The peak tourism season in Europe will soon be behind us. Industry experts are already labelling this year’s summer as the most successful. Of course, success, like beauty, is often in the eye of the beholder.
Millions of European residents are beginning to object to their lives being disrupted by overtourism and are pressing their societal leaders to rethink the mass tourism model.
What started as angry protests in the Canary Islands is now spreading throughout Europe. Venice, Barcelona, Dubrovnik and even Rome are beginning to take measures to bring about change.
One of the most frequent phrases Italian news reporters used this summer is “turisti cafoni”, liberally translated as “bad-mannered, boorish tourists”. Despite some Italians’ tolerance of indiscipline, many are justifiably angered by the antisocial behaviour of many tourists. Swimming in the Fontana di Trevi, inscribing initials on the ancient walls of Pompei and the Coliseum, and tourists and locals littering beaches are just some of the criminal incidents stoking anger against overtourism.
Europe is known for its historic cities, cultural landmarks and picturesque landscapes. Many destinations are experiencing overwhelming tourist numbers, leading to severe overcrowding, a strain on the public infrastructure, an often-irreversible impact on the fragile ecosystems and house price inflation, forcing many younger families to be crowded out of the property market.
Tourism strategists will continue to argue that success in tourism is mainly gauged by an increase in the volume of tourists and their expenditure. Still, local communities bear the brunt of overtourism and want change that is unlikely to come from the central government.
History often proves that transformational change frequently comes from popular movements rebelling at the inaction of their political leaders to make the necessary changes to improve the lives of ordinary people.
It is time to ensure that local communities’ well-being and the environment’s protection are factored into the formula that measures the [tourism] industry’s success
Some European cities and tourism hotspots are addressing overtourism through various strategies to balance the needs of tourists, local communities and the environment.
One of the more effective strategies is the implementation of visitor caps. Venice, for instance, has introduced a €5 levy for tourists visiting the city as day trippers. The Italian government is now considering hiking tourist taxes up to €25 per night to help regions invest in the physical infrastructure.
Portofino has a more creative strategy. This idyllic island has introduced fines to manage tourist congestion. Mayor Matteo Viavaca announced penalties of around €250 for those loitering in popular spots to alleviate “anarchic chaos” on its streets. The rule targets two “red zones” notorious for blocking pedestrian flow.
The local government of Sardinia went even further. It enforced a visitor quantity cap at its most famous beaches. Additionally, the region is issuing fines nearing €3,500 for sand theft, particularly at the salmon-hued shores of Spiaggia Rosa. Additionally, visitor access to other famous beaches, like La Maddalena, Cala Coticcio and Cala Brigantina, requires advance online booking and a nominal entry fee to ensure sustainable tourism practices.
There is no doubt that tourism is a critically important industry for many European countries, especially for small island economies. It employs many low-skilled workers who would otherwise end up queuing at job centres as the modern economy offers few openings for such workers. The major flaw of many European mass tourism industry models is that they have increasingly depended on a high volume of visitors and low-cost labour for their viability.
Rather than spend money on marketing and increasing the number of low-spending visitors, industry strategists should focus on reducing numbers and improving quality. The mayor of Capri, arguably one of the most successful tourism destinations now suffering from overtourism, makes a poignant remark when he says, “il cafone attira i cafoni”, “the bad-mannered person attracts more bad-mannered persons”.
Of course, not all low-spending tourists are bad-mannered. However, at an economic level, a popular destination with low-spending tourists cannot also market itself as a quality destination.
The travel industry’s success in the last two decades resulted from low-cost travel and private residential accommodation. It was not the result of some stroke of genius by tourism strategists. It is time to ensure that local communities’ well-being and the environment’s protection are factored into the formula that measures the industry’s success.
Tourism industry strategists must come up with more innovative approaches to managing overtourism. They should follow the more successful best practices that some destinations are adopting. Industry operators need a new strategic approach to sustain tourism without compromising destinations’ quality.
Tourism must no longer be a nightmare experience for local communities.