The Rise of Overtourism: When Popular Destinations Become Victims of Their Own Success

🗣️ Speaking — discussion

Context

• Cities like Venice, Barcelona, and Kyoto have seen record numbers of visitors in recent years, straining infrastructure and local resources.
• Overtourism refers to the situation where too many tourists visit a place, causing damage to the environment, local culture, and quality of life for residents.
• Some destinations have introduced entrance fees, visitor caps, or bans on short-term rentals to manage the influx.
• Social media and budget airlines have made once-remote destinations easily accessible, accelerating the phenomenon.
• Local residents in cities like Amsterdam and Dubrovnik have staged protests against the negative effects of mass tourism.

Themes

• Sustainability vs. Accessibility — The tension between allowing everyone to travel and experience the world versus protecting fragile environments and communities.
• Local Life vs. Tourist Economy — How tourism can simultaneously boost local economies and erode the authentic character of a place for its residents.
• Responsible Travel — The growing movement encouraging travelers to consider their impact and choose more ethical, sustainable ways to explore the world.
• Government Regulation — The role of policy-makers in balancing tourism revenue with the wellbeing of local populations through taxes, quotas, and restrictions.

Personal Response

1. Did you ever visited a place that felt overcrowded with tourists? What happened, and how did it affect your experience?
2. What was the most memorable trip you took, and did the number of tourists influence how you enjoyed it?
3. Have you ever changed your travel plans because a destination felt too crowded or commercialized?

Themes & Ideas

1. To what extent do you think tourists are responsible for the negative effects of overtourism, versus local governments or businesses?
2. Is it fair for cities to limit the number of visitors, even if it means turning away people who saved for years to visit?
3. How can technology, like social media, both help and harm the way we experience travel destinations?

Critical Thinking

1. If you were a city planner in a heavily touristed city, what specific measures would you introduce to manage the crowds without damaging the local economy?
2. Do you think overtourism is an unavoidable consequence of globalization, or can it be effectively controlled?
3. How should the benefits of tourism revenue be distributed to ensure local communities aren't exploited?

Cultural & Social Topics

1. In what ways can tourism preserve a culture, and in what ways can it distort or commercialize it?
2. Why do you think certain destinations become 'trendy' almost overnight, and what happens to them afterward?
3. How do you think locals in famous tourist cities feel about the constant presence of visitors in their daily lives?

Advanced (C1 level)

1. Critically evaluate whether the concept of 'responsible tourism' is a genuine solution or merely a marketing trend that shifts blame onto individual travelers.
2. Argue for or against the idea that certain natural or cultural heritage sites should be closed to the public entirely to ensure their preservation for future generations.

🎭 Classroom activity

✏️ Questions

1. We ___ (fly) to Lisbon last summer and stayed in a small guesthouse near the harbour.
2. The train ___ (not / arrive) on time yesterday, so we missed our connecting flight.
3. ___ you ever ___ (visit) Japan before you moved there last year?
4. When the tour guide ___ (explain) the history of the castle, everyone listened attentively.
5. My grandfather ___ (travel) all over Europe by train when he was a young man.
6. If we ___ (book) our tickets earlier, we would have gotten a much better price on the cruise.