1 / 10Bali in Indonesia and Barcelona in Spain are 12,500 kilometers apart. Its topography and culture are also polar opposites. But a phenomenon that unites both tourist spots is, believe us, overtourism. The United Nations (UN) defines overtourism as the impact of tourism on a destination that excessively influences the quality of life of citizens or the quality of visitor experiences in a negative way. There is no standard definition for overtourism. But a 2017 study claims that overtourism alienates residents, degrades the tourist experience, overloads infrastructure, damages nature or threatens culture and heritage. (Image: Reuters)
2 / 10Bali and Barcelona: ‘Poster Boys’ Overtourism? Lately, overtourism in Barcelona and Bali has made global headlines. In July, thousands of people marched through the streets of Barcelona under the slogans “Enough is enough, let’s put limits on tourism” and “Tourists are going home.” Overtourism has manifested itself in the form of high short-term rentals in Barcelona. Short-term rentals have increased 9.8 percent compared to last year. This has also contributed to the cost of living becoming unsustainable for locals. (Image: Reuters)
3 / 10Overtourism in Bali | On the other hand, it has caused excess construction. Experts have also blamed excessive construction activity for agricultural damage. The island still lacks adequate tourism infrastructure even though the number of hotels has doubled in the last decade.
4 / 10COVID-19 accentuates overtourism | Overtourism, however, is not a new phenomenon in Bali, Barcelona or around the world. Given that 80% of travelers visit only 10% of the world’s tourist destinations, overtourism has always been a problem. But it gained greater notoriety after the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world faced an unprecedented lockdown. (Image: Reuters)
5 / 10A record 26 million tourists arrived in Barcelona in 2023, an increase of 168% compared to 2022. More than 1.5 million tourists visited Bali last year, an increase of 48% compared to 2022. Both destinations faced a massive recession during the 2020-21 pandemic. According to the latest UN World Tourism Barometer, 790 million tourists traveled internationally in the first seven months of 2024. This is 97 percent of the pre-pandemic level. Tourism is making an unprecedented comeback in 2024, while threatening to overwhelm local infrastructure. (Image: Reuters)
6 / 10Not just the 2Bs: overtourism in India | India is a booming tourist destination. It ranks 39th out of 119 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index. But the growth in tourism has raised the specter of overtourism in popular places like Ladakh, Goa and Wayanad. Overtourism, experts maintain, was one of the triggers for the recent landslide in Wayanad. According to reports, more than 17 lakh tourists visited Wayanad last year. But experts say the city is ecologically sensitive to withstand a large influx of tourists. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
7 / 10About tourism in Goa | Goa has always been a favorite among Indian and foreign tourists, attracting over a million tourists in 2023-24. But overtourism has led to gentrification in parts of the state, driving up housing prices for locals. Ladakh faces the twin problems of climate change and overtourism. More than 5.25 lakh visited the Himalayan destination last year, which is more than the local population of 2.75 lakh. The carbon footprint of tourism-related activities has exacerbated pressure on its fragile ecosystem and wildlife. (Image: PTI)
8 / 10Solutions implemented worldwide | Bali and Barcelona, the two “models” of overtourism, have implemented taxes to address the problem. While Bali has imposed a flat tax on international tourists, Barcelona has increased its tax on tourists. In addition, the Spanish city has decided to ban the short-term rental of tourist apartments until 2028. Following excessive tourism, Japan has introduced a 2,000 yen entrance fee to Mount Fuji in Japan. This has helped reduce crowds. Kyoto, about 360 kilometers from Mount Fuji, has banned tourists from parts of the geisha district. (Image: Shutterstock)
9 / 10Venice takes a step forward | In Venice, Italy, authorities limited tourist groups to 25 people and banned loudspeakers. Amsterdam, the fifth most visited European city, has banned the construction of new hotels to discourage tourists from staying overnight. (Image: Reuters)
10 / 10What the experts say | DK Rai, a businessman and environmentalist from Sikkim, emphasizes on implementing capacity studies and environmental impact assessments for tourism in ecologically sensitive regions. “Implement a robust sustainable tourism certification program that recognizes and rewards companies and destinations that prioritize sustainability,” he says. Kaitlyn Brajcich of Sustainable Travel International believes that only collaboration between the tourism industry, local governments and other stakeholders can solve overtourism. Both Rai and Brajcich support sustainable tourism as an antidote to overtourism. In fact, figures suggest that sustainable tourism is on the rise. The latest reports project that the global sustainable tourism market will reach $8.73 billion in 2031, up from $2.61 billion in 2024. (Image: Shutterstock)
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