In 1950, there were 25 million tourists traveling the globe annually. Today, that number has skyrocketed to over 1.3 billion. Factors contributing to the exponential growth of the tourism industry include the rise of the global middle class, cheaper airfares, bargain cruise lines and destination exposure via social media.
The massive growth of tourism brought with it an epidemic of fast, “touch-and-go” travel, which has turned many once-thriving communities into overrun tourist towns which now look and feel more like theme parks than the authentic places they once were.
The “success” of the tourism industry in these over-traveled places is slowly destroying the very things people come to experience in the first place. As a travel-design company, our team of travel designers see firsthand why and how this is happening, as well as what we can do as travel industry professionals and travelers to bring back the true meaning, magic and experience of travel.
Mass Tourism – The Culprits
It seems that this spike in touch-and-go travel is caused by many travelers driven by FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), which draws them toward itineraries designed to give them a brief “taste” of as many places as possible in a relatively short period of time. This often leads to a net negative impact on the local economies of these destinations and creates a palpable tension between tourists and locals who live there–not to mention the unfulfilling experience of having seen everything only to experience nothing.
The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) estimates there is 1.3 billion tons of waste produced each year solely by tourism. Most tourist cities see this influx of waste concentrated into short peak periods which correspond to the high travel season.
This in turn puts tremendous pressure on the municipal infrastructure to manage up to 10 times the waste of the local population. The UNEP estimates that European tourists generate about 1 kg of waste per person per day while American tourists generate approximately double that amount!
All of this means higher cost of public services for the cities we visit. When coupled with tourists who spend very little time off the ship or resort the net economic impact on these communities is often negative.
Unfortunately, touch-and-go travel is by far the most common form of mass tourism available to travelers today. It comes in the form of cruises, all-inclusive resorts and large tour operators who provide vacation packages designed to accommodate large groups of tourists via buses, cheap commercial flights and big brand accommodations.
This type of travel is almost always driven by economics that favor the tour operator or cruise line. Economies of scale are the priority here, not authentic and meaningful experiences, leading to an industry which sells bargain trip packages at the expense of their local suppliers.
Guides, drivers and accommodations working with these big companies often are the ones who get squeezed the most, leaving them overworked and undercompensated. This is one of the major issues which has led to an ever-increasing rift between locals and tourists.
Cruise ships with thousands of passengers coming into places like Venice, Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast (via Naples), are, in some cases, more than doubling the population of these communities in a matter of hours. The tourists who flood in are given no briefing on cultural norms or local laws and typically maintain their dinner reservations on the ship.
The result is a horde of uninformed, uninterested masses looking for nothing more than a photo op and a trinket to prove they were there. The idea of engaging with a new place and the people who live there is completely disregarded and instead is replaced with a touch-and-go approach which does not support the local economy, beyond the countless gift shops which have been built in place of traditional businesses and in some cases residences.
You can imagine the impact this has on places which have been so unfortunate as to draw the attention of the mass tourism machine.
Mass Tourism’s Economic Impact
Sustainable Solutions to Mass Tourism’s Problematic Impact on Iconic Destinations
Embrace Empathetic Travel
Mass tourism is a problem – a big one! But like any problem, there are solutions and ways we can correct this destructive course within the industry and the places it has impacted. Everyone is entitled to have a good time and take a break from the mundane.
It’s important however to remember that though it’s your vacation, it’s someone else’s home. Traveling in this empathetic way can lead to a much more enriching and meaningful travel experience. Not just for yourself, but also for the people you are visiting. Offer the same level of respect and cultural sensitivity you would expect from a tourist visiting your hometown.
Take time to understand the culture you are traveling to and make an effort to connect with locals! This means managing expectations around comforts and cultural norms. Keeping an open mind and staying curious is a great place to start.
Conquer your FOMO – it’s unfounded! Fear of missing out usually leads us to make rushed decisions, clouds our judgment and sends us in a million directions without ever really getting us what we want. It’s no different as it relates to travel.
Instead of falling victim to FOMO, embrace the idea of Slow Travel. Slow itineraries can allow you to spend more time in one place, encourage visits to off-the-beaten-path locations and immerse you in the local culture. This usually means your days are not fully packed with tours, transfers, trains and museums.
So what does that leave you with? TIME – sweet, nonrenewable and ever present TIME. Time to enjoy the food, the architecture, the people, the sunsets and …each other! This is the promise that slow travel can offer, all while supporting the local economy and enhancing rather than disrupting the social fabric of what makes a place so special. And yes,YOU, as a traveler from another land, are absolutely a part of that fabric.
Choose Sustainable Accommodations
Avoid Airbnb when you can. It seems to be the most budget friendly way to travel, but ultimately it leads to the further displacement of locals by way of rising property values and decrease in housing. Instead, consider staying at a boutique hotel or serviced suite.
These are typically locally owned and do a great job of creating a sense of place by celebrating the community in which they were built. This is not only a great way to avoid the housing shortage for locals, but also allows you the chance to elevate your stay through the accommodation’s concierge services and amenities.
The accommodation should be the destination! This is yet another great way to conquer your FOMO. When paired with a slow itinerary, your accommodation now becomes a unique and immersive experience.
Take a nap while staring at the ceiling of a 300-year-old Puglian palace with original frescos or have a drink in the courtyard surrounded by columns which once belonged to an ancient Roman villa. Take a stroll without anywhere to be and lose yourself in the essence of another place and time.
Seek Authentic Experiences
Should you see the Colosseum when in Rome? Should we take a Gondola ride in Venice? What about a wine tasting in Chianti? Absolutely!
Just because these places are over traveled does not mean they should be off limits, or are not worth seeing. There are many ways to avoid the tourist traps, long lines and even have an authentic experience when visiting iconic sites. Instead of booking through a tour operator or large booking agency such as GetYourGuide or Viator, consider working with a knowledgeable travel advisor who collaborates with trusted local partners.
Finding the right private guide can also make these experiences much more enjoyable and fulfilling.They can provide a wider variety of experiences which support locally owned businesses and give you insight into places others tend to miss while on a tour bus.
For example, Rome is one of the busiest destinations for tourism in the world, but like any large city, there is usually much more than meets the eye. Most people have never heard of the Appian Way – one of the first long Roman roads leading all the way to the south of Italy. The initial stretch of this ancient road leaves right from Rome’s city center and winds through a plethora of Roman ruins, aqueducts and spectacular countryside. This is a wonderful route to explore by e-bike or on foot while avoiding the tourist crowds and seeing the eternal city from new vantage points.
Choosing more off-the-beaten-path destinations is yet another great way to expand your perspective of a region while accessing authentic and immersive opportunities. Instead of visiting the same restaurant on everyone’s itinerary, take a cooking class and experience a typical Sicilian meal in a private home on Mt. Etna!
Travel Sustainibly
Much like the loss of our planet’s wilderness threatens our environment – the loss of our authentic spaces threatens our social and cultural vitality as a human race. The beauty of humanity can be found in its diversity. Places of extreme historical and cultural significance are at risk of losing their authenticity by virtue of their own appeal.
We must recognize the strain unchecked mass tourism is putting on communities which were designed to accommodate locals and visitors (not tourists). The economic, social and environmental pressures this kind of industry brings to a destination is simply unsustainable and must be corrected if we are to preserve the quality of the places we visit and the way of life belonging to the people who live there.
The risk we are taking if we continue on this path is nothing short of transforming the world’s cultural centers into mausoleums for the historians and anthropologists to study long after the people who gave them life are gone.
So before you purchase that cruise package for $599.99 to 6 ports in 8 days and build your checklist of photo ops, consider picking one or two destinations and find a reputable travel advisor who can assist you in putting together a more thoughtful and meaningful travel experience.
Travel slower, support local and keep an open mind. Discover a world of diverse beauty and cultural richness by stepping off the beaten path to explore the unforgettable places and people of the world. We will ALL be better off for it.
If you want to discover a new way of traveling and learn more about who we are and if you would like to continue the conversation and discover a new way of traveling, fill out our Trip Inquiry Form and let’s change the world together one itinerary at a time!
