Reducing the number of visitors and improving the quality of the journey (with guided tours, tourist routes and experiential and virtualized tourism), the basis of a more sustainable urban tourism
Urban tourism was a machine in continuous growth until it stopped abruptly, in early 2020, with the arrival of covid-19. At that time, tourist cities suffered from the negative effects of overcrowding and the situation of excessive tourism increased. The pandemic has meant that the road to the unsustainable has been abandoned, at least for a while.
The coronavirus has a huge impact on world tourism. As mobility was a critical activity for the spread of the coronavirus, it was severely curtailed when the health crisis broke out. Even today, international travel still requires requirements such as proof of non-contamination.
Before 2020, heritage cities faced an over-tourism situation that affected both visitor satisfaction and residents’ quality of life. Cities such as Toledo, Barcelona, Venice or Amsterdam, among others, experienced a conflict between their heritage and tourism.
The forced shutdown caused by the pandemic was a unique opportunity to propose an alternative model. However, it appears that the choice has been made to restore the company to its pre-pandemic level and style. In this article, we briefly present our proposals for an alternative model of urban tourism.
The recovery from the tourism crisis is being tackled without making decisions that lead to a model of a sustainable future. On the contrary, it seeks to restore the previous situation while providing an economic subsidy to the sector.
In some cases, the shutdown is used to expand capacity in the future. Athens has decided to increase the visitor capacity of the Acropolis, the main attraction, by widening the access road.
When the most restrictive measures were lifted in 2021, tourist destinations made an effort to adapt to the new health regulations imposed by the pandemic. In addition and above all, they made an effort to launch promotional campaigns to attract visitors. Concepts such as proximity, reopening and safety were used for this purpose. Regions such as Castilla-La Mancha (“Your vacation has never been so close”) or Galicia (“Galicia returns”) and cities such as Toledo (“Toledo open”) or Zamora (“Zamora, vital space”) have done this.
Finally, today’s reality, even in a pandemic, seems more focused on a return to urban cultural overtourism.
The pandemic is an opportunity to change urban tourism, which needs drastic reform to move it towards sustainability. The goal should be to end overtourism and its negative effects.
Reducing the number of visitors and improving the quality of the experience through guided tours, tourist routes, experiential tourism and virtualized tourism would be the basis of this model.
There are places where the number of visitors is already limited, such as Machu Picchu and La Alhambra, looking to improve their sustainability. It is a solution that can be successful if the steps taken to achieve it are reasonable, transparent and fair.
If capacity limits are already in place at major sports and music events, it may also be appropriate to apply them to heritage spaces in cities.
The optimal strategy for sustainable tourism is to increase the quality of the visit and reduce the number of visitors. Starting from the already mentioned limit of their numbers, it would be about fulfilling the desire of tourists to enjoy the destination with little overcrowding and with excellent tourism. To do this, four ideas would be intertwined: guided tours, tourist routes, experiential tourism and virtual tourism.
Guides and groups in Santiago de Compostela (1) and Alicante (2) during the pandemic. Photo of the author.
However, its application requires a new urban cultural tourism board, which centralizes tourism management and planning. Policies, procedures and guidelines must be developed to monitor, measure and control impacts. Regulations should also be introduced for private tourist offices. Strong political leadership, clear rules and the support of residents and visitors are needed.
The balance between all the interests that come together in the touristic development of a place is necessarily based on achieving an efficient system of governance.
This moment of split could be an opportunity to tackle the phenomenon of overtourism in heritage cities. We need to make proposals and make better decisions for the future and avoid making mistakes.
It is critical that cities, their citizens and their managers rethink the kind of cultural tourism they want for their future. And that tourists also think about how they want to organize their visit to heritage cities.
Let’s bet on a future where cities are less dependent on mass tourism. In return, there would be benefits for the residents, who could take their city back. At the same time, visitors could enjoy higher quality urban cultural tourism and not overcrowded. Moreover, it can contribute to the growth and improvement of the labor market in the sector.
This article was published in ‘The conversation
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
