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Is overtourism just another ‘first-world problem’?

The debate over excessive visitor numbers is fraught with extremes, but without scientific measures, it risks becoming a distraction from real global tourism challenges

    • For overtourism to remain a useful concept in managing tourist destinations, there needs to be consensus on a method for scientifically determining when it has been reached.
    • For overtourism to remain a useful concept in managing tourist destinations, there needs to be consensus on a method for scientifically determining when it has been reached. PHOTO: AFP
    Published Fri, Oct 4, 2024 · 10:00 AM

    OVERTOURISM has become a buzzword, sparking debates reminiscent of those around climate change.

    On one side, there are “overtourism deniers” who dismiss the phenomenon as a myth, arguing that tourism can and should continue to grow without limits.

    On the other side, critics view tourism as the latest target for those opposing capitalism, calling for radical reforms or for it to even be abolished.

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