Why your favorite vacation spot is begging you to stay home: Can tourism be made more sustainable?

On Monday, June 16, the world鈥檚 most visited museum, the Louvre in Paris, . Usually nothing short of a war or similar global upheaval, like the COVID-19 pandemic, could trigger such a move. This time, however, the call was coming from inside the house: the staff chose to strike to protest an unsustainable flood of tourists and a lack of institutional support, forcing the museum to close for a few hours.  

The Louvre鈥檚 stand was not an isolated event. The employees鈥� feelings reflected a broader and growing crisis facing popular destinations across the globe: overtourism.

As international travel returns to pre-pandemic levels, cities, heritage sites and natural wonders are straining under the weight of mass tourism. Once considered an engine of economic growth and cultural exchange, tourism has become a double-edged sword. The influx of visitors is pushing destinations beyond their limits, threatening the environment, residents鈥� well-being, and even the long-term viability of tourism in that location itself. 

Tourism is officially back. After years of pandemic-induced travel restrictions and cautious consumers, international travel has nearly returned to where it was before COVID-19 hit.

The World Tourism Organization released data in January showing that 1.4 billion people traveled internationally in 2024 鈥� that's 99% of pre-pandemic levels. For an industry that was devastated by lockdowns and border closures, it's a remarkable comeback.

And the recovery isn't slowing down. Tourism officials expect international travel to keep growing by 3% to 5% this year, suggesting that people's wanderlust is stronger than ever. The numbers point to something travel industry experts have been hoping for: leisure travel isn't just bouncing back, it's thriving again. All this rebound is leading to overtourism in some popular places. 

According to Sandy Chen, a professor in 花季传媒鈥檚 Patton College of Education and a tourism expert, overtourism occurs when the number of tourists is greater than the capacity of a destination, resulting in environmental damage, cultural erosion and a decline in permanent residents鈥� quality of life. 

Common destinations that are becoming increasingly crowded include Barcelona, Venice, Paris, Amsterdam, Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China, Mt. Fuji and even the small village of Hallstatt, Austria. From the alleys of Venice to the trails of Mt. Fuji, the are becoming visible and increasingly protested by locals. Tourists in Barcelona, Spain were even by locals in protest of the overtourism happening in the city.  

鈥淭hese examples, backed by protests, policy changes, and caps systems, highlight overtourism's global reach: from urban hubs like Barcelona and Paris, to small villages like Hallstatt, and from heritage landmarks such as Machu Picchu, to iconic sites like Mount Fuji,鈥� Chen explains. 

She also notes that as a travel enthusiast herself, she has encountered poor service experiences in some of the above destinations, including long lines, unwelcoming local service providers, littered streets, pickpocketing and inflated prices, just to name a few. 

Although overtourism can have disastrous effects, well-managed tourism brings significant benefits, from economic development to cultural preservation. Chen cites research noting tourism鈥檚 contributions include:

• Economic growth and revenue: Tourism generates income, stimulates investment and contributes significantly to GDP and tax revenues.
• Employment and livelihoods: Creates both direct and indirect jobs across multiple sectors, supporting local and rural employment.
• Infrastructure and community development: Drives improvements in transportation, utilities and public services that benefit both visitors and residents.
• Cultural heritage and social exchange: Helps preserve cultural traditions and heritage sites while fostering cross-cultural understanding.
• Environmental conservation: Can fund protected area management and raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and sustainability.
• Education and innovation: Enhances environmental and cultural education and encourages innovation in service delivery and destination design.
• Poverty reduction and inclusive growth: Offers opportunities for income generation in underserved areas and contributes to more equitable economic growth. 

鈥淭ourism benefits in a destination depend largely on how well [its] tourism plans are coordinated and implemented,鈥� Chen says. 

For instance, several destinations are succeeding in this today, such as Bhutan鈥檚 national-level visitor tariff, Palau鈥檚 pledge to protect its environment, Dubrovnik鈥檚 cruise-ship caps driven by UNESCO collaboration, Spain鈥檚 C铆es Islands with seasonal quotas, and even Hocking Hills in our own backyard, where community-shaped stewardship plans guide tourism growth responsibly. 

Chen adds that when tourism is poorly managed, it can backfire, resulting in a lose-lose-lose outcome for key stakeholders: the destination, local residents and visitors. 

鈥淲hile some destinations may struggle to attract sufficient visitors, others may experience excessive tourist inflows, leading to overtourism and mismanagement,鈥� says Chen. 

Chen listed off a long list of tourism鈥檚 potentially negative impacts:

• Environmental degradation: Over-consumption of natural resources, erosion, air and water pollution, increased waste and biodiversity loss in fragile ecosystems.
• Overcrowding and infrastructure strain: Excessive congestion in transportation, sanitation and public services, as well as higher maintenance costs for local authorities.
• Housing gentrification and decline in residents鈥� quality of life: Surge in property prices and rents due to short-term rentals displaces residents. Noise, traffic, waste and security issues also lead to reduced wellbeing for locals.
• Loss of cultural authenticity and commodification: Traditions, heritage sites and cultural rituals are commercialized, and vandalism of historic assets occurs.
• Negative visitor experience: Congestion results in overcrowded attractions, long waits and visitor dissatisfaction, damaging a destination鈥檚 reputation.  

Governments and grassroots organizations in several popular destinations across the globe have developed initiatives and plans to help manage tourism. Chen describes the following as just some of the ways cities and locales can manage overtourism:

• Visitor caps and quotas: This uses daily limits on the number of tourists allowed at heritage sites or protected areas (e.g., Machu Picchu, Santorini, Maya Bay) to help control crowd density and preserve fragile environments.
• Timed entry or reservation systems: This requires visitors to book in advance, often in hourly blocks, to reduce peak congestion and spread visits over time. For instance, both the Louvre in Paris and Yosemite National Park in the U.S. use this method.
• Tourist taxes and fees: This method includes charging tourists overnight stay taxes, day-trip entrance fees, or eco-conservation levies to discourage low-value mass tourism and generate funds for sustainability. For instance, Venice has an entrance tax and Bhutan is using a high-value, low-impact strategy.
• Regulating short-term rentals: This caps or bans platforms like Airbnb in key neighborhoods to curb housing inflation and resident displacement. Barcelona, Amsterdam and New York City are just a few cities using this tactic.
• Zoning and access regulations: This designates tourist zones with limited access to residential or ecologically sensitive areas, which are labeled as 鈥済reen belts鈥� or buffer zones. For instance, Santorini鈥檚 old town zones and Kyoto鈥檚 temple paths utilize these regulations. 

Overtourism in large cities can generate valuable opportunities for small towns and rural communities, particularly in terms of economic benefits.

The overcrowding of major urban destinations often results in spatial and economic spillover effects, creating increased demand for travel to nearby, underutilized areas.

Rural and nature-based experiences such as farm stays, hiking and wellness retreats offer attractive alternatives for travelers seeking personal well-being, meaningful cultural exchange and authentic regional experiences. 

Social media also plays a powerful but problematic role in overtourism. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok spotlight picturesque destinations, often triggering sudden visitor influxes. 

鈥淚nfluencer-fueled trends can overwhelm previously untouched spots almost overnight,鈥� Chen explains. 鈥淕eotagging hotspots and promoting 鈥業nstagrammable鈥� moments encourage herd behavior, accelerating localized overcrowding and hitting locations with unmanageable numbers.鈥�

While social media can fuel overtourism by promoting already-popular destinations, it also holds potential as a tool for advocacy. It can raise awareness of lesser-known sites which can help boost the local economy, support conservation efforts and encourage more responsible visitor behavior.  

鈥淭he near-complete recovery and positive growth outlook confirm that more people are expected to continue taking international leisure trips in the coming years,鈥� Chen says. 

Chen also provides insight into some emerging trends that countries and cities are using to help pivot overtourism to something more sustainable. They include:

• Decentralization and dispersed tourism: Destinations encourage visits to lesser-known regions to reduce overcrowding. Regional tourism boards are promoting "off-the-beaten-path" experiences. For instance, Japan鈥檚 rail pass reforms and New Zealand鈥檚 regional tourism grants.
• Personalization and experience-driven travel: Demand for customizable, authentic and immersive experiences. Travelers prioritize meaningful interaction with culture, food and nature.
• Workation and digital nomadism: Growth of remote work-friendly travel, blending vacation with productivity. Countries like Portugal, Bali and Costa Rica now offer 鈥渄igital nomad visas.鈥�
• Community-based and inclusive tourism: Greater focus on equity and local empowerment, especially in the Global South and Indigenous communities. Rise of social enterprises and impact tourism.
• Virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) tourism: VR tours of museums, landmarks and heritage sites, as well as AR-enhanced real-world experiences. Enables pre-trip decision-making, access for those with mobility limits, or education before arrival.

The overtourism crisis is not a future threat, but a present reality. The Louvre's temporary closure is just one example of how beloved places are becoming unlivable for locals and unenjoyable for travelers. 

The bottom line? Travel broadens the mind and according to Chen, we can and should continue exploring historical landmarks and global wonders.

鈥淭ourism is a powerful way to learn about other cultures and expand our worldview,鈥� Chen notes. 鈥淏ut we need to approach it more thoughtfully. When too many people visit the same place, we risk loving these destinations to death鈥攐verwhelming local communities and damaging the very sites we鈥檝e come to appreciate.鈥�

To make sure our favorite vacation spots invite us back, we need to make tourism better 鈥� in ways that protect these incredible places and respect the people who live there.