expected to continue favoring “safer” destinations where tourists feel they will get the most value for their money. This often means travelers from the Global North prefer destinations within the Global North that promise a worthwhile experience.
Ultimately, every tourist wants to enjoy their vacation. The wisdom of crowds still holds strong, and despite the discomfort of overcrowding, being surrounded by others in a popular destination often feels safer than venturing off alone..
