The Chaos of Overtourism in 2024
Tourism is setting records in 2024. But anyone paying attention during this summer of “overtourism” is familiar with the escalating consequences around the world: traffic jams, crowds, and queues. Skyrocketing housing prices for locals. And “anti-tourism” protests intended to make visitors reconsider.
The term “overtourism” describes the tipping point at which visitors and their cash stop benefitting residents and instead cause harm by degrading natural and historic sites, overwhelming infrastructure and making life markedly more difficult for those who live there.
Spain has been playing a starring role in the backlash. Protests erupted across the country as early as March. In Barcelona, protesters squirted water at people presumed to be visitors as they dined outdoors.
In Japan, the government set limits on people climbing Mount Fuji. And Fodor’s “No List 2024” urges people to reconsider sites in Greece, Vietnam, India, Thailand and more.
Vocabulary:
setting records – achieving a better, higher, or greater result than ever before, “The hot summer is setting records for the highest temperatures ever.”
paying attention – watching, listening, or thinking about something carefully, “If you are paying attention in class, the test will be easy.”
escalating consequences – results that quickly grow bigger, worse, or more serious, “Missing school can lead to escalating consequences like failing your exams.”
tipping point – the moment when a lot of small changes suddenly cause a big and permanent change, “The heavy snow reached a tipping point and caused the roof to fall.”
overwhelming infrastructure – putting too much stress on public systems like roads, water pipes, or trains so they stop working well, “Too many cars on the narrow roads are overwhelming infrastructure in the small town.”
markedly more difficult – noticeably or clearly harder to do, “Walking up the hill became markedly more difficult when it started to rain.”
starring role – being the main, most important, or most noticeable part of an event or story, “The local bakery played a starring role in the festival by making a giant cake.”
protests erupted – sudden public gatherings of angry people fighting for a cause or against a rule, “Protests erupted in the streets after the company closed the factory.”
set limits on – to make a rule about the maximum amount of something that is allowed, “My parents set limits on how much money I can spend on video games.”