Unpacked: How not to be an overtourist

Hotspot tourist destinations are groaning under the weight of too many visitors. How do we make sure we don’t contribute to overtourism?

It was summer 2019, and La Rambla in Barcelona, Ponte di Rialto in Venice and Dam Square in Amsterdam were clogged up with crowds and strewn with novelty shops and litter. There were anti-tourist marches in Barcelona, anti-cruise ship blockades by small boats in Venice and temporary bans on sound systems (and alcohol) during gatherings in the Red Light District or along the canals in Amsterdam. The Instagram-famous “I amsterdam” sign was removed from outside the Rijksmuseum after it became the biggest selfie spot in the city (with tourists stopping by Museum Square to snap a picture, but not to visit the museums).

There was talk of tourism taxes, and banning cruise ships and Airbnb. Then along came Covid, and lockdowns and travel bans.

Today, more bucket-list destinations have started to clamp down on overtourism, and there’s a growing realisation that in order for tourism to be sustainable (in every sense of the word) it has to be for the good of local people, as well as visitors.

Interestingly, it was during Covid that Byway was launched – CEO and founder, Cat Jones, recognised that the travel industry had to change, for the good, for the long term.

What is overtourism?

Long distance travel has still not returned to what is was pre-Covid. OTA Insight points to data on flight searches to Paris – pre-Covid, the origin location of the majority of online searches was the Americas and Asia, post-Covid, more than 60% is from Europe. So the travel landscape may have changed, but visitor numbers look like they are returning to “normal”.

Byway has made some big predictions about 2024 travel trends, which include ‘off-the-beaten-path’ and ‘cool. We know that 64% of travellers are tired of crowded tourism hotspots and around a third are willing to change their destination for this reason. After not going on holiday since early 2020, travellers are booking bucket list trips, but they are thinking differently. Sustainability is increasingly important to holidaymakers concerned about climate change and having a negative impact on the destination.

Maybe holidays can look a little different from now on?

How can you avoid being an overtourist?

Avoid hotspots

It might seem obvious, but don’t visit hotspots! Love canals and culture? Avoid Amsterdam, and try Haarlem or Gouda. Want a romantic weekend away? Swerve Venice, and visit Verona. Enjoy architecture and great food? Bump Barcelona, and enjoy Valencía or Seville. The locals will love you for it.

Visit off-season

Find out when the peak season is and choose to visit at another time if you can. The shoulder seasons of late spring and early autumn still have gorgeous long and sunny days but with quieter beaches – you’ll find a warmer and more relaxed welcome from locals, and prices won’t be hiked either.

Travel independently

Large tour groups cause disruption and congestion. Strike out independently and away from the crowds, you’re more likely to interact with locals and less likely to spend time in tourist traps.

Travel slow

Engage with the places you visit, and travel through the world, not over it. Slow travel helps form a deep connection to a place and its culture through small moments.

Support local

Tourism can be a force for good if you stay at locally-owned accommodation, eat at locally-owned restaurants and book tours and activities operated by local people. “Tourism leakage” is when your money doesn’t stay in the destination, but leaks out elsewhere. Always aim to boost the local economy.

Travel flight free

Travel differently and influence system change – as flightfree.co.uk reports, markets respond to demand, and if you want more trains and more ferries to off-the-beaten-path places, you have to be the change you want to see.