What Overtourism Will Look Like in 7 Cities in the Next Decade
Overtourism is hardly a new concept to travel, and when people think of crowded, touristy cities, destinations such as Venice and Amsterdam may come to mind. But these are just the studies struggling with throngs of visitors today. A new study conducted by the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) and Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) analyzed 50 cities across the globe, and pointed out seven destinations where rapidly increasing tourism could cause serious issues in the next decade.
The study divided cities into categories based on how prepared the city is for tourism growth. It measured cities based on factors such as labor, infrastructure, stability, environment, sustainable tourism growth, tourism management and more. The study compared those factors to the visitor growth forecast between 2017 and 2027. When a city has a poor score for tourism factors and a high score in projected tourism growth, the city is at risk for overtourism. Basically, these cities have a higher tourism growth rate than the current resources can handle.
Seven cities in particular were identified as having growing tourism momentum, increased pressures and inadequate resources for accommodating the boom: Bangkok, Thailand; Cape Town in South Africa; Delhi, India; Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City; Istanbul, Turkey; Jakarta, Indonesia (which is also projected to be the world's most populous city by 2030); and Mexico City.
So, if you're interested in traveling to any of these cities, it might be better to go now — or at least, well before 2030.
While the threat of overtourism seems to be impacting, well, pretty much every sought-after destination on Earth, the study also found many cities that are successfully handling increased tourism. Cities such as Berlin, Dublin, Madrid, London, Miami and New York City (notably, mostly Western European capitals) are "mature performers" which, according to the WTTC, means they are some of the cities — along with so-called "balanced dynamics" destinations — that are, "in the most favorable and ready position to manage the current levels of growth."
Financial hub cities including Beijing, Chicago, Hong Kong and Tokyo have less leisure travel, so visitor growth doesn't add as much strain.
For travelers who simply prefer less popular destinations (read: thinner crowds), cities including Bogotá, Colombia; Lima, Peru; Cairo; Egypt and Moscow; Russia have slower tourism growth and lower visitor concentration.
This WTTC study comes on the heels of a Responsible Travel report that found 98 destinations in 63 countries struggling with overtourism. While some are not at all surprising, like the Great Wall of China and the Statue of Liberty, there are other places like Tallinn Old Town in Estonia and Darjeeling, in India, that are also scrambling to manage the onslaught of visitors. And these aren't even mainstream attractions.
Destinations have had to get really creative to manage increased and sometimes untenable tourism. Amsterdam, for example, removed their famous photo-opp sign in December, and both Venice and Rome have been implementing strict regulations and laws aimed at controlling tourists. And then there's the Faroe Islands, an entire nation that had to close its doors to tourists for a few days for "maintenance."
Though overtourism continues to be an issue, tourism and travel is still essential to the international economy. The WTTC reported that the industry contributes 10.4% to global GDP. The problem, according to the WTTC, is not tourism itself, but adequately preparing destinations to manage the industry in a thoughtful and sustainable way.
Feature photo by Lisheng Chang via Unsplash.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.