Screw Overtourism by Traveling Here Instead in 2024

Nearly four years after the world shut down, global tourism is on the verge of returning to and overtaking pre-pandemic levels. Post-COVID “revenge travel” is in full swing. And while that’s great for vacationers seeking new experiences and people whose businesses and livelihoods depend on those travels, it also means the return of overtourism.

Overrun destinations like Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Venice, Barcelona, Bali, the Amalfi Coast, and Thailand are practically begging tourists to ease up—or at least, please, for the love of all that’s holy, try visiting during shoulder or off seasons.

The problem extends beyond mere crowds. It’s about the environmental degradation from congestion, the added pollution, and many tourists’ general disregard for their surroundings. It’s about real-estate developers, often with the support of local governments, wholesale reinventing neighborhoods to appeal to tourists, ultimately creating a cycle of dependence on travelers. It’s about locals being displaced from their historic homes and wildlife being scared away.

Read more at The Daily Beast.