Could Covid-19 be the end of overtourism?

21.07.2023 - 08:13 / roughguides.com

Before Covid-19 came around, traveller hotsports around the world – from Barcelona to Venice, Tulum to the Taj Mahal – were caving under the weight of tourism. We ask: could Covid-19 be the end of overtourism?

In 2019, a staggering 3.2 million people visited Barcelona, while 5.5 million took a trip to Venice. “Too many” tourists can cause a web of complex local problems, from congestion and pressurizing public-transport systems to driving up house prices and forcing out locals. In addition, as communities become overwhelmed, tourists can erode their unique character and culture – thereby destroying the very thing they came to see. If you’ve ever been stuck behind an obnoxious tour group of sunburnt, camera-toting tourists, you know the drill. The term “overtourism” to describe this phenomenon came into being around 2015, and destinations around the world have been trying to tackle it ever since.

Overcrowded St Mark's Square, Venice, Italy © volkova natalia/Shutterstock

With overtourism responsible for a raft of local issues, governments and authorities around the world have – over the last few years – toyed with various schemes to tackle the problem, from ideas to introduce tourist quotas (Venice) to stringent rules on short-term lets like Airbnb (Berlin) and limiting cruise-ship numbers (Bruges). Maya Beach in Thailand, meanwhile – familiar from the cinema smash-hit The Beach – has been forced to close completely until at least mid-2021.

In Barcelona, meanwhile, citizens took matters into their own hands, branding several of the city streets with the message “Tourists go home” in 2017. The sentiment was often tied to a desire to welcome refugees rather than travellers to their city. Protests followed, with slogans like “Barcelona is not for sale” and “We will not be driven out” – similar marches took place across Europe, from Venice to Rome, Amsterdam to Lisbon.

Since coronavirus, all that has changed. At the peak of the crisis, around half the global population was asked by their governments to stay at home. The whole travel industry came to a standstill: entire airline fleets were grounded and tourist attractions, bars and restaurants all bolted their doors. Though travel restrictions are starting to lift and we can contemplate future holidays once more, the face of travel – at least in the short term – will be distinctly different.

For the foreseeable future, overtourism will simply be an impossibility. With lockdown restrictions, lengthy quarantine periods and hygiene risks still preventing most international trips, the majority of tourists will holiday closer to home this summer. Social distancing will characterize any trips we do make: visitor quotas will be the new norm, joined by a range of new