Overtourism: What, Why & How

With Uber, Instagram and Airbnb, travel has never been more accessible - but too much of a good thing can be bad. The definition of overtourism varies from place to place as different cities have different problems but in general overtourism is defined as too many people in a particular destination. It can be an incredibly frustrating experience trying to navigate throngs of tourists, trying to get the shot you want - or even just to eat a meal.

Nobody is saying don’t check Banff, Bali or Bangkok off your bucketlist - just remember to be mindful about it. Issues of overtourism have increased exponentially over the last decade. As governments take action - what can you do to help avoid this? Here are some tips.

Off-season

Traveling in the off or shoulder season can have many benefits.

One, you’ll save money on flights, hotels and tour packages. Two, many hotels are switching to variable pricing where the cost depends on demand and season. This makes off-season travel a great time to use reward points for your hotel or flight because you will ultimately use less of them. Three, the experience will be far more enjoyable due to less crowding.

Geo-tagging

Instagram has been credited with transforming the travel industry. From Tulum to Reykjavik - Instagram has the power to skyrocket virtually unknown locations to stardom.

A recent phenomenon that many influencers have begun to grab a hold of is geo-tagging - or actually, not geo-tagging. To protect the integrity of destinations many users have opted for posting a vague geo-location for the destination (ex. using ‘Utah’ instead of ‘Zion National Park’) or not revealing their location at all.

Alternative travel

Consider alternative paths in your travel itinerary. For example, if you were going to France perhaps you would spend a few days in a Paris but also visit Bordeaux and Strasbourg.

This takes some pressure off the crowded city centers while still giving you the full ‘Paris’ experience. Visiting other lesser-known cities also gives you the opportunity to actually do as the locals do.

Cruise schedules

Many people in the overtourism debate like to point fingers at cruise ships. Your best bet is to check the cruise schedules as well as investigate the ‘peak season’ of a destination before booking your travel.

For example, knowing that Australia’s peak season is from December to February might save you a lot of money and hassle by booking your travel for April. Peak season for cruises to Croatia is June through September so not only will booking your travel for October save you from having to deal with the crowds but you’ll also get to see the beautiful fall colors.

It’s not that these cities don’t want to see tourists - it’s that they want to see a city of balance. It’s good for you as a traveller and it’s how we will continue to be able to visit so many of the places we want to see.

Safe travels,

V.