Better tourism: how to get there?
Forecasts anticipate record numbers of tourists and tourism revenues in Europe for 2024. Yet a growing number of holiday destinations are complaining about the negative consequences of the boom, for example for the environment and the housing market, but also for the experience of tourists themselves. Commentators weigh up possible countermeasures and existing role models.
Make treasures disappear from Google
Eldiario.es has an insider tip for overcrowded tourist hotspots:
“To preserve something you like, you have to hide it. Barcelona City Council, for example, took this to heart when it made the 116 bus line disappear in April. The goal was to provide a better service for local residents who were annoyed by the crowds of tourists who were heading to the bus stop at the tourist attraction Parc Güell. The route simply ceased to show up on Google Maps and Citymapper. ... We have exposed our geography to an extreme degree. ... It's time to cover it up again. ... That's the only solution. It's not about keeping visitors away, it's about stopping them from devouring what we want to preserve.”
Everything geared towards the visitors
Manolis Doudounakis, lecturer at the Technical University of Crete, writes about the situation in the island city of Chania in Efimerida ton Syntakton:
“Almost all the city's activities are geared towards tourists. Expensive projects of questionable aesthetic value are only implemented in places where visitors 'pass by'. The other areas are experiencing unprecedented levels of neglect. ... There are also negative side effects. ... Students, professors, teachers and civil servants are unable to find decent accommodation, and their meagre public-servant salaries don't cover the cost of living. ... The plan to develop the country through tourism, renewable energy and real estate promoted by the Mitsotakis government ignores the country's development potential, wastes the scant public resources and must be discarded.”
Focus on incentives
This summer Copenhagen tested a model to encourage tourists and locals to act in a climate-friendly way with the CopenPay campaign: people who collected litter, did some weeding or travelled by bike were rewarded with a free coffee or a free entry ticket. Sydsvenskan welcomes the idea:
“This exchange economy can be useful in other ways than just dampening the negative effects of an otherwise valuable tourist industry. It can foster belonging and cultural exchange between locals and guests as well as among Copenhageners themselves. CopenPay allows participants to take care of the city in everyday ways and at the same time to make contact with people and share experiences.”
Inform clearly, control with quotas
Marta Sofia dos Santos, director of the popular tourist destination Chillon Castle on Lake Geneva, describes why Amsterdam's museums can serve as a role model:
“We take inspiration from foreign models, where advance booking systems and visitor quotas have been introduced to regulate the number of guests. ... International examples such as the Anne Frank House or the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam offer a quota solution and show how clear information and effective management can greatly improve the visitor experience. However such examples require a digital strategy that not all institutions can afford. This means that investment in staff training is also needed.”
Fees and restrictions should not be taboo
El País calls for a new definition of success:
“The authorities, the citizens and an industry that is well aware that success is not measured in visitor numbers must look for solutions. ... A first area for action is that of holiday apartments. ... But we must also ask ourselves whether to introduce a state tax or to impose restrictions to equalise and redistribute the flow of travellers. ... Progress must take into account not only the sector's revenue but also public satisfaction. This will ensure that a successful cruise does not end in shipwreck.”
Joined-up thinking required
Gemma Martinez, deputy editor-in-chief of El Periódico de Catalunya, calls for a coherent approach:
“No one doubts that the time to rethink tourism has come, not even the sector itself. ... It's time for a broad discussion, with contributions from specialists, public administrations, and economic and social players. That is certainly better than limiting ourselves to a mere succession of unconnected patches by territory or sub-sector, such as tourist flats. Even if restrictions are possible, I prefer the introduction of positive measures like those in Denmark. ... There they've introduced bonuses for visitors who behave in an environmentally friendly way. ... We should take heed.”
Involve local communities
Greek Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni explains in To Vima how Greece can profit from the tourism boom instead of suffering under it:
“The measures that we are currently implementing are oriented towards the values of moderation and balance, concern for the protection of the natural and cultural environment and respect for people and local communities. ... Within this framework it is our strategic decision to involve local communities in the management of touristic activity to ensure that the advantages that tourism brings are distributed in a fair and rewarding way.”
Stop all the negativity!
Instead of complaining the Swiss should be happy about the rise in visitor numbers, the Aargauer Zeitung insists:
“A collective 'negativity bias' is manifesting in Switzerland when it comes to tourism. For years people were moaning that the country was going to the dogs. In winter the Austrians leave us behind and nothing happens in the mountains in summer. That's all over now. Is everybody happy? Absolutely not. 'Overtourism' is the buzzword on everyone's lips. ... You can't change the weather and you can only do so much about tourist numbers. Let us overcome the negativity bias and be grateful that Americans love Switzerland more than ever. They certainly spend a lot of money here.”