Run for your life

Mass tourism poses major challenges for many popular holiday destinations. Overcrowded roads, overloaded infrastructure and dissatisfied locals are just some of the problems that so-called “overtourism” brings with it. But there are solutions to these challenges. What are successful strategies?

1. Introduce visitor limits

One effective method of regulating the flow of tourists is to introduce visitor limits. This can help to avoid overcrowding and reduce the environmental impact.

Venice, for example, has taken such measures to protect the city from collapsing due to too many visitors.

2. Promote seasonal distribution

In order to spread the number of visitors more evenly throughout the year, many destinations are focussing on promoting travel outside the peak season.

This can be achieved through targeted marketing campaigns and attractive offers in the low season. The aim is to enable a better distribution of visitor numbers without jeopardising GDP.

3. Diversification of the attractions

Developing and promoting lesser-known attractions can help to spread tourist flows over a wider area. Barcelona, for example, has started to promote attractions outside the city centre in order to spread visitor numbers more evenly.

4. Use smart technologies

The use of smartphone apps can help to direct visitor flows in a targeted manner. Amsterdam, for example, relies on the “iamsterdam” app to keep tourists away from crowded places and guide them to less frequented attractions.

5. Improvement of the infrastructure

A well-developed infrastructure can mitigate the negative effects of mass tourism. This includes the expansion of public transport, the construction of additional tourist facilities and the improvement of waste disposal.

One example of successful infrastructure measures is the Trollstigen in Norway, where attempts have been made to harmonise nature and mass tourism.

The fight against overtourism requires a holistic approach and cooperation between different stakeholders. Destination management organisations play a key role in this by providing data platforms and acting as an interface between the various stakeholders.

The problem of overtourism can only be solved sustainably by combining different measures and developing individual concepts for each location.

By implementing and developing these solutions, we can promote tourism that is sustainable for visitors, locals and the environment. In this way, popular tourist destinations can retain their appeal in the future while ensuring a high quality of life for their inhabitants.