- With tourism at its peak in the summer season, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched a new report, Managing Destination Overcrowding: A Call to Action, calling for a more balanced management of tourist destinations in order to ensure sustainable development, without threatening jobs and local communities.
WTTC warns that while the phenomenon of overcrowding is often blamed for the pressure on destinations, the underlying causes lie in insufficient investment in infrastructure, poor planning, and fragmentation in decision-making. Issues that affect not only residents but also visitors require coordinated solutions.
The Travel & Tourism sector contributes almost 10% of global GDP, supporting one in ten jobs worldwide, and is estimated to create one in three new jobs in the next ten years. At the same time, it enhances cultural exchange, global understanding and environmental protection. However, without smart planning, all these benefits are at risk.
Six practical actions for better management
The new WTTC report suggests six concrete steps for managing tourism development:
1. Organize – Form working groups with the participation of all stakeholders.
2. Plan – Define a common strategy and vision for the destination.
3. Document – ??Collect and use data to inform decisions.
4. Be vigilant – Continuously monitor the situation and take timely action.
5. Targeted Investment – ??Transparently invest tourism revenues in infrastructure and resilience.
6. Empower Residents – Actively involve residents in decisions and highlight the benefits of tourism for the local community.
The report highlights that the introduction of tourist taxes, which are being implemented in an increasing number of destinations in response to the pressure of overtourism, is not a panacea and may harm local economies, leading to a loss of income, services and jobs.
Economic impacts and positive examples
According to the research, if 11 major European cities imposed visitor caps, the result could be a loss of $245 billion in GDP and almost 3 million jobs within three years.
However, there are already destinations that are following positive examples:
Barcelona: Turisme de Barcelona operates as a public-private partnership guided by the Sustainable Development Goals.
Flanders (Belgium): The Travel to Tomorrow strategy focuses on the well-being of local communities, integrating the voice of residents into tourism policies.
Dubrovnik (Croatia): Working with CLIA to manage cruise traffic and reduce congestion through dialogue with local communities.
Iceland: Directly reinvesting tourism revenues in environmental protection.
Tourism as a driver of progress – but with proper planning
WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson said:
“Tourism offers enormous benefits such as jobs, investment, and deeper cultural understanding. But growth needs proper management. We call on all policymakers to work together and think long-term, so that the benefits reach both visitors and residents.”
WTTC stresses that this is an opportunity for change. With the right steps and strategic planning, destinations can protect their unique characteristics and ensure that tourism continues to deliver value to both communities and local economies.
The report concludes that there is no “one size fits all” solution. Every destination is different and requires targeted interventions that respond to local needs. The challenge is balance: tourism development that strengthens local communities without degrading them.
