From ancient pilgrimages to modern vacations, tourism has been praised for showcasing different cultures, supporting local economies, and offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences. However, the effects of overtourism, when a destination receives more visitors than it can handle, can be harmful. These tourists cause environmental damage, strain resources, and contribute to gentrification that displaces residents, turning areas into tourist playgrounds rather than functioning communities.
Communities Becoming Playgrounds, Not Homes
One of the most widespread social consequences of overtourism is displacement through gentrification. In cities like Venice, year-round visitors have increased the conversion of homes into vacation rentals, driving up costs in low-income neighborhoods historically populated by minorities and forcing locals out.
Today, Venice’s historic city center has fewer than 50,000 residents as more spaces are devoted to tourists. In Barcelona and the Canary Islands, protests have become common, with residents openly voicing frustration that mass tourism is making them homeless.
Beyond housing, overtourism also creates cultural tensions. In Kyoto, Japan, tourists have been banned from parts of the geisha district after repeated incidents of harassment. Harlem in New York City, once a predominantly Black community celebrated for its cultural richness, has been reshaped for tourism, losing dozens of Black-owned businesses and pushing locals out of cultural hotspots. This shows how cultural traditions themselves can be endangered when visitor numbers go unchecked.
Kyoto sign cautions against various behaviors
Credit: Indiana jo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The High Environmental Costs of Travel
Rising tourist traffic also puts increasing pressure on the environment. Overwhelming tourist numbers and the transportation they depend on can threaten ecosystems and heritage sites. In Thailand, coral reefs have been heavily damaged by vehicles and sewage, with air quality in Bangkok deteriorating so severely that several hundred schools were forced to close. In Machu Picchu, Peru, heavy foot traffic leaves behind litter, erodes trails, and damages native plants.
Yet, while too many tourists can harm, the complete absence of tourism brings its own challenges, as the world witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. When worldwide travel restrictions brought tourism to a halt, destinations that relied heavily on visitors experienced dramatic changes. On the positive side, air quality improved worldwide as emissions dropped. Coral reefs and fish populations in Thailand began to recover, and natural spaces all across the globe had a chance to heal.
At the same time, cities and regions that relied heavily on tourism suffered severe economic fallout. It’s estimated that the global travel and tourism market suffered a loss of almost $4.5 trillion USD and 62 million jobs in 2020. In places like Bali, Indonesia, where tourism makes up the majority of the economy, families struggled to survive without international visitors.
Travel Responsibly, Connect Respectfully
The future depends on finding a sustainable balance that allows travelers and residents to coexist. This means protecting housing for residents, reinvesting tourism revenue into communities, and encouraging eco-friendly practices that reduce pollution and waste. Governments have already begun experimenting with solutions. Venice has introduced an entry fee, while Machu Picchu and several sites in Greece have imposed visitor caps and timed entry to protect fragile sites. Cities like New York and Dubrovnik, Croatia have placed stricter regulations on short-term rentals and cruise ships to reduce strain on housing and infrastructure.
Tourists at Machu Picchu
Credit: Marrovi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Travellers must also be willing to take responsibility for their impact. They can support local businesses rather than multinational chains and avoid overcrowded hotspots to instead seek diverse or off-season destinations. Practicing cultural appreciation, rather than exploitation, and showing respect for the communities that welcome them as visitors will help preserve traditions and ensure locals benefit from tourism. When managed responsibly, tourism can strengthen economies, celebrate diversity, and create connections without displacing the very people who make those destinations unique.
This article was written by a guest contributor, E. Takamura.
If you are interested in diversity after reading this article, our program may be of use to you. Find more details here!
