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You may have heard the term overtourism, but should you be worried about it when you go on holiday? We are going to look at the ways overtourism might affect you, what steps you can take and how your travel insurance can help. Plus, we will look at how you can ensure you are being a responsible traveller when you’re on holiday.
Overtourism is when there are ‘too many’ people in one place at a time. How many people it takes before it is considered overtourism is subjective. While tourism is welcomed in most places, it is when a destination starts to feel overrun by tourists that there is an issue. For instance, if a place has so many tourists that local renters are being evicted to cater for the demand. Or if the impact of so many people is overcrowded beaches with litter left everywhere.
While most travellers are travelling with good intentions, there will always be the few who ruin it for the many. As traveller numbers grow, there is also a growth in crimes committed by tourists themselves. For example, Venice has seen an increase in vandalism and alcohol-related disturbances. This is leading to places like Venice having to recalibrate their tourism strategy. There are already a lot of places limiting the number of visitors allowed in certain areas.
A prime example of rules that have been put in place due to overtourism is Spain. The Balearic Government put rules in place limiting holiday makers to six alcoholic drinks per day, split evenly between lunch and dinner. They have also banned ‘two-for-one’ drink promotions, pub crawls and party boats in certain zones. This is all in an effort to curb the number of alcohol-induced incidents from holiday-goers. Tour operators are legally required to inform you of these rules when you book to travel here.
One of the most notable effects of overtourism on locals is the housing crisis in Barcelona. Many of the properties here have been converted into holiday lets. This has made the housing for locals sparce and increasingly expensive. The effect has become known as ‘touristification’, where neighbourhoods change to accommodate tourists rather than local residents.
You may remember that last year there were protests in Barcelona because of this overtourism. The protests saw locals squirting tourist hot spots with water pistols. They were clear that while their goal wasn’t to stop tourism, they wanted it to remain at a ‘normal rate’. Tourism currently represents up to 15% of Spain’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Essentially, overtourism is having too many people in the same place at the same time. To combat this, there are a few things you could look at. Firstly, you could travel to lesser known destinations. Rather than travelling to Barcelona in the height of summer, you could head to Leon. It still has beautiful architecture and sites to see but won’t be as busy as Barcelona.
You should also consider the time of year that you travel. June – August are the peak holiday times because they coincide with the academic year and the hot weather in many places. Instead of travelling during these months, why not travel in the shoulder seasons like May or September? You will avoid the biggest crowds, and prices are likely to be cheaper outside of the peak season too.
Another thing you can do, is travel more meaningfully. Rather than heading to the hotspots that most tourists flock to, you could go on a new experience. For example, try your hand at volunteering in Costa Rica. You will learn more about local culture by exploring in this way and it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience.
It’s important to be aware of the risks of travelling abroad, and overtourism is one of them. While it’s okay to be concerned, you can avoid the risks by following some our tips like travelling to lesser known destinations at less-peak times. You should always check the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice for the country you’re going to. It’s also important to make sure you have adequate travel insurance so that you can travel, with confidence. Get a quote for our Travel Plus travel insurance today – a newly simplified policy.
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