But, it’s not all bad news – especially with a number of travel companies being committed to responsible and sustainable tourism, like Bunnik Tours.
As a global tour company, we’re committed to travelling the world as responsibly and sustainably as possible, so that future generations can enjoy the same beauty we see every day. Read on to learn more about overtourism and how we combat it at Bunnik Tours.
What is overtourism?
In short, overtourism occurs when there are too many people visiting a particular destination. Besides the large crowds and congestion, overtourism can decrease the quality of life of the locals, deplete natural resources and also make the travelling experience less enjoyable for other tourists.
Causes of overtourism
So, why is overtourism happening? It’s a combination of things, including:
- Cheap flights and budget airlines
- The growth of Airbnb
- Increases in disposable income
- Population growth
- Insta tourism
Negative impacts of overtourism
There are a number of negative impacts of overtourism – environmentally, socially and culturally. These include:
- Pollution (air, light and noise)
- Increased litter and waste
- Overcrowding and congestion
- Overuse of public facilities and infrastructure
- Increased cost of living for locals
- Increased pressure on natural and local resources
- Deforestation to create more accommodation/infrastructure
- Displacement of locals and increased housing costs
- Disruption to the natural wildlife
Overtourism solutions
So, is the answer to never travel the world again or visit those bucket-list destinations? Absolutely not! You can respect the people and the environment by following a few sustainable tourism principles . If you’re looking to avoid contributing to overtourism, there are a few things you can do.
Support local businesses
This can include staying in local accommodation, buying handmade crafts and arts as souvenirs, and eating traditional cuisine at local restaurants rather than big chain ones. All of this can spread the economic benefits of tourism and ensure you’re helping the locals put food on the table.
Learn more: Community based tourism
Explore off the beaten track
While there are some places that you have to cross off your bucket list (like seeing the Colosseum in Rome or Machu Picchu in Peru), we also can’t recommend getting off the beaten path enough. In fact, it’s something we love to do on every tour at Bunnik Tours. Not only do you get an authentic experience, but you’ll get to see, hear and experience things you might never have if you simply followed the other tourists.
Respect the environment
As travellers, we have a responsibility to be considerate of the places we visit. After all, we want to make sure their beauty can be appreciated for many years to come. This can be done by picking up your litter, limiting the resources you use (where possible) and being mindful of the natural wildlife around you.
Travel on small group tours
At Bunnik Tours, all our small group tours are limited to a maximum of 20 people – with some only having 12. To avoid overtourism and spread economic benefits, we include free time in our tours where possible. Compared to other tours, our small groups are also low-impact and in harmony with the places we visit. Not to mention, you spend less time on the coach, get to stay in spectacular local accommodation and visit local villages and restaurants.
Respect the locals and their culture
While overtourism certainly puts pressure on the environment, it can also put pressure on the locals and make them resent tourists. To avoid this, it’s incredibly important you’re mindful of the locals and their customs. This means perhaps learning a word or two of their language, wearing appropriate clothing and using appropriate etiquette.