There is a threat of overtourism: top travel destinations under pressure – these are the warning signals!

There is a threat of overtourism: top travel destinations under pressure – these are the warning signals!

Overtourism is an increasingly pressing problem that is negatively impacting not only the holiday experience but also the quality of life of locals in many popular travel destinations. Loud fr.de Excessive tourist numbers cause damage to natural areas, high prices and long waiting times. This leads to a growing awareness that mass tourism represents not only an economic but also an ecological challenge.

In this context, Roland Berger, in collaboration with Evaneos, have developed an overtourism index to measure the effects of overvisitation in popular holiday destinations. The rating is on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means low risk and 5 means extremely negative impact. The study covers 70 of the world's 100 most popular travel destinations and focuses on four key criteria: international travelers per capita, international travelers per square kilometer, seasonal concentration and the level of sustainability.

Popular travel destinations in focus

One of the most affected countries is Greece, which has an index value of 4.2. The islands of Mykonos and Santorini in particular are overloaded due to mass tourism. The consequences are rising prices, overcrowded streets and serious water supply problems. Croatia (3.8), Cyprus (4.4) and Mauritius (4.2) also suffer from similar challenges.

Many European travel destinations are at great risk in summer. Spain, Italy and Portugal all have an index value of 3.6, while France is at 3.3. Urban destinations such as Copenhagen (3.8), Amsterdam (3.7) and Dublin (3.4) also show high visitor numbers, leading to a decline in the quality of life in these cities.

Global perspective and strategic measures

At the international level, tourism experts have recognized the need to categorize overtourism in a differentiated manner. The recommended measures include regulating capacity at beach destinations, seasonal distribution of tourist flows in popular European cities, and decongesting urban destinations by promoting alternative travel destinations. The so-called “destinations under observation” include countries such as Morocco (3.1) and Vietnam (3.0), while protected destinations such as Canada (2.3) and Australia (1.5) have not yet been severely affected.

To combat overtourism, Evaneos has announced that it will suspend trips to Santorini and Mykonos in the summer season from 2025 to reduce congestion on ecosystems. The aim of these measures is to improve the distribution of visitor numbers and promote sustainable travel options, with at least 85% of revenues flowing back into the local economy. Roland Berger's goal is also to further develop the overtourism index as a decision-making aid for the industry.

Tackling overtourism requires a broad approach that takes into account the needs of both travelers and locals. A better understanding of the problems and objective measurability could be the key to solving this complex issue. How dayticket.io reports, overtourism requires differentiated solutions to meet the challenges in the largest holiday destinations.