Tourism is commonly associated with positive outcomes, like economic development and cultural exchange, yet its significant negative impacts are often ignored. Excessive tourism creates as environmental as social and cultural challenges (Banerjee & Khan, 2021). Recognizing these challenges, the ECOROUTES project aims to empower youth individuals in Europe to become advocates and protectors of their region’s natural and cultural heritage by fostering sustainable activities (EKO Greece, n.d.). 

 

Overtourism

 

The term overtourism refers to the phenomenon of an excessive number of visitors overwhelming a destination simultaneously, resulting in negative impacts on the host communities and their environment (Rojo et al., 2023). This phenomenon is linked to the disruption of locals daily lives, the strain on public services, and the alienation of residents (Peeters et al., 2018). Venice, Barcelona, and Amsterdam are typical examples of cities that have encountered strong opposition from locals who are frustrated by overcrowded streets, escalated pollution, and skyrocketing living expenses due to tourism (Hospers, 2019 · UNESCO Courier, 2024). In this way, the rapid growth of tourism can exacerbate social inequalities in destination communities by disproportionately distributing economic benefits and creating challenges for local residents (Drápela, 2023). 

 

Overtourism also contributes to the physical wear of cultural sites (Giralt et al., 2024 · Hospers, 2019). Famous landmarks such as the Colosseum in Rome and the Acropolis in Athens face significant degradation due to the millions of visitors annually. As a result, the rising costs of maintaining such sites lead to a vicious cycle, where dependence on tourism intensifies the problem.  

 

Environmental Degradation 

 

Tourism can have significant impacts on the natural environment. Popular destinations are most of the year overcrowded, with that leading to extreme waste and various types of pollution (Baloch et al., 2022). Parks and preserved natural spaces attract a large number of tourists whose presence leaves behind soil erosion, destruction of habitats, decrease in natural resources, and biodiversity loss (Baloch et al., 2022). Infrastructure development actions for tourism purposes, including the construction of new amenities like hotels, airports, and transportation networks, can lead to considerable environmental harm, especially in ecologically important areas like forests, wetlands, or coastal zones (World Wildlife Fund, n.d.).  

 

Erosion of Local Culture and Traditions

 

Cultural commodification is also one of the major consequences of overtourism. This is a process of turning cultural elements like traditions, artifacts, and symbols into commercial products, reducing their authentic purpose or value (Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage, n.d.). The commercialization of culture from local communities in order to meet tourist’s expectations leads to the erosion of local identity. In this way, locals lose their control over their cultural heritage (Alamineh et al., 2023) and in turn, a gap is created between younger generations and their ancestral traditions (James-Williamson et al., 2024). So, preservation efforts should focus on fostering cultural diversity and promoting tolerance, highlighting the value of sustaining unique cultural expression in an increasingly globalized world (James-Williamson et al., 2024). 

 

Carbon Footprint and Climate Change 

 

Tourism-related activities are a major contributor to global carbon emissions, accounting for approximately 8% of the world’s total emissions (Sustainable Travel International, n.d.). While aviation is the primary source of carbon emissions, hotels, resorts, and other tourism-related infrastructure also play a crucial role, especially when they make use of non-renewable energy sources (Sustainable Travel International, n.d. · Gössling et al., 2022). Rising sea levels, intensified extreme weather, and deteriorated ecosystems as results of climate change pose a serious threat to numerous key destinations that fuel tourism (Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadship, 2014). 

Sustainable Tourism for the Future

 

Challenges derived from tourism demand strategies that balance economic development with ecological and social responsibility. The project ECOROUTES stands as an example of how tourism can become part of the solution instead of intensifying the issue. By advocating sustainable practices, addressing overtourism, and preserving cultural heritage, ECOROUTES helps shape a future where tourism benefits both the environment and local communities. By empowering youth to lead the way in responsible tourism, ECOROUTES ensures that future generations will be appropriately prepared and equipped to protect Europe’s culture and natural treasures while maintaining harmony with traveling activities (EKO Greece, n.d.).

References: 

 

Alamineh, G. A., Hussein, J. W., Mulu, Y. E., & Taddesse, B. (2023). The negative cultural impact of tourism and its implication on sustainable development in Amhara Regional State. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2023.2224597 

 

Baloch, Q. B., Shah, S. N., Iqbal, N., Sheeraz, M., Asadullah, M., Mahar, S., & Khan, A. U. (2023). Impact of tourism development upon environmental sustainability: a suggested framework for sustainable ecotourism. Environmental science and pollution research international, 30(3), 5917–5930. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22496-w

 

Banerjee, S., & Khan, D. (2021). Mass tourism, its challenges and sustainability: A study on Santiniketan. International Journal of Advance Research and Innovative Ideas in Education, 7(1), 219-223. https://www.cisl.cam.ac.uk/system/files/documents/ipcc-ar5-implications-for-tourism-briefing-prin.pdf 

 

Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. (2014). Climate change: Implications for tourism. University of Cambridge. 

 

Drápela, E. (2023). Creating Strategies to Mitigate the Adverse Effects of Overtourism in Rural Destinations: Experience from the Czech Republic. Sustainability, 15(24), 16958. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416958 

 

EKO Greece. (n.d.). ECOROUTES: Unlocking the potential of youth in tourism. Retrieved January 23, 2025, from https://ekogreece.com/ecoroutes-unlocking-the-potential-of-youth-in-tourism/ 

 

Giralt, C. H., Timón, D. A. B., & Hidalgo, A. H. (2024). Overtourism in global cities: Impacts, challenges and solutions. In Overtourism in global cities. Impacts, challenges and solutions (pp. 7-13). ACCI (Asociación Cultural y Científica Iberoamericana).

 

Gössling, S., Balas, M., Mayer, M., & Sun, Y. Y. (2023). A review of tourism and climate change mitigation: The scales, scopes, stakeholders and strategies of carbon management. Tourism Management, 95, 104681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104681 

 

Hospers, G.-J. (2019). Overtourism in European cities: From challenges to coping strategies. CESifo Forum, 20(3), 20-24. ifo Institut – Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung an der Universität München. https://www.cesifo.org/en/publikationen/2019/article-journal/overtourism-european-cities-challenges-coping-strategies 

 

Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage. (n.d.). Commodifications of cultural heritage working group. Simon Fraser University. Retrieved January 23, 2025, from https://www.sfu.ca/ipinch/project-components/working-groups/commodifications-cultural-heritage-working-group/ 

 

James-Williamson, S. A., Dolphy, J. E., & Parker, S. Y. (2024). Absence heritage: A critical analysis for awareness, preservation and resilience. International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, 12(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2023.12.001 

 

Peeters, P., Gössling, S., Klijs, J., Milano, C., Novelli, M., Dijkmans, C., Eijgelaar, E., Hartman, S., Heslinga, J., Isaac, R., Mitas, O., Moretti, S., Nawijn, J., Papp, B., & Postma, A. (2018). Research for TRAN Committee – Overtourism: Impact and possible policy responses. European Parliament, Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies. Brussels.

 

UNESCO Courier. (2024, August 14). Travel without leaving a trace: Fighting overtourism. UNESCO Courier. Retrieved January 24, 2025, From https://courier.unesco.org/en/articles/travel-without-leaving-trace?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

World Wildlife Fund. (n.d.). When infrastructure goes wrong for nature and people. World Wildlife Fund. https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/when-infrastructure-goes-wrong-for-nature-and-people