Many cities have come full circle to worrying about too many tourists rather than too few.But social media, online influencers, movies and television shows are too, since they drive many people to the same places, said Tatyana Tsukanova, a research associate at the same school in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Signs urged visitors to stay "Quiet Please!" and a driving barrier was installed at Hallstatt's entrance before the Austrian town built a fence at a popular lookout point.Other cities and sites are placing a cap on daily visitors and restricting large cruise ships .Graffiti on a wall in the Spanish city of Malaga. Spain and France attracted more international visitors than any other countries in 2022.
Economic restrictions are just half measures, said Tsukanova, adding that research shows fines and fees alone don't prevent overtourism. Collaboration — between cities, sites, local businesses and residents — is needed too, she said.The United Nations World Tourism Organization secretary-general, Zurab Pololikashvili, told CNBC Travel that the key to overcoming overtourism lies in "tourist flow.