Too many tourists!: “No quota is possible anymore”

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In Lauterbrunnen BE, the community comes together to discuss measures to cope with the large number of tourists. The phenomenon of “overtourism”, that is, the excessive use of travel destinations by tourists, is again in full swing in Switzerland after the temporary “Corona calm”.

This situation does not leave tourism expert André Lüthi (62), CEO of the Bern-based Globetrotter Group, at ease. It calls for clear measures.

Blick: Mr Lüthi, more and more places are resisting the tourist crowd – including Switzerland. Is the tourism industry destroying itself?
Andre Lüthi: You can’t say it that way. The tourism sector is aware of its responsibilities and strives to ensure that this does not become a burden on the local people and the environment. It also creates millions of jobs and generates added value worldwide.

Of course there is, but some places can no longer benefit from tourism. They suffer from this.
This is effectively the case. There are many examples of this. The best known are Venice, Dubrovnik, Barcelona or Angkor Wat in Cambodia or the Taj Mahal in India. Things are also getting unstable in some places in Switzerland, like Lauterbrunnen. This has nothing to do with just more tourist offers; There are more and more people and more and more people can go on trips.

This leads to frustrating situations for both tourists and locals. Queues at sights and restaurants, unstable toilet situations, waste problems. It is clear: measures are needed.

What is your suggestion?
It needs to be directed. It will no longer be possible without a daily quota in popular locations. You can see this in Venice, which will soon charge entrance fees and limit visitors. But Lauterbrunnen also discusses this. Attractions should function like football matches or concerts: with the maximum number of visitors possible per event or day. In the digital age, booking in advance will no longer be a problem.

This is not applicable for cities.
It’s actually harder. When traveling by ship or bus, restrictions will be relatively easy to enforce by limiting parking spaces. For example, mountain railways may set upper limits. Many cities are struggling to regulate temporary rentals of living spaces, such as those offered by Airbnb. Ultimately, everyone needs to find solutions that suit themselves. This also requires political courage.

As a tourism professional, don’t you find it strange that you are calling for the restriction of tourism?
We are not talking about bans here. It’s about setting boundaries that serve everyone (travelers and locals alike). I would also like to see a change in the way travelers think: get to know a country and its culture a little further away from the hotspots. This will again add more quality to your own “travel well-being”.

But many people want to travel cheaply to Mallorca or somewhere else for 2-3 days. This remains.
Yes, I understand that too. All I care about is that tourism, together with politicians and authorities, finds ways to strike a healthy balance for locals, travelers and nature.

Source :Blick