I was all set to regale you with my favourite Barcelona sights – I managed to squeeze in quite a few in just 24 hours there with Joe last summer. But then I read this article and although it’s definitely not the first time the negative impacts of tourism on locals has made the headlines, the suggestions Elle put forward really started me thinking.
Many European cities are hotspots for a reason, whether it’s Barcelona’s beautiful buildings and culture, Rome and Florence’s history and arts, or Berlin’s vibrant renewal. But when the crowds tip over from welcome to annoyance, who should be responsible for restoring the balance?
Should it be the responsibility of the cities? Elle suggested licence schemes for holiday apartments, which some cities are already utilising. That makes sense to me from the perspective of the city, being able to keep track of who’s running apartments, and making sure certain areas aren’t getting flooded with holiday apartments. But it also makes sense to me as someone who uses holiday apartments lots. Even though providers like Air BnB vet hosts, it never hurts to have another check! Of course there’s plenty of people who aren’t in favour of lots of regulation, and in places with less infrastructure it might be harder to structure and enforce. But for cities that are struggling with loads of tourism, it sounds like a good idea to me.
Another way cities could deal with intensive tourism is by promoting more unusual destinations and places to visit, as well as the major hot-spots. I understand that suggestion, but I think it’s less likely to have an impact – for first-time visitors, could you persuade them not to visit the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty or the Great Wall of China, if that’s why they’re visiting somewhere? And those that don’t want to visit such hot-spots are, I think, more likely to naturally seek out more quirky destinations anyway. However, it might add value in inspiring people to extend trips and spend longer (and more cash!), rather than just jetting in for a weekend.
How about the responsibilities of the visitors? Number one for me is being more sensitive – this is something I do notice myself in London. The amount of times I’ve just been trying to get from work to the post office to my lunch spot and back to my desk in 30 mins, and those slowly walking and admiring St Paul’s block my path! Yes, I could learn patience, but a group not walking four abreast on a busy pavement might also help.
But seriously, it means so much more than that. I think a huge one is respecting cultural values, from dress to photography. Taking the time to learn a little local language – please and thank you go a long way, is something I always try to do. And appreciating a place – wandering down the back alleyway, soaking in the atmosphere (unless it’s a local office worker’s favourite shortcut!) in the sunshine instead of racing along trying to tick off as many sights as possible. And going back to those holiday apartments – staying with locals more (as we did in Barcelona), instead of serviced apartments, is an easy way to make sure my money is going back directly into the local economy, as well as getting back to the original “sharing” ethos of companies like Air BnB.
It’s an awful feeling, to be forced to consider that what you love doing, such as traveling to amazing new places, might be destroying what you love – and yes, I’m aware it’s hardly original to be shocked by having to check my privilege for a second. However, as someone who considers herself an informed citizen of the world, I like to think about how I can improve something, not just how uncomfortable that fact makes me feel.
The difficulty for tourists is that lots of these suggestions might not be that practical for the individual, whether you can only get holiday in summer, or find that weekend trips are the best way to get a taste of another country. The latter is something I’ve definitely been guilty of and promoted right here on this blog. So what can we do?
I guess for myself, I’ll approach becoming a better visitor like I have embraced flexitarian eating and cutting down on plastic usage. I might not nail it straight away, and I’m sure there are a few more city guides in the future of this blog. But hopefully with a few changes, I can make a bit of a difference quickly, and incorporate more into my life over time. An easy place to start would be attempting to find the quirky, unusual sights in a city rather than the well-trodden paths – often they’re the discoveries I love most anyway, so it’s really a win-win.
Is this a problem where you live… or where you love to travel? What do you think we can do as travellers to make a difference?
Linking up for #WanderfulWednesday with Marcella, Lauren, Van and Isabel – check out their travel link-up and their fantastic blogs using the links!
