Overtourism happens when too many tourists visit a place, causing crowding and problems for people who live there. The World Tourism Organization explains that overtourism occurs when tourism negatively affects how people feel about their quality of life or how enjoyable visitors find their experiences. This means that both local residents, who may see tourism as something that makes their daily lives harder, and tourists, who might find too many visitors annoying, can be affected by overtourism. Tourism driven by social media, such as Instagram, has been linked to this issue.

The term "overtourism" was not often used before 2017, but now it is the most common way to describe the negative effects of tourism.

Characterisation

The growth of tourism can cause disagreements between people who live in an area, people who travel there for work, people who visit during the day, and people who stay overnight. While many people talk about overtourism in cities, it can also happen in rural areas or on islands. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) found that when people feel a place is too crowded, local residents may protest against tourism. Too many visitors can create problems for local people, especially during busy times of the year. Because of this, the ability of a place to handle tourism is measured not only by how many people can visit but also by how well the local community and tourists behave.

Overtourism is sometimes confused with mass tourism. Mass tourism means many tourists visit the same place at the same time. While this can lead to overtourism, some places with millions of visitors, like London, are not considered to have overtourism. Tourists often use roads, public transportation, and services that are meant for local people. If the number of tourists exceeds what a place can handle, services may focus more on tourists than on local residents. This can force local people to use services that were originally intended for tourists.

Opposition to tourism

Resistance to too many tourists is not a new problem. In mid-July 1926, some French people in Paris began attacking American tourists in areas like the Left Bank and Montmartre. They were upset about the loud, rude, and disrespectful behavior of American visitors. This was also connected to French people's dislike of paying war debts and a deal called the Mellon-Berenger Agreement. Historian Harvey Levenstein said this situation was an early example of what later became known as the "Ugly American" behavior. U.S. President Calvin Coolidge warned American tourists to act more politely, while also saying that if they were treated poorly, they might stop visiting France.

Groups of people started blocking "Paris by Night" tours, which used large open buses called charabancs to show tourists around Paris at night. On one occasion, a police officer had to fire warning shots in the air to help tourists. As the French franc lost value compared to the U.S. dollar, some tourists began throwing francs onto walls, luggage, and even onto the streets, laughing as French people chased them. The way Americans asked, "How much is that in real money?" was especially upsetting to many French people. The focus on the U.S. dollar and the unreasonable demands from American tourists angered many French newspapers.

In the 1990s, people in Spain, Greece, Malta, and France began opposing large-scale tourism, which was seen as a type of mass production approach called Fordist. In rural areas of Latin America, environmental concerns led to growing anger and campaigns against tourist real estate projects. In Mexico and Central America, protests happened because of tourist real estate deals that harmed workers and sometimes forced local people to leave their homes.

In 2017, cities like Barcelona, Venice, and Palma de Mallorca in Europe saw protests from local residents about overtourism. Scholars started writing about the problems caused by too many tourists, but no single definition of overtourism has been agreed on.

In 2025, another wave of protests grew in Southern Europe, including Portugal. In December 2025, the Spanish government fined Airbnb $75 million for promoting unlicensed rental homes to tourists in an effort to reduce overtourism.

Some people have described opposition to tourism as being unfair or biased.

Causes

Overtourism happens mostly when the number of visitors to a place increases quickly over a short time. It is most common in areas where visitors and local people live or spend time together. In recent years, changes in tourism and other areas have increased the number of times visitors and residents interact, making the effects of tourism more obvious. Problems linked to overtourism have worsened because of the following reasons:

Overtourism has become a widespread issue. Governments and organizations that promote tourism are trying to solve the problem. Factors that contribute to overtourism include more tourists, cheaper travel, a focus on economic growth, short-term goals in tourism, competition for local services, and a lack of control over how tourists book trips.

There are now more tourists in the world than ever before. In 1950, about 25 million people traveled internationally. In 1963, a scholar named Walter Christaller wrote about the negative effects of tourism. In 1987, another scholar named Jost Krippendorf studied the topic as international travel grew. By 2016, over a billion people traveled internationally, which is 50 times more than in 1950. Media reports on overtourism often focus on Europe, which receives about half of all international tourists, and Southeast Asia, which receives about a quarter. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, international tourist numbers rose from 25 million in 1950 to 1.3 billion in 2017. The tourism industry is expected to grow by 3.3% each year until 2030, when it is predicted that 1.8 billion people will travel internationally.

The rise of low-cost airlines, inexpensive bus services, and the popularity of cruise ships have been linked to complaints about overtourism. In academic studies, government policies, the goals of businesses in tourist areas, and the influence of social media are seen as factors that help overtourism grow.

Services like Airbnb, which allow people to rent homes or rooms online, have been blamed for increasing the number of tourists because they offer lower prices than hotels. Airbnb claims it tries to direct guests to less crowded areas. However, these services have also led to fewer homes available for local people, higher rent prices, and a loss of community in neighborhoods.

The growing popularity of leisure activities and changes in how people live have been linked to more use of tourist facilities, leading to a lack of variety in places to stay or things to do.

Tourism is a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions. Between 2009 and 2019, tourism-related emissions grew by about 3.5% each year, twice the rate of the global economy. In 2019, tourism accounted for about 8.8% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Air travel alone is responsible for more than half of the direct carbon emissions from tourism. The UN World Tourism Organization predicts that transport-related carbon emissions from tourism will increase by 25% between 2016 and 2030. This growth makes it harder to meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as set in the Paris Agreement. Studies show that improvements in how efficiently tourism uses energy are about 0.3% per year, but the demand for tourism has grown much faster, at about 3.8% per year. This makes reducing carbon emissions a major challenge for the tourism industry.

Cruise ships are a major cause of overtourism in port cities. Cruise passengers usually visit for only a few hours, creating sudden, intense crowds without providing much economic benefit to local areas, as they spend most of their money on the ship. Cities like Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Palma de Mallorca, Spain, have limited the number of cruise ships allowed to dock each day due to complaints from residents. In Venice, Italy, a ban on large cruise ships in its historic lagoon was introduced in 2021 after years of debate over damage to the city’s buildings, water, and air quality, and the way cruise ships make the city feel less accessible to residents. Cruise ships also use large amounts of fossil fuels and release carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

Tourism Degrowth as a Policy Response

Tourism degrowth is a method used to solve overtourism by reducing tourism activity in a planned way, rather than just lowering economic activity in the tourism sector. This approach focuses on protecting the environment and supporting local communities more than increasing the number of visitors. In a 2021 study, Büscher and Fletcher, along with Hall, Lundmark, and Zhang, were among the first to suggest degrowth as a way to create sustainable tourism. Some people criticize methods like tourist taxes and entrance fees because they believe these mainly collect money without significantly reducing the number of visitors or carbon emissions. Supporters of degrowth instead suggest actions such as stopping the building of new hotels, limiting cruise ships, and setting limits on short-term rental agreements. Some places have already taken these steps: Amsterdam is closing its cruise terminal, and Dubrovnik is limiting the number of cruise ship passengers each day. Resistance to degrowth often comes from local businesses and governments that depend on tourism income, showing the conflict between short-term economic needs and long-term environmental goals.

Post-Pandemic Tourism Rebound and Heightened Overtourism

The COVID-19 pandemic nearly stopped international tourism in 2020 and 2021, leading some scholars and policymakers to suggest a major change in global tourism to focus more on sustainability. However, when travel rules became less strict in 2022 and 2023, tourism demand increased quickly, returning to pre-pandemic levels in most places. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, international tourist visits in 2023 reached about 88% of 2019 levels, with full recovery expected by 2024. This rapid return to normal travel patterns increased overcrowding in popular destinations and created new ones. For example, Japan faced severe crowding at places like Mount Fuji and the Gion district in Kyoto, leading local officials to limit visitor access. Instead of causing a major change in how tourism is managed, the pandemic only briefly interrupted existing growth trends.

Overtourism is connected to the idea of the "Tragedy of the commons," a theory introduced by ecologist Garrett Hardin in 1968. This concept explains how shared resources can be damaged when individuals act in their own interest without proper management. Tourist destinations, especially their natural and cultural heritage, are examples of shared resources that can be harmed by overuse. Experts note that both overtourism and the Tragedy of the commons are now understood in more flexible ways, recognizing that the best approach to tourism depends on the specific needs of each destination. Most people do not realize how their actions contribute to overcrowding, so managing overtourism requires organized efforts or rules, not just relying on individuals to change their behavior.

Examples

As of 2017, several media outlets shared lists of places that are not recommended for visiting because too many tourists go there.

CNN reported that environmentalists are worried about the impact of tourism on Antarctica. The number of visitors to Antarctica grew steadily during the 2010s. In the 2023-24 summer season, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) recorded 122,072 visitors. Of these, 35% traveled on cruise-only ships, which do not allow passengers to go ashore.

In Aruba, a chemical called oxybenzone in sunscreen is harming coral reefs and marine life. In 2019, a law called "Choose Zero" was proposed. This law would ban the import, sale, or distribution of single-use plastic products and items containing oxybenzone.

In 2020, the town of Hallstatt had 780 residents but more than 10,000 visitors each day. Most visitors arrived by tour bus and stayed briefly to take photos. Residents complained about tourists entering homes and gardens or applauding funerals at the churchyard. In 2020, the town limited the number of buses allowed to enter.

In 2018, Bhutan began charging tourists between $200 and $250 per day to help manage the number of visitors.

The province of Prince Edward Island receives millions of tourists every summer. This has caused problems for local infrastructure and housing. Local groups have asked the government to limit the number of tourists to prevent overcrowding.

The Great Wall of China has suffered damage due to too many visitors.

By 2017, Dubrovnik had become so overcrowded that UNESCO considered removing it from the World Heritage Site list. The city limited the number of people who could climb its walls and planned to restrict the number of cruise ships docking there. In 2020, it also considered limiting new restaurant openings.

The Galápagos Islands were on Fodor's 2017 list of places not to visit because of environmental harm caused by too many tourists. As of 2017, visitors are required to hire a guide.

In Rovaniemi, Lapland, locals have reported problems with overcrowding during winter, especially near the Santa Claus Village.

In Paris, workers at the Louvre went on strike because they said the museum was too crowded.

In Santorini, cruise ship visitors are limited to 8,000 per day due to overcrowding. The island has 15,000 residents but once received up to 18,000 tourists daily.

The Zugspitze has faced overcrowding, especially from day visitors who use gondolas to reach the area.

In the European Alps, more accidents and deaths have occurred because some tourists underestimate the difficulty of mountain routes and lack proper equipment or fitness.

In Hawaii, coral degradation has worsened in areas with high tourist activity.

The Fjaðrárgljúfur area was closed temporarily after a music video made it very popular, requiring the government to improve infrastructure.

Tourism in Iceland is mostly nature-based, which creates challenges for protecting the environment. Overuse of natural areas can harm plants, soil, and landscapes. The country also lacks enough infrastructure to support the growing number of visitors, leading to traffic problems.

In 2019, the Taj Mahal began fining visitors who stayed longer than three hours. CNN described the crowds at the Taj Mahal in 2017 as "relentless."

In 2020, Bali planned to charge visitors $10 per person.

Abyaneh is often reported on for its overcrowding issues.

Iraqi Kurdistan is the most visited part of Iraq, especially during Newroz celebrations. In 2022, three people were arrested for planning to burn tires for the Newroz fire in Duhok. In Akre, some locals used wooden torches instead of tires for the celebration.

Venice has experienced a decline in population due to overcrowding. In 2019, Forbes listed it as one of the most overtouristed places globally. CNN described the crowds in 2017 as "overbearing." In 2018, Venice tested using turnstiles in St. Mark's Square to control visitor numbers. In 2020, a daily tourist tax of $11 was introduced.

In 2018, Capri tested ways to limit day tourism. Cinque Terre had 2.5 million visitors in 2015, and local officials aimed to reduce this to 1.5 million in 2016. However, this plan was reversed after public backlash. CNN in 2017 said that short-term visitors from cruise ships, who do not spend much money, are blamed for environmental damage. In Rome, sitting on the Spanish Steps was made illegal, with fines up to $448 due to damage caused by tourists.

In the 2010s, Pragser Wildsee became overcrowded, with up to 17,000 visitors on a single day in 2020. As of 2023, vehicle access to the area is restricted.

Florence is trying to ban new short-term rental properties in its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Officials say the rise in short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb has made housing hard to find for locals.

Lake Como, a popular destination, has faced overtourism pressures due to celebrity appeal and social media. In 2023, the area recorded 4.8 million overnight stays, straining public transport and roads. The region is also hydrogeologically fragile, meaning its environment is easily damaged by water. Like Florence, the increase in short-term rentals has raised property prices, making housing less accessible for locals. Strategies being considered include limiting visitors at attractions like Villa del Balbianello and introducing tourist taxes or entry fees.

In Kyoto, officials fined tourists $92 for taking photos of geisha without permission and banned access to some alleys.

The end of travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and a weaker Japanese yen have led to a record increase in foreign visitors to Japan. In response, Yamanashi Prefecture set a daily limit of 4,000 climbers at Mount Fuji and introduced a ¥2,000 entrance fee. A mesh barrier was also placed near Mount Fuji to prevent disturbances in a popular photography area. In Tokyo's Shibuya ward, Halloween and New Year's Eve gatherings at Shibuya Crossing were restricted in 2023 due to public intoxication caused by overcrowding. A 2024 ordinance now bans public alcohol consumption from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. year-round.

As of 2024, some Japanese officials have considered a two-tiered pricing system where foreign tourists pay more than residents at certain attractions to reduce overcrowding.

Public complaints about overtourism in Japan were cited as a reason for the Sanseitō party's success in the 2025 Japanese House of Councillors election.

Mount Everest has become so overcrowded that delays caused by too many climbers have led to deaths from altitude sickness.

Taking action against overtourism

In September 2018, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) released a report about overtourism and ways to address it. The report explains the need to consider tourism in the context of local areas and lists 11 strategies to manage overtourism:

• Spread out crowds to different places in the city or destination.
• Encourage tourists to visit during less busy times of the year.
• Promote new and unique travel plans and attractions.
• Use rules and laws to manage tourism effectively.
• Design activities that match the needs of different groups of tourists.
• Ensure that local communities and residents gain benefits from tourism.
• Create experiences that are valuable for both tourists and residents.
• Improve infrastructure, such as roads, public transport, and buildings.
• Include local residents in decisions about tourism policies.
• Inform tourists about how their visits may affect local communities.
• Use data to track and solve problems caused by overtourism.

The company McKinsey & Company suggests that to prevent overtourism, four main goals should be focused on:

• Create a complete set of facts and update it regularly.
• Plan for long-term, sustainable growth with careful, ongoing strategies.
• Include all parts of society—businesses, government, and community groups.
• Find new ways to fund tourism efforts.

Also, clear and consistent communication is important. Information about local tourism goals, progress, successes, and challenges must be shared with residents so that all groups involved can work together effectively.

Criticism of the phrase overtourism

The term "over-tourism" does not have a clear origin or agreed-upon creator. The first known use of the phrase appeared in a 1986 article by Max Börlin, who wrote that over-tourism, like over-fishing, can use up natural resources that tourism depends on, leading to costs that are not obvious. Other scholars mention an article by journalist Freya Petersen in the Sydney Morning Herald on December 15, 2001.

The term "over-tourism" became widely used in 2016 after being featured in an article by Skift, a company that provides news and research about the travel industry. Skift's use of the term helped draw global attention to concerns about too much tourism and started discussions about managing tourism more responsibly. In 2018, Oxford Dictionary added "overtourism" to its list of Words of the Year after a campaign by The Daily Telegraph to include it.

In 2023, Michael O’Regan, PhD, a tourism lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University, wrote an article arguing that people should stop using the term "over-tourism" and explaining problems with how it is used. In response, Skift published an article titled "It Is Time to Ditch the Phrase 'Overtourism.'"

Rafat states that some professionals believe "over-tourism" is not a helpful way to measure poor management or to focus only on tourists, rather than on people who help manage tourism, such as policymakers and license providers. Destinations are trying to find new ways to discuss complex tourism issues without blaming tourists for all problems.

Dr. O’Regan argues that "over-tourism" is a made-up word, like "immigration crisis" or "welfare dependency," which frames tourism as a problem or threat. This can lead to debates about controlling borders, reducing growth, and managing tourists. Based on a Twitter analysis, O’Regan found that a small group of experts plays a major role in sharing information about "over-tourism" online.