You’ve heard of the word “tourism”. As a travel lover, you live it. But have you heard of the concept of “overtourism”? Unfortunately, most haven’t, and it’s something they should really familiarize themselves with.
Overtourism is the phenomenon that you’ve probably experienced firsthand, of how a huge increase in tourist traffic to popular travel destinations negatively impacts both the locals who live there and the travelers visiting. You can see overtourism in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds at the Vatican, the hours-long lines at the Louvre, and the crowds in Prague so tight that you don’t even notice when your wallet is stolen.
The thing is, travel isn’t going to stop. It’s too good for the soul for that to even be a goal. So how do we address overtourism and its environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural impact? There are a few ways.
Go to the lesser-traveled destinations. Because there is so much more of the world to see than just Western Europe.
Visit places during off-seasons. You might be a little bit colder, but you’ll feel much more comfortable than you would in July smothered in a crowd of people.
Tread lightly. Don’t leave trash around. Clean up after yourself. Respect the places you visit the way you would respect your own home because, after all, it is someone else’s.