Barcelona is simply a city that has had it with the ills of overtourism. The phenomenon is not new, people have been thronging tourist cities and spots since ages. Yet, locals of these places are now fighting back because it has made life miserable for them. Barcelona made headlines for shooting water pistols at innocent tourists, and many are leaving harsh messages for them on building walls. They have come to a point where they are not just asking tourists to leave; they are demanding it.
Why Spain hates overtourism, and so do other countries
Spain is easily one of the most sought-after countries for traveling, and so are many others that are feeling the brunt of overcrowding foreigners. Locals are not able to afford places to live and even avail basic amenities because vendors have hiked their rates up to profit from Spain-enthusiast foreigners. Marches have been carried out in Malaga against overtourism, but Barcelona decided to take it up a notch. And they have full right to be angry, because locals are being harassed by the tourism industry that does not take their needs into consideration.
Overtourism is taking away businesses of others, and ruining daily life for locals. Their frustration is coupled with foreigners having no regard for the maintenance of public property, and have taken away the charm of unheard-of places with their zeal of adventure. Japanese officials have erected a mesh guard at a popular Mount Fuji photo spot because the crowds are “leaving trash and not following traffic rules.” The elements of these photos are a gas station-esque shop, with Mount Fuji behind it. Fuji itself is grappling with the immense garbage that people leave behind while visiting it. Locals and officials are bound to express their resentment, and retaliate to such taken-for-granted behavior of tourists.
Indian tourist spots are no exclusion to this phenomenon
We don’t have to look beyond India to understand overtourism better. Solo-travelling, which was linked with conscious travel, has become an average from traveling. 84% Indians are planning to solo-travel this year alone. Holiday spots like Goa and Shimla have become a top bucket-list item for most Indians, which have made these spots seem more like a concept, rather than a physical location. Goa is regarded as a must-visit destination for a trip with friends – because of the heavy Western influence on the state. Locals are forced to turn to tourism and real-estate based sources of income, because Goa will never run out of tourists.
Shimla and other hill stations like Manali also have a similar attribution. Up north, tourists are clogging up roadways because of their huge numbers. This often turns into an intensely dangerous situation for religious tourist spots like Kedarnath. The North of India is seeing recurrent floods and landslides, that have left tourists stranded and also cost lives. As soon as the summer hits India, people scramble to these holiday spots for respite. Problem is, so are their relatives and friends, all at the same time.
Overtourism is not just limited to reckless tourist behavior. Us Indians, who are now in our twenties, have grown up seeing names engraved into iconic monuments. A ‘do not spit’ sign is almost against every heritage monument in the country. The reason why people are now angry (and also voicing it out) is because tourist culture is beginning to interfere with their daily lives. It is high time that tourists begin to take notice of how they are affecting locals, and take more responsible measures while traveling. Three has always been a crowd; if everyone is visiting a tourist spot, don’t join in and add to the mess.
