With the trend toward increased travel, many countries, especially large cities, are beginning to have problems. So-called overtourism comes from the English “over”. In practice, it means that these places are overcrowded. Locals are squeezed by tourists, and in many cases they leave a noticeable mark. They behave disorderly and leave behind trash, etc. Several large cities have already taken various measures to limit, at least partially, the influx of tourists. For example, port cities have restricted the arrival and docking of large cruise ships, while other cities have banned tour buses and tourist coaches from their historic city centers.
The construction of new lodging and restaurant facilities and the leasing of real estate to foreign citizens are also restricted. Some tourist destinations have introduced a so-called tourist tax to reduce tourist crowds. On the other hand, tourists bring local communities revenue for infrastructure development and help raise funds to repair damage largely caused by tourists.
Among the cities that have begun to address overtourism in a big way are European capitals such as Paris, London, Rome, and Barcelona. So are European cities such as Paris, London, Rome, and Barcelona, as well as Copenhagen and Dubrovnik, which previously had few visitors. The latter became popular after the filming of the “Game of Thrones” series and played the role of royal capital. Now they face raids and visits from fans from all over the world. As travel has become cheaper and is no longer reserved for the wealthy, travelers and adventurers are visiting places that were once unspoiled and untouched by man. For example, the Philippines, Thailand, Mauritius, or Everest are widely visited, even if they may not appear so. The recent incident of the Everest procession took the world by storm.
We do not even need to cross borders to deal with overtourism here. Every day many tourists visit the “Mother of 100”. The natural monuments and phenomena that abound in the Czech landscape also attract many tourists. For example, the Adrspach Rocks are facing an onslaught of tourists from neighboring Poland, who are already thinking of ways to lighten this monument in some way.
