From over-tourism to micro-tourism: a possible turn of the tide
Tourism has always played a significant role in promoting the cultural heritage of local communities and supporting economies: nowadays according to the world tourism barometer made by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), it entails 10% of the global gross domestic product (GDP). Further it often leads to the development of infrastructure, public services, and transportation networks as well as the promotion of cultural events, festivals, and preservation of historical traditions.
Although these are beneficial aspects of tourism, in the last two decades the academic tourism sector and media have begun to highlight the negative ones which are encompassed by the concept of over-tourism. The latter is defined by UNWTO as “the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that excessively influences the perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitors’ experiences in a negative way” (German et al., 2023).
The excess of tourism has given rise to various counter tendencies and consequences, some of which have negative effects such as the tourismphobia – the outright rejection of any form of tourism, often expressed through protests and social discontent in relation to the tourism industry in many European cities as in Venice, Berlin and Barcelona (Milano, 2017- Higgins et al. 2019). Alongside this adverse consequence, there are many other positives such as sustainable tourism, regenerative tourism, ecotourism, and micro-tourism.
Even if micro-tourism initially emerged as a response to over-tourism and as a possibility to travel during and after COVID-19, it has gained significant importance becoming one of the main counter tendencies. Micro-tourism, or local tourism, is a form of travel that emphasizes exploring and supporting small-scale, off-the-beaten-path destinations reachable within just a few hours of travel. It opposes mass tourism, prioritizing experiences that permit immersing oneself in the local culture, fostering direct contact with local communities and experiencing local tradition.
The principles that move micro-tourism align with other forms of sustainable tourism such as ecotourism and slow tourism. Indeed, micro-tourism encourages tourists to explore closer destinations reducing travel costs and CO2 emissions, usually by avoiding high-emissions means of transport such as airplanes and preferring cars and trains. Moreover, it also emboldens travelers to slow down, engage with their surroundings, and contribute positively to the places they visit (Zhu, 2024).
The tendency of micro-tourism conforms to UNWTO initiatives aimed at “mainstreaming tourism in the development agenda” (Higgins et al., 2019) and has the potential to contribute positively to achieving some of the goals of Agenda 2030. In fact besides reducing over-tourism, visiting less-traveled destinations, sometimes off-season, has the possibility to requalify those destinations and revitalize their economies, contributing to attaining goals 8 – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all- and 11 – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
This form of tourism also has the potential to improve spatial justice and smooth out differences between territories within a country (Lucia et Rota, 2014), contributing to the achievement of the goals mentioned above.
As confirmed by the climate scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC, investing in local tourism can mitigate the threat of climate change and other environmental crises by reducing travel-related emissions (Lucia et Rota, 2014), supporting the achievement of SDG 13 – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
In conclusion, the tourism sector continues to evolve in response to the demands of travelers and local residents. Given the growing attention to the environment and the renewed interest in supporting local communities and living authentic experiences, micro-tourism seems the right compromise between the necessities of local communities, weary of touristification, and the instinct of the people to travel. It represents a sustainable alternative to overtourism and a means to achieve the SDGs of the Agenda 2030 in this sector.
References
Gemar G., Soler I. P., Moniche L. (2023) Exploring the impacts of local development initiatives on tourism: A case study analysis. Heliyon, Volume 9, Issue 9
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19924
Higgins-Desbiolles F., Carnicelli-Filho S., Krolikowski C., Wijesinghe G. (2019). Degrowing tourism: rethinking tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 27(2)
Lucia M. G. et Rota F. S. (2014). Turismo di prossimità, sostenibilità e sviluppo locale.
Le strutture organizzative di base
Milano C. (2017) Overtourism and Tourismphobia: Global trends and local contexts. Barcelona: Ostelea School of Tourism & Hospitality
Zhu A. (2024). Exploring the Design of Urban Microtourism Products from the Perspective of Integrated Development of Culture and Tourism. Journal of Tourism Management (ISSN: 3005-575X) Vol. 1 No. 3, 2024