[Annotated] The backlash against overtourism

Many people are travelling, and many are visiting the same places

Ever since the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, locals have complained that Venice, its former capital, is being overrun by visitors^[각주:1]. Having spent decades trying to attract tourists, the city council is^[각주:2] now rethinking its approach^[각주:3]. In May it erected pedestrian gates across^[각주:4] the historic neighbourhood's main entrances. When crowds get too thick, the police will close them, limiting access to locals who possess a special pass. Although this will restrict the number of visitors, the idea of ticketed entry has upset some locals. "It's the last step to becoming Disneyland," sighs^[각주:5] one of the city's urban planners^[각주:6]. 

It is not only Venetians who think there are too many tourists. In Amsterdam locals are fed up with^[각주:7] stag parties^[각주:8], unused to mixing alcohol^[각주:9] and cannabis^[각주:10], leaving a trail of^[각주:11] litter^[각주:12] and vomit. In July protesters attacked tourist buses in Valencia, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona (where one piece of graffiti read^[각주:13]: "tourists go home, refugees welcome"). The newest word to enter the travel industry's lexicon is^[각주:14] "overtourism^[각주:15]", which was coined to^[각주:16] describe the consequences of^[각주:17] having too many visitors. 

Governments are starting to react. In March President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines banned tourists from the popular island of Boracay for six months, because too many visitors and too few sewers^[각주:18] had made it a "cesspool^[각주:19]". On October 10th the Thai government restricted overnight stays on^[각주:20] the Similan islands. And cities throughout Europe are beginning to investigate ways to crack down on^[각주:21] overcrowding^[각주:22], home-sharing websites and anti-social behaviour^[각주:23]. 

This backlash might seem odd^[각주:24]. The World Travel and Tourism Council, a trade body, says that tourism directly accounts for nearly 3% of^[각주:25] the world's GDP. The industry employs 5% of the world's workforce^[각주:26]. McKinsey, a consultancy, reckons that one in five new jobs are generated by tourism. 

Policymakers also like its economic effects on poorer countries. Whereas^[각주:27] oil drilling and mining employ relatively few people, tourism employs legions^[각주:28]. And it can help the rest of the economy to develop, since policies designed to attract tourists, such as easy visas and good policing^[각주:29], also lure foreign investors^[각주:30]. 

The growing backlash against tourism has coincided with extraordinary growth in^[각주:31] visitor numbers. According to the World Tourism Organization, an agency of the United Nations, the number of international visitors making overnight stays^[각주:32] grew to 1.3bn in 2017. That is twice the number in 2000, and more than four times the level in 1980. Even so, the rise in numbers is not the real problem, says Alex Dichter of McKinsey. "People in 99% of countries in the world are crying out for more^[각주:33], not fewer, tourists," he explains. The problem is that these extra tourists are converging on the same places^[각주:34]. 

This has surprised many in the travel industry. The spread of the internet was meant to disperse tourists by^[각주:35] making less well-known places easier to find. Why has the opposite happened? Analysts at Skift, a travel website, attribute it to the rise of^[각주:36] "bucket lists". Popularized by a film of the same name in^[각주:37] 2007, which featured a "list of things to do^[각주:38] before I kick the bucket^[각주:39]", these internet lists direct tourists to the same "must see" places. The desire for the perfect Instagram snap has a similar result^[각주:40]. 

Mr Dichter also points to several other reasons for the shift^[각주:41]. When flag carriers^[각주:42] ran air travel^[각주:43] as a cartel^[각주:44], flights cost a fortune^[각주:45] - over £200($230) for the 300-mile jaunt between^[각주:46] London and Dublin in the mid-1980s, for instance. But low-cost carriers like^[각주:47] Ryanair (whose average fare was €40, or $46, last year) have transformed the industry^[각주:48]. The rise of services like Airbnb, that allow locals to rent their homes to visitors^[각주:49], means that a place's capacity for^[각주:50] overnight stays is no longer limited by the number of hotel rooms. 

Partly as a result, the share of tourists who are making their first trips has soared^[각주:51]. Newbies^[각주:52] often want to visit famous landmarks^[각주:53]. In Amsterdam almost all first-time visitors^[각주:54] head for the Van Gogh museum and Anne Frank's house, says Geerte Udo of its tourist authority^[각주:55]. Meanwhile tourists from China and India often dislike tanning^[각주:56] and therefore skip beach destinations, adding to the crowds in a handful of popular cities. 

Such overcrowding brings costs^[각주:57], which are borne by local residents^[각주:58]. City dwellers^[각주:59] find that pavements, roads and cycle lanes are clogged^[각주:60]. In party towns, like Amsterdam and Prague, residents must put up with^[각주:61] late-night hooliganism^[각주:62]. Island resorts suffer from litter-strewn beaches^[각주:63] and polluted water. 

If tourist dollars push up^[각주:64] the cost of living^[각주:65], locals may be priced out^[각주:66]. Analysts at Islandsbanki, a bank, estimate that 1,225 properties in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, were listed on Airbnb in the peak season of 2017^[각주:67] - more than the number of new homes that were built that year. The local population in Venice has roughly halved over the past 30 years^[각주:68]. So, over the past two decades, has that of Dubrovnik in Croatia, an old walled city^[각주:69] best known as King's Landing in "Game of Thrones". Academics now worry that services for ordinary residents, such as cheap cafés and doctors' surgeries, will collapse if populations continue to fall. 

Local authorities are cobbling together strategies to^[각주:70] cope^[각주:71]. An extreme reaction is to ban tourists entirely (as Mr Duterte did in Boracay) or to cap visitor numbers (as^[각주:72] Easter Island has done). Many ports, including Venice, limit the number of cruise ships, and there are calls for cities to limit parking spaces for tourist coaches^[각주:73]. Both ships and coaches bring tight-fisted visitors^[각주:74]. A study in the British city of Cambridge found that the average coach^[각주:75] day-tripper^[각주:76] spends just £3. 

A more subtle approach is to fiddle with taxes^[각주:77] and charges, so that they better reflect^[각주:78] the costs tourists impose^[각주:79]. Tourists staying in hotels in central Amsterdam pay a higher tax rate than those staying farther away. In Edinburgh councillors are^[각주:80] reportedly^[각주:81] considering a tourist tax, revenues from which would be spent on rubbish collection^[각주:82] or improving infrastructure. 

Thordis Gylfadottir, Iceland's tourist minister, says another part of the answer is to spread visits out^[각주:83]. In 2010 half of the country's tourists arrived during the summer. Thanks to marketing campaigns^[각주:84] and better infrastructure for travel during winter months, now only a third do. Ms Gylfadottir hopes that new direct flights from Britain to northern Iceland will provide additional relief to^[각주:85] Reykjavik and allow undiscovered sites to^[각주:86] scoop up welcome tourist revenues^[각주:87]. 

Many cities are also tackling bad behaviour^[각주:88]. Paola Mar, Venice's tourism chief^[각주:89], thinks a change in the type of tourists has led to more problems^[각주:90]. In the 1970s and 1980s most were from western Europe, America or Japan. They came to eat in traditional restaurants and visit art museums. Today tourists are often day-trippers from Italy's resorts, or are on their first trip abroad from Asia. They crowd the pavements with^[각주:91] packed lunches^[각주:92] rather than spend money in shops and restaurants. Locals call them "munch^[각주:93] and flee^[각주:94]" visitors. 

The maturing taste of Chinese tourists may reassure Venetian locals^[각주:95]. A recent survey by McKinsey finds that they increasingly dislike coach tours, group visits and seeing the main landmarks. First-time tourists travel in tour groups, but more experienced ones prefer independent travel. Nearly three-quarters of the Chinese tourists polled by^[각주:96] Oliver Wyman, another consultancy, said they had mostly planned their trips by themselves in 2016, up from 49% the year before. 

Venice is currently designing a plan to encourage tourists to stay longer by nudging them to visit more than just the main sights^[각주:97]. Another option would be to improve its infrastructure. A study by the University of Venice in 1988 found the city could hold at most^[각주:98] 20,750 visitors a day^[각주:99]. That is around a quarter of traffic today. The increased demand has not been met by building better public transport. 

Traditionalists may object to any new infrastructure in^[각주:100] beautiful old cities. But Venice has already built a motorway^[각주:101] and a railway station over the past two centuries. More links could benefit residents and tourists alike^[각주:102]. One Chinese tourist jostling to see^[각주:103] the Rialto Bridge told your correspondent^[각주:104] he thought this was a good idea. "I might be able to see more of the history that way," he explained. 

1. overrun ; (over·ran[-ˈræn], over·run) 1. [VN] [[흔히 수동태로]] ((특히 좋지 않거나 원하지 않는 것이)) 급속히 퍼지다[가득 차다], 들끓다 [본문으로]
2. city council ; 시의회 [본문으로]
3. rethink ; ((re·thought, re·thought[-ˈθɔːt])) (특히 계획·행동 방침 등을 변경하기 위해) 다시 생각하다[재고하다] ;; [VERB] If you rethink something such as a problem, a plan, or a policy, you think about it again and change it. [본문으로]
4. pedestrian ; [형용사] 1. [명사 앞에만 씀] 보행자용의; 보행자의 ;; 미국∙영국 [pəˈdestriən] [본문으로]
5. sigh ; [타동사] 2. [V speech] 한숨을 쉬며[탄식하듯] 말하다 ;; [+目/+目+副] 한숨지며[탄식하며] 말하다 [본문으로]
6. "It's the last step to becoming Disneyland" , one of the city's urban planners sighs 의 도치로 보임 [본문으로]
7. be fed up with ; ~에 진저리가 나다 [본문으로]
8. stag[hen] party ; 남성[여성]끼리의 파티 [본문으로]
9. be unused to sth ; …에 익숙하지 않은. [본문으로]
10. cannabis ; [U] 1. (인도) 대마(大麻), 대마초(hemp). ;; 2. 칸나비스(대마에서 추출한 해시시, 마리화나 따위 환각성 마약). ; [형용사] can·na·bic[kənǽbik] [본문으로]
11. leave a trail ; 흔적, 자국을 남기다. [본문으로]
12. litter ; 1. [U] 쓰레기(공공장소에 버려진 휴지깡통병 같은 것들) ;; 2. [sing.] ~ of sth 어질러져 있는 것들 ;; 미국∙영국 [ˈlɪtə(r)] [본문으로]
13. read ; 7. [V speech] (…라고) 적혀[쓰여] 있다 [본문으로]
14. lexicon ; 1. [sing.] the lexicon (언어) (특정 언어·분야·개인·집단에서 사용하는 모든) 어휘 ;; 2. [C] (특정 언어·분야의) 어휘 목록 ;; [NOUN] [with supp] The lexicon of a particular subject is all the terms associated with it. The lexicon of a person or group is all the words they commonly use. [본문으로]
15. overtourism ; 수용할 수 있는 범위를 넘어서는 관광객이 몰려들면서 관광객이 주민들의 삶을 침범하는 현상 ;; [명사] 과잉 관광((지역 규모에 비해 너무 많은 관광객이 오는 현상)) [본문으로]
16. coin ; 1. [타동사] (새로운 낱말어구를) 만들다 [본문으로]
17. consequence ; 1. (보통 consequences) 결과; 귀추. ; 유의어 EFFECT [본문으로]
18. sewer ; 하수관, 수채통 ;; [NOUN] A sewer is a large underground channel that carries waste matter and rain water away, usually to a place where it is treated and made harmless. ;; 미국∙영국 [ˈsuːə(r)] [본문으로]
19. cesspool ;1. (지하의) 오수 구덩이[저수지] ;; 2. 불결한[타락한] 장소 ((of)) ;; [NOUN] A cesspool is the same as a cesspit. [본문으로]
20. overnight ; [형용사] [명사 앞에만 씀] 1. 야간의; 하룻밤 동안의 ;; 2. 하룻밤 사이의, 갑작스러운 [본문으로]
21. crack down on ; …에 단호한 조치를 취하다; …을 엄히 단속하다, 탄압하다; …을 통렬하게 비난하다 [본문으로]
22. overcrowding ; [U] 초만원, 과잉 수용 ;; [NOUN] If there is a problem of overcrowding, there are more people living in a place than it was designed for. [본문으로]
23. anti-social behaviour ; (교육학) 반사회적 행동(反社會的行動) [본문으로]
24. odd ; (odder, oddest) 1. 이상한, 특이한 ; 참조 peculiar [본문으로]
25. account for ; 3. (부분·비율을) 차지하다 [본문으로]
26. workforce ; 1. (특정 기업·조직 등의) (모든) 노동자[직원] ; 유의어 staff ;; 2. (한 국가·지역 내의) 노동 인구[노동력] ;; [NOUN] [usu sing] The workforce is the total number of people in a country or region who are physically able to do a job and are available for work. [본문으로]
27. whereas ; 1. <두 가지 사실을 비교·대조할 때 씀> ;; …임에 비하여[반하여] ; …인데도, …이지만 ; (위로부터 내리 번역하여) 그런데, 실은(when in fact). ;; 2. [문두에 써서] …이므로, … 인 까닭에, … 이라는 사실에 비추어(considering that). [본문으로]
28. legion ; 1. (특히 고대 로마의) 군단, 부대 ;; 2. (격식) (특정한 유형의) 많은 사람들 [본문으로]
29. policing ; [U] 1. (경찰의) 치안 유지 활동 ;; 2. (산업체 등의 규칙 준수를 위한) 감시 활동 [본문으로]
30. lure ; 1. [경멸적] …을 (…으로) 유인하다, 꾀어들이다, 낚아들이다, 유혹하다(away)[into]. ; 유의어 TEMPT ;; 2. (미끼 따위로) …을 끌(어당기)다, 유인하다(on). ;; [VERB] To lure someone means to trick them into a particular place or to trick them into doing something that they should not do. [본문으로]
31. coincide with ; ~와 동시에 일어나다, 일치하다 [본문으로]
32. stay[stop] overnight ;; 일박하다 [본문으로]
33. cry out for sth ; (보통 진행형으로 쓰여) ~을 절실히 필요로 하다 ;; …을 간절히 바라다. ;; to clearly need something very quickly [본문으로]
34. converge on ; ~에 모여들다 [본문으로]
35. disperse ; 1. …을 흩어지게 하다, 분산시키다, 산개시키다. ;; [VERB] When something disperses or when you disperse it, it spreads over a wide area. [본문으로]
36. attribute sth to sb/sth ; to consider that something is caused by a particular person or thing [본문으로]
37. popularize ; 1. [타동사] 많은 사람들에게 알리다, 대중화하다 ;; 2. [타동사] (어려운 주제를 대중이 알기 쉽게 하여) 보급하다[대중화하다] ;; [VERB] To popularize something means to make a lot of people interested in it and able to enjoy it. [본문으로]
38. feature ; 1. [타동사][VN] ~ sb/sth (as sb/sth) 특별히 포함하다, 특징으로 삼다 ;; [VERB] When something such as a film or exhibition features a particular person or thing, they are an important part of it. [본문으로]
39. kick the bucket ; 죽다, die [본문으로]
40. snap ; 2. [C] (snapshot) 스냅 사진 [본문으로]
41. point to ; 1. (이유로) ~을 들먹이다 ;; 1.to mention something that you think is important and/or the reason why a particular situation exists [본문으로]
42. flag carrier ; 나라를 대표하는 항공[선박] 회사 [본문으로]
43. air travel ; 항공 여행; 비행기 이용(자 수). [본문으로]
44. cartel ; [NOUN] A cartel is an association of similar companies or businesses that have grouped together in order to prevent competition and to control prices. ;; 미국식 [kɑːrˈtel] 영국식 [kɑːˈtel] [본문으로]
45. cost a fortune ; 엄청나게 비싸다 [본문으로]
46. jaunt ; [명사] (구식, 또는 유머) 짧은 여행 ; 유의어 excursion ;; [NOUN] A jaunt is a short journey which you go on for pleasure or excitement. ;; 미국∙영국 [dʒɔːnt] [본문으로]
47. low-cost carrier ; 저가 항공사 [본문으로]
48. transform ; [VN](~ sth/sb (from sth) (into sth)) 1. [타동사] 변형시키다 ;; 유의어 convert ;; 2. [타동사] (모습·성격을, 특히 더 좋게) 완전히 바꿔 놓다[탈바꿈시키다] ;; [VERB] To transform something into something else means to change or convert it into that thing. [본문으로]
49. rent ; [타동사] 2. ~ sth (out) (to sb) (집세사용료 등을 받고) 세 놓다[임대하다] [본문으로]
50. capacity ; (pl. -ties [-z]) [U] 1. (종종 a capacity) 수용력, (건물 따위의) 수용 인원, 정원; 용량, 용적, 체적. ;; 2. (때로 a capacity) 포용력; 수용력; 도량. [본문으로]
51. soar ; 1. [자동사] (가치·물가 등이) 급증[급등]하다[치솟다] ; 유의어 rocket ;; [VERB] If the amount, value, level, or volume of something soars, it quickly increases by a great deal. [본문으로]
52. newbie ; (비격식) 뉴비, (특히 컴퓨터 사용의) 초보자 ; 유의어 novice ;; (컴퓨터) (귀찮은) 풋내기, 미숙련자. ;; [NOUN] A newbie is someone who is new to an activity, especially in computing or on the Internet. [본문으로]
53. landmark ; 1. 주요 지형지물, 랜드마크(멀리서 보고 위치 파악에 도움이 되는 대형 건물 같은 것) ;; 3. (특히 美) (반드시 보존해야 할) 역사적인 건물[장소] ; 유의어 monument ;; [NOUN] A landmark is a building or feature which is easily noticed and can be used to judge your position or the position of other buildings or features. [본문으로]
54. first-time ; [형용사] (등장·출장·경험 등이) 처음의, 첫 번째의. [본문으로]
55. tourist authority ; 관광청 ;; authority ; 3. [보통 pl.] 당국, 관헌; 공공사업 기관, 공사(公社) [본문으로]
56. dislike ; [타동사] 싫어하다, 좋아하지 않다 ; [HELP] 진행형이 없으며, not like보다 뜻이 강하고 hate보다 뜻이 약함 [본문으로]
57. overcrowding ; [U] 초만원, 과잉 수용 ;; [NOUN] If there is a problem of overcrowding, there are more people living in a place than it was designed for. [본문으로]
58. local residents ; 거주민 , 지역민 , 지역사회주민 [본문으로]
59. city dweller ; 도시의 주민, 거주자 [본문으로]
60. clog ; [타동사] 1. <기름·먼지 등이 기계의> 움직임을 방해하다[나쁘게 하다]; <파이프 등을> 막히게 하다 ((up, with)); <자동차 등이> (정체하여) <길을> 막다, 막히게 하다, 움직일 수 없게 하다 ;; [VERB] When something clogs a hole or place, it blocks it so that nothing can pass through. [본문으로]
61. put up with sth/sb ; (짜증스럽거나 불쾌한 것을 불평 없이) 참다[받아들이다] ; 유의어 tolerate ;; to accept somebody/something that is annoying or unpleasant without complaining [본문으로]
62. hooliganism ; [U] 폭력(행위), 깡패 생활 ;; [NOUN] Hooliganism is the behaviour and actions of hooligans. [본문으로]
63. litter-strewn ; [형용사] 쓰레기가 널브러진 [본문으로]
64. push up ; 2. [가격]을 올리다; [수량]을 늘리다 [본문으로]
65. cost of living ; [the ~] 생계비(living costs) ; [NOUN] The cost of living is the average amount of money that people in a particular place need in order to be able to afford basic food, housing, and clothing. [본문으로]
66. price ; [타동사] 1. …에 값을 매기다, 평가하다 ;; 2. (싼 데와 시세를 알려고) 값을 여기저기 알아보다, …의 값을 묻다 ;; 3. [~ oneself로] 터무니없는 값을 매겨 (시장에서) 밀려나다 ((out of)) [본문으로]
67. peak season ; [명사] 성수기 [본문으로]
68. halve ; 1. 반으로 줄다[줄이다] ;; halve 를 자동사로도 활용하는 것을 확인 [본문으로]
69. walled ; [형용사] 벽이 있는, 벽으로 둘러싸인; 성벽으로 방비한 [본문으로]
70. cobble (sth) together ; 대충 꿰맞추다 ;; to put something together or to make something quickly or carelessly, with whatever time and materials you have available [본문으로]
71. cope ; [자동사][V] ~ (with sth) 대처[대응]하다 ; 유의어 manage [본문으로]
72. cap ; [타동사] 9. <임금·물가 등의> 상한을 정하다 [본문으로]
73. coach ; 4. [C] (英) (장거리용 대형) 버스 [본문으로]
74. tight-fisted ; [형용사] (돈에) 인색한, 구두쇠의 ; 유의어 mean, stingy ;; [ADJ] If you describe someone as tight-fisted, you disapprove of them because they are unwilling to spend money. [본문으로]
75. coach ; 4. [C] (英) (장거리용 대형) 버스 [본문으로]
76. day-tripper ; [명사] 당일치기 여행을 하는 사람. [본문으로]
77. fiddle (around/about) with ; 2. (고치거나 바꾸려고) 손을 대다[보다] [본문으로]
78. better reflect ; ~을 더 잘 반영하다, 나타내다 [본문으로]
79. impose ; 1. (의무를) 지우다, 부과하다, 과하다(lay, exact)(on, upon). [본문으로]
80. councillor ; [명사] Cllr (지방 의회) 의원; (협의회 등의) 의원[위원] ; 참조 councilman, councilwoman ;; [NOUN] A councillor is a member of a local council. [본문으로]
81. reportedly ; [부사] 전하는 바에 따르면, 소문에 의하면 [본문으로]
82. rubbish collection ; 쓰레기 수거 [본문으로]
83. spread ; 5. [usually + adv. / prep.] (더 넓은 범위로) 번지다[번지게 하다] ;; 6. [타동사][VN] (여러 장소로) 퍼뜨리다 [본문으로]
84. marketing campaign ; [명사] 마케팅 캠페인, 마케팅 전략 [본문으로]
85. relief ; 2. [U] ~ (from/of sth) (고통·불안 등의) 경감[완화/제거] [본문으로]
86. undiscovered ; [형용사] 발견되지 않은 ;; [ADJ] Something that is undiscovered has not been discovered or noticed. [본문으로]
87. scoop up ; to win or get something easily, especially a large sum of money or a prize [본문으로]
88. tackle ; 1. [타동사][VN] (힘든 문제상황과) 씨름하다 [본문으로]
89. chief ; 1. (단체의) 최고위자[장] [본문으로]
90. lead to sth ; to result in a particular action or event; to force or persuade somebody to take a particular action [본문으로]
91. crowd ; 1. [타동사] (어떤 장소를) 가득 메우다 [본문으로]
92. packed lunch ; (英) (집에서 싼) 도시락 ; 참조 bag lunch, box lunch [본문으로]
93. munch ; [자, 타동사] ~(on/at) sth 아삭아삭[우적우적] 먹다 ; 유의어 chomp ;; 미국∙영국 [mʌntʃ] [본문으로]
94. flee ; [자, 타동사] (fled, fled[fled]) [수동태로는 안 씀] ~ (from) sb/sth | ~ (to…/into…) 달아나다, 도망하다 참조 fly v. (12) ;; [VERB] If you flee from something or someone, or flee a person or thing, you escape from them. [본문으로]
95. reassure ; ~ sb (about sth) 안심시키다 ; 유의어 set sb’s mind at rest [본문으로]
96. poll ; 2. [타동사][VN] [주로 수동태로] 여론 조사를 하다 ; 유의어 survey [본문으로]
97. nudge ; 2. [타동사][VN + adv. / prep.] (…을 특정 방향으로) 살살[조금씩] 밀다[몰고 가다] [본문으로]
98. at (the) most ; 많아 봐야[기껏해야] ;; [본문으로]
99. hold ; 5. [타동사][VN] (사람사물을) 수용할[담을] 수 있다; (사람사물을) 수용하다[담다] [본문으로]
100. object to ; ~에 반대하다 ;; to say that you disagree with, disapprove of or oppose something [본문으로]
101. motorway ; [C, U] (영국에서) 고속도로 ; 참조 interstate, expressway [본문으로]
102. alike ; 1. (아주) 비슷하게 ;; 2. 둘 다, 똑같이(앞에 두 사람집단에 대한 언급이 나옴) [본문으로]
103. jostle ; 1. 밀다, 부딪치다(push, knock)(against), 밀어젖히고 나아가다(through, into). [본문으로]
104. correspondent ; 1. 편지 주고받는 사람, 통신자. ;; 2. (신문·방송 등의) 특파원, 통신원, 통신 기자; (신문·잡지의) 기고가. ;; [NOUN] A correspondent is a newspaper or television journalist, especially one who specializes in a particular type of news. [본문으로]