How Top Tourist Destinations Handle Overcrowding

Tourism is on the rise. Popular destinations are only getting more popular while up-and-coming destinations are getting packed with tourists. While this can be great for the economy it can also, in a way, be a huge hindrance because of overcrowding.

This problem isn’t likely to go away. Travel has always been a big business and it has only gotten bigger. But the huge influx of crowds can bring big issues for local residents. We’ve seen this type of joke when it comes to beach towns, but it’s no joke for locals who can’t get to work in time because of tourist traffic. Large crowds can also cause damage to the environment.

So how are the top tourist destinations dealing with this overcrowding problem? Let’s find out.

Barcelona – Barcelona is one of the top visited cities in the world, and for good reason. But life is becoming hard for the locals. They’re being pushed out of their homes to make space for tourist accommodation. Rents are on the rise. To combat this, the city has stopped licensing the building of new accommodations for tourists. This is temporary, until visitors fall to a more manageable level. In the meantime the city is marketing less famous sites and areas outside the core of the city.

Venice – This is the city you probably think of when you hear the term “overtourism”. The amount of tourists regularly outnumbers the amount of locals, to the point that locals are moving away. Recently Venice announced that it wants cruise ships to take a different route to dock. They’ve launched a campaign that brings hefty fines to those who break rules such as swimming in the canals and dropping litter. Signs are posted around the city reminding tourists of these rules. It also encourages tourists to wander the whole city, not just the famous areas.

Machu Picchu – This beautiful, ancient site is in danger of being destroyed by the many tourists visiting it every year. Luckily a lot of new rules have been introduced to limit the impact of tourism. Tourists now have to choose one of two entry times, and can’t linger beyond a certain amount of time. If a visitor wants to spend the entire day, it costs extra. Tourists must be accompanied by a certified guide who takes them on specific paths. They are also restricted on what they can bring with on the journey. The rules will be adjusted as time goes on.

Amsterdam – While some cities are taking steps to limit visitors, Amsterdam is looking into more creative ways to prevent overcrowding in the city. They use data to analyze the habits of tourists, and use that data to subtly move tourists to less busy attractions. They also provide live feeds that display the wait time at popular tourist stops so visitors can re-arrange their schedules to avoid the crowds. Less popular areas near the city have even been re-branded to draw more people out of the center of town. Amsterdam is relying on technology not to limit tourists, but expand their horizons.

Santorini – This picturesque Greek island has been slammed with tourists. The amount of visitors is putting a huge strain on the infrastructure of the island. In the past visitor caps have been enacted to keep people off the island. The biggest culprit is cruise visitors, who come to the island for the day leaving it completely overrun. For the time being, Santorini is still struggling to get their crowds under better control.

Bhutan – Tourism in this Asian country only began in 1974, and the country has done a lot to keep the tourist impact low. All tourists must travel with a guided package that is pre-planned and pre-paid. The fee is all-inclusive so your expenses when you arrive are minimal to nonexistent. Part of the entry fee is also a sustainable tourism royalty, which goes directly back into the country. Bhutan has done what many destinations cannot…stopped overcrowding before it had a chance to start.