Overtourism - Whose Responsibility?

As the tourism industry continues to grow following the post-COVID rebound, the phenomenon of overtourism has become increasingly apparentent. Destinations that once thrived on large numbers of visitors are now grappling with overcrowding, environmental degradation and local communities kicking out in protest against the strain that overtourism puts on their daily lives.

Several iconic destinations have implemented or are planning to impose restrictions and/or a tourist tax to manage visitor numbers. Barcelona, Venice, Edinburgh, Rome, Wales, Bruges, Lisbon, Pompeii, Bali, Maldives, Rwanda and Mount Fuji have all implemented a fee.

Nice, Amsterdam and the ports of some Greek islands now have passenger caps to counteract thousands of visitors disembarking from cruise ships and swarming over the towns and the main tourism sites.

Travel News gathered some insights from industry leaders to determine how much responsibility travel companies should bear for overtourism.

Shared responsibility

For Joanne Adolphe, CEO of Thompsons Holidays, the responsibility is measurable. She believes 30% falls on travel companies, 50% on governments, and 20% on individual travellers.

“Companies design and market experiences, governments provide regulatory frameworks, implement tourism policies, manage infrastructure and impose tourist taxes/fees. Travellers make individual choices, but travel companies can significantly influence sustainable practices.”

Paula Martini, Author of Travel with Purpose and Owner of CoTravel, takes a firm stance on the industry's role.

“Governments and travellers each have roles to play, but the travel industry – agents, advisors and operators – holds the real power to instigate change,” Martini says.

She believes the industry has historically steered travellers to the most profitable and often the most congested locations.

“Travel companies profoundly influence destination popularity, often driven by profitable partnerships and predictable revenue.”

Marketing matters

Adolphe says Thompsons Holidays has recognised its marketing directly influences tourist flows, and while the company aims to showcase exciting destinations, it has increasingly begun to:

• Provide context about destination capacity in its trainings
• Promote alternative, less-crowded experiences
• Create awareness about sustainable tourism impacts

Some of the less-crowded destinations Thompsons has spotlighted include Northern Cape's less-known national parks, and off-peak wine route tours in smaller Western Cape regions.

The company also offers alternative places to explore in European countries such as Italy, where travellers can go to avoid crowded tourism sites on weekends.

Additionally, Thompsons Holidays offers pricing incentives for alternative destinations and creates educational content about hidden gem locations.

Meanwhile, Martini says CoTravel proactively addresses overtourism by steering clients toward less well-known, sustainable destinations.

“Instead of promoting saturated hotspots like Venice or Bali, we prioritise quieter, equally enriching alternatives,” she says.

Unavoidable

Lynette Machiri, Customer Experience Leader at Flight Centre Travel Group South Africa, notes that sales to iconic destinations are unavoidable.

“Many destinations that are currently experiencing overtourism are traditionally very popular with travellers. While travel companies may not necessarily ‘promote’ these destinations, due to them already being on many people's bucket lists, naturally, sales to these destinations would be inevitable.”

Are SA pax concerned?

Adolphe shared the following findings from Thompsons Holidays’ market research:

“Younger travellers (25-40 age group) show more concern for sustainability of destinations. Most travellers prioritise experience and affordability over sustainability. While environmental concerns are growing, they are not yet a primary decision factor.”

Martini agrees there's a growing shift in awareness: “South African travellers are increasingly mindful but rely heavily on travel professionals for guidance to fully grasp and respond to overtourism effectively.”

Key role

All three contributors agree that travel agents have a key role to play. Adolphe sees them as frontline educators and says that they can contribute by:

• Providing accurate destination sustainability information
• Recommending alternative, less-crowded experiences
• Educating clients about responsible travel
• Promoting community-based tourism initiatives
• Acting as ambassadors for sustainable tourism practices

Martini adds: “Travel agents specifically wield significant influence to educate clients and shape responsible travel choices, making sustainable travel the norm.”

Practical steps

Adolphe outlines a clear set of actionable steps travel companies can take to tackle overtourism:

• Develop comprehensive sustainability guidelines
• Create traveller education programmes
• Invest in destination regeneration projects
• Support local economic development
• Offer carbon offset options
• Promote responsible travel practices

Adolphe believes there exists a strong ethical obligation to:

• Educate travellers about responsible tourism
• Support local community preservation efforts
• Create awareness about the carrying capacity of certain destinations.

Martini is more critical of the industry's current actions: “Companies greenwashing their impact by touting CO₂ offsetting without genuinely reshaping traveller patterns perpetuate the underlying problems. Mitigating emissions alone is insufficient; travel companies must proactively transform how and where people travel.”

“True sustainability demands more than superficial commitment – it requires active, transparent and intentional actions from every industry player,” Martini says.