OVERTOURISM
A SUSTAINABLE OUTLOOK FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
ÖZGE ERSU
Professional Tourist Guide · Travel Expert · Documentary Broadcaster · Advisor · Writer · Futurist
IFITT TÜRKİYE CHAPTER · WINTER SCHOOL
Alanya Türkiye
in cooperation with
ALANYA ALAADDİN KEYKUBAT UNIVERSITY · ANTALYA
FEBRUARY 04 2023 SATURDAY · 10:45-11:30 · DRITA RESORT SPA & HOTEL ALANYA
ABSTRACT
After countless ages mankind has ever witnessed, now it is the ‘Age of Overtourism’ in travel industry. Even after the recent ‘Undertourism’ and ‘No Tourism’ stages that took over the control during the Covid 19 Pandemic, now ‘Overtourism’ tends to strike back stronger than ever, supported by the relatively new ‘Revenge Tourism’ trend.
Özge Ersu starts his study by asking the simple question ‘How much tourism is Overtourism?’ Considering worldwide tourist numbers from 1950’s up to 2030 forecasts, travel has nowadays transformed into a less charismatic, a much simpler situation, summarized as mainly ‘Consume, Dispose Of and Advance to the Next ‘Best Of Culture’.
Based on solid facts, the timeline of Overtourism concept showed a slow rise from its beginnings in 1960’s up to 1980’s, mainly deriving from the European Continent for obvious reasons as detailed in the study, which later expanded into the Americas, The Caribbean and Far East during the last decades. Except few very popular destinations, the African Continent seems to be relatively less affected meanwhile, however the alarm bells are slowly ringing for certain areas, as well.
To realize the full scope of this threat, first a simple definition is a good point to start, followed by a detailed explanation of what the travel segment is meanwhile struggling with: Briefly, the concept boils down to the ‘damaging impacts of uncontrolled tourism growth as a relentless, mostly unregulated expansion, beyond the level of acceptable change.’
The next part of the study commences with the definitions of the cause, the lack (of various factors) and the consequences of Overtourism. It is sad to see how the current situation created new parameters such as ‘Local Irritation Index’ from the ‘Win-Win Situation Of Tourists And Locals’ from a couple of decades ago. Metrics and some ‘Number Nerding’ on the most affected cities clearly shows the scale of the crisis.
Beyond all these definitions and explanations, Özge Ersu searches ‘The Guilty, The Accomplice and the Victims of Overtourism’, combining these parameters with his almost-forty-year personal ‘professional tourist guide & destination expert’ experience in popular destinations within İstanbul, Turkey and all around the world.
As the study advances towards the end, the detailed ‘Limitations and Bans’ seem to be the simplest reflex and easiest measure (precaution) to be taken. Having said this, however a much more serious problem lingers on: ‘The Impact of Overtourism on Climate Change’.
The study terminates with the impacts, proposed corporate remedies and suggestions for travelers at an individual level.
YORUM YOK