Tourism has become one of the biggest global industries and 2024 could be a record year for international arrivals across the globe. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), it has become a top worldwide export category, surpassing automotive products and food. At the same time, tourism strongly affects the economic, social, political, and environmental aspects of host countries and communities. Popular destinations are increasingly overwhelmed by tourists, exceeding the capacity of both tourist areas and the willingness of local residents to accommodate visitors. These negative externalities of tourism have resulted in a research agenda on ‘overtourism.’
What is overtourism?
There is no universal definition of overtourism. At the global level, UNWTO defines overtourism as: ‘the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that excessively influences perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitor experiences in a negative way.’ While at the regional (European) level, the European Parliament Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) defines it as: ‘the situation in which the impact of tourism, at certain times and in certain locations, exceeds physical, ecological, social, economic, psychological, and/or political capacity thresholds.’
Overtourism and sustainability
According to UNWTO, ‘sustainable tourism’ is a ‘tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.’ Overtourism is a manifestation of unsustainable tourism. Tourism development becomes unsustainable when the costs (social, cultural, political, and environmental) to the local economy outweigh the economic and societal benefits. However, how to measure these costs remains an important question. The concept of sustainability is especially gaining ground in tourism as people are increasingly becoming aware of the negative impacts of the industry on the environment and local communities. So, discussing overtourism without taking sustainability into account renders the conversation meaningless.
What gets measured gets managed?
Overtourism is turning into a global crisis that will continue to grow if not addressed. Also, there is an increasing demand for data-driven decision-making to address global challenges such as overtourism. However, without a consensus on indicators and the resulting data, it is difficult to definitively identify the number of destinations experiencing overtourism or those vulnerable to it globally. This data gap prevents a clear assessment of the situation. The TRAN Committee has therefore also stressed the need for developing common performance indicators to better assess and manage tourism impacts. Establishing a globally trusted system for sustainable tourism statistics is the crucial first step in tackling overtourism. It would serve as the foundation for effective policymaking and action for countries.
What did the United Nations do?
At the global level, the United Nations (UN) has tasked UNWTO with promoting responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. UNWTO actively engages in various initiatives aimed at fostering the sustainability of tourism. One such endeavour, the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST) initiative, commenced in late 2015 through collaboration between UNWTO and the United Nations Statistics Division. After seven years in the making, this groundbreaking statistical framework has finally been adopted by the UN Statistical Commission at its 55th session (27 February – 1 March 2024) garnering unanimous approval from all 193 UN member states. The adoption of the SF-MST was also celebrated as a historical milestone by the United Nations General Assembly during the High-level Thematic Event on Tourism, as part of the Sustainability Week convened by the President of the General Assembly on 16 April 2024.
The UN Tourism Secretary General, Zurab Pololikashvili, celebrating the adoption of the SF-MST, stated: ‘Tourism is a powerful force for positive change when managed responsibly and sustainably. The adoption of the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism marks a paradigm shift, going beyond GDP [Gross Domestic Product] by enabling the measurement of what matters most to people and planet.’
Leveraging the sustainability to fight overtourism
The SF-MST attempts to harmonize methodologies for assessing the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability in tourism. This is based upon a wide set of indicators for each dimension, for five types of administratively defined spatial areas: global (international), supra-national (Africa, Europe, the Middle East etc.), national, regional (sub-national such as state, region, province, county etc.), and municipal or urban. It will provide a standardized statistical structure allowing the member states to measure and monitor the full impact of tourism and supporting decision-making towards any preventive and/or corrective action, legislation, policy or measure.
Overtourism is a relative concept that depends on the balance between visitor numbers and the ability of a destination to handle them sustainably. If a destination keeps measuring the sustainability of tourism and promptly balances the growth with sustainability, while also comparing itself with other destinations that use a similar benchmark, it can better prepare to avoid and/or mitigate the risk of overtourism. Controlled tourism in Bhutan is a classic example of sustainable tourism that operates on the principle of ‘high value, low impact,’ to avoid any situation leading to overtourism.
The implementation of the SF-MST equips the destination management organizations with crucial statistics for managing tourism sustainably and reshaping global travel patterns. These statistics will better inform relevant stakeholders about the capacities of destinations to handle tourists. Sustainable tourism practices can include capping the number of tourists, introducing pedestrian-only zones, limiting cruise ship arrivals, and reducing the number of flights. This can safeguard natural and cultural treasures, while stimulating a more meaningful and deeper connection between humans and this planet. By minimizing overtourism’s negative impacts, member states can also ensure destination preservation for future generations. However, it is imperative for the UNWTO and other UN agencies to address any gaps and support developing countries in implementation. Through collaboration and capacity-building efforts, they can turn these goals into reality, echoing the commitment of UN member states during its adoption.