What to do about overtourism this summer
Plus, two major life changes.
Hello!
I’m writing this from northern Italy, where we’ve moved for the foreseeable future. Expect lots of Italy content coming soon. For now, we’ve been bogged down with starting new jobs, finding an apartment, dealing with endless bureaucracy (from both the U.S. and Italian governments), getting driver’s licenses, finding doctors, etc.
The doctor bit is especially important because I’m pregnant! Due end of July, so hopefully we get an apartment before then…
So, we’ve been busy and haven’t had much time to actually enjoy la dolce vita yet. We did get to Venice for a very short weekend trip to celebrate Nathan’s birthday (where I scoured
’s newsletter for tips on where to eat and we went to a Venezia FC game that was very fun) and to Lake Garda, which is only an hour away on the train and feels like a true getaway. Excited for more weekends like these. ALSO, we arrived just in time for Eurovision. The drama! Highly recommend watching next year, wherever you are in the world.For now, let’s talk overtourism.
Lately, it seems like everywhere is over crowded. The weekend we were in Venice was the first weekend they implemented the daily entry fee. (Interestingly, this seems more popular with tourists than locals. Gillian also has more on this.)
In Hawaii, tourists continue to visit the Haiku Stairs, despite warnings. Last month, thousands of people protested in the Canary Islands in an effort to limit tourism. In Japan, an influx of tourism is frustrating locals to the point where one town put up a screen to block a popular photo op of Mount Fuji. Amsterdam launched a “stay away” campaign aimed at young British men, and Miami “broke up” with spring break.
It’s only going to get worse. The UN's World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) recently said 2024 could be the worst year ever for overtourism.
So, what can you do about it? This is a tricky topic, because tourism is generally good for economies, and travel is good for people, or at least I think so. It’s cheesy but I really do think the world would be a better place if we could all see more of it. But that shouldn’t be done at the expense of residents (see: people being evicted to make way for tourists in Tulum), infrastructure, or heritage.
How can you help overtourism while still traveling?
Pick alternate destinations
If you want a European beach vacation, consider Albania or Montenegro instead of Greece or Italy. Visit Armenia or Georgia for a wine and mountains trip. Give Bali a break and go to Sri Lanka or Southern India. The world is big and there are plenty of places that aren’t suffering from overtourism. Even within countries, there are alternatives. I wrote about alternatives to popular Italian cities a few years ago for AFAR, and there are lots of Greek islands that aren’t as crowded as Mykonos and Santorini.
Travel in the off season
If your heart is set on a popular destination, visit it in the off season. Venice is much emptier in January, for example. If off season weather doesn’t appeal, try shoulder season—the period just after high season. For much of the world, that’s early fall. Summer is generally the busiest time to travel, which makes sense, but also makes it more expensive and much more crowded. If you can travel in another season, destinations and your wallet will thank you.
Stay longer
Zipping through Rome, Florence, the Amalfi Coast, Venice…it’s too much! It’s not enjoyable and not as good for the places you’re visiting. Pick one or two locations and stay put. That gives you time to explore, find less busy neighborhoods, and spend money at local businesses. This is (partially) why cruises are so damaging. Tourists flood a destination for a day, spend barely any money, and leave. And why Venice’s entry fee only applies to day trippers.
Spend local
Regular readers know the drill by now: it’s all about the money! (Part 1, part 2, part 3.) In order for tourism to be good for locals, you have to spend money locally. Don’t eat at chain restaurants. Try to stay in locally-owned lodging. Go on tours that teach you something new and give back to the destination. (Mexico Kan Tours in Tulum, for example, focuses on conservation and education).
Stop taking the same photos as everyone else
Even within crowded cities, you can find quiet neighborhoods. In Venice, just a few steps away from the most crowded spots there are streets with barely any tourists. It’s wild. And those areas are just as pretty! In Japan, do you really need that exact Mt. Fuji shot? Loved this hilarious essay on this topic in
’s hate read series.Later this week: an alternative to Tulum, where overtourism is causing major issues.
Weekend Reading
Great news: airlines will now be required to give cash refunds instead of vouchers for cancellations, other inconveniences. CNN.
The changing face of protest - Mass protests used to offer a degree of safety in numbers. Facial recognition technology changes the equation. Rest of World.
A fashion writer’s secret to travel style? It’s black and blue. Washington Post.
The one place in airports people actually want to be. The rise of airport lounges. The Atlantic.
Cookbooks have always been political, whether readers knew it or not. Saveur.
Medieval Arabic culinary literature offers lessons for the present. New Lines Magazine.
What to expect to eat when you’re expecting. Taste.
Chocolate prices to keep rising as West Africa’s cocoa crisis deepens. Reuters.
Where to drink wine in Chicago right now. NYT.
Padma Lakshmi walks into a bar. New Yorker.
Why is it so hard to find local fish, even by the water? NYT.
How U.S.-operated GPS spoofing is making air travel in the Middle East less safe. NPR.
Random Recommendations
Read: I promise not to turn this into a parenting newsletter, but I read Bringing Up Bébé this weekend and found it fascinating. I think it would apply for anyone with kids up to age 5. (I know it’s old and very famous, but adding to the praise).
Watch: In an effort to get better at Italian, I’m watching Italian shows on Netflix. If you like rom com shows, An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts is fun.
Do: Let me know where you’re traveling this summer! I have a backlog of stories and guides I need to post, and am trying to decide what’s most relevant for people.
Cook: I am sooo excited to eventually have a kitchen again! For now, can’t complain about the restaurants.
Drink: For obvious reasons, I haven’t been drinking for the past seven months. I miss wine! But have been enjoying trying all the fun non-alcoholic options out there these days. Anything chinotto remains a favorite. Italy actually has quite a few good options. I’ve tried a bunch of n/a beers and I think despite all the craft options, Corona tastes the most like the real thing. Good if you’re craving a beer with tacos, but I’m never going to want to drink more than one of any non-alcoholic beer. Mexico, or anywhere tropical, is great for non-alcoholic drinks in general because there are so many fruit juices! I had amazing pineapple and mango juice there every day for two weeks last month and am missing it. Sadly, n/a wine doesn’t do it for me. But only two months left to go, then out to explore the wine regions in our new backyard. Oh and obviously my sparkling water obsession continues.
Thanks for reading!
–Rebecca 💛
Adding another article to your reading list! Just after I posted this, I saw this excellent piece about overtourism in Naples. https://substack.com/home/post/p-144665860
Was just writing about this topic myself. Great minds! Seriously, though, it's an incredibly important and I'm glad so many travel writers are addressing it.