In the era of globalization and low-cost travel, mass tourism has become a worldwide phenomenon that, while representing an important economic resource for many locations, also poses significant challenges in terms of environmental and social sustainability. Over tourism, or the excessive and uncontrolled influx of visitors to certain destinations, is putting a strain not only on natural ecosystems but also on the social and cultural fabric of local communities.
From 25 million tourists in the 1950s, we have now reached 1.4 billion, with forecasts indicating a further increase to 1.8 billion by 2030. This exponential growth has led to negative consequences in many tourist destinations: from wear and tear on infrastructure to loss of local identity, and even outright environmental damage.
Emblematic cases such as that of the Pink Beach of Budelli in Sardinia, threatened by “sand thieves,” or the Icelandic canyon of Fjadrargljufur, closed to the public after becoming a pilgrimage destination thanks to a Justin Bieber music video, demonstrate how urgent it is to rethink our approach to tourism.
Regulating tourist flows emerges as an essential necessity
Cities like Amsterdam have already begun to take action, deciding to stop promoting themselves as tourist destinations to discourage new arrivals. Other locations are considering introducing higher tourist taxes or limiting the number of visitors.
However, mere regulation is not enough. A paradigm shift is needed that aims for slow and quality tourism, respectful of the environment and local communities. Experiential tourism, for example, educates tourists and raises awareness among travellers about the impact of their journey on the environment and the communities they visit, promoting responsible and sometimes regenerative behaviours.
For instance, it would be necessary to encourage the deseasonalization of departures, i.e., incentivizing visits during less crowded periods through targeted and more conscious offers, easing pressure on the most popular destinations and directing flows towards less known locations. Investments in sustainable infrastructure would be needed to improve destinations’ capacity to manage tourist flows in an eco-friendly and participatory manner, for example by involving local communities in territorial promotion activities, thus ensuring that residents benefit from tourism rather than falling victim to it. Finally, in this sense, the use of technology could be of great help, through the implementation of booking systems and flow management based on real-time data.
Sociologist Jost Krippendorf had already intuited the need for sustainable tourism in the 1980s, highlighting the paradox of an industry that, by destroying its own territory, ends up depriving itself of its main resource. Today, this vision is more relevant than ever.
The challenge of sustainable tourism sustainable tourism requires a joint commitment of governments, the tourism industry, local communities and travellers
In this sense, third sector act as a bridge between these realities, which is why we at LAND promote, through the EXTOR project, an integrated approach and a new ethic of tourism and travel, aimed at preserving the natural and cultural wonders of our territories for future generations, transforming tourism from a potential threat to an opportunity for sustainable growth and authentic authentic cultural exchange.
In conclusion, regulating tourist flows and improving the quality of tourism is not just a necessity, but an ethical and practical imperative for the 21st century. The future of tourism depends on our ability to balance economic growth with environmental conservation and respect for local cultures. Only in this way can we continue to explore the world without destroying what makes it unique and precious!
Follow us to learn more, visit the project website at the following link.
EXTOR – Experiential tourism for sustainable rural development is cofunded by INAPP – National Agency for Erasmus+ born from the collaboration of several organisations:
- LAND Impresa Sociale (coordinator, Italy)
- INFODEF (Spain)
- DieBerater (Austria)
- Einurd (Iceland)
- CSI – Center for Social Innovation (Cyprus)
- OTC – Olypic Training & Consulting (Greece)
- CANDIDE (Belgium)
For further information about EXTOR, please contact Aurelia Schera, aurelia.schera@impresasocialeland.org.