How People Change Places, For Better And Worse

Balancing the impact of tourism

Sketch by author: Mošćenička Draga, a small fishing village in Croatia

This is The Metamorphosis Map, where I explore change in life and at work, through the lenses of my passions: travel, sketching, culture, nature and learning.

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Tourism transforms

People have an impact on places. They transform environments with their presence and behaviour. Tourism provides a vivid example.

Change brings both benefits and challenges. It always has a cost and implies loss.

So, it’s important that we manage the change to maximise the positives and minimise the negatives.

A brief history of tourism

Middles Ages - Pilgrimages to religious sites

17th century - Grand Tour; culture and history for wealthy young nobles

18th century - Industrial Revolution, transport especially train travel

19th century - Start of package holidays

20th century - Mass production cars and buses, charter planes

Post WWII - Mass tourism, lower cost airlines

21st century - Rise in online booking. Disruption by pandemic. Social media promotes must-see/do highlights, contributing to over-tourism.

Throughout history, tourism has allowed people to showcase the best of their home environment, history and culture and provided a valuable source of employment and income.

Those who travel have always had a variety of motivations. Recently, boundaries of work and holidays are becoming blurred.

Now perhaps more than ever, struggles between locals and tourists are playing out across the world. In cities and villages, in apartment blocks, villas, and even cruise ships and yachts, moored off the coast.

Balancing impacts

I’ve been lucky enough to visit almost 50 countries as a tourist.

I try to keep my impact low/positive (though nothing and no one is perfect) by:

• traveling off-peak and walking around (celebrated and historic spots);

• educating myself on the culture (but probably ignorant of nuances);

• reading up on some history (carrying some guilt for colonisation/damaging foreign policy); and

• learning some of the local language (without being fluent enough to make every interaction smooth).

And that’s just one person’s experience who is aware of the issues. Times it by millions of people with varying motivations and degrees of consciousness.

The scale, diversity and complexity of the industry leads to a Jekyll and Hyde approach to tourism. We simultaneously invite people to visit and complain bitterly.

Both for good reason.

Over-tourism has become a global issue

🇮🇹 Italy is the fourth most visited country in the world. Rome has always been high on travellers’ lists, but the scale of the tourism is threatening the local way of life which is part of its appeal. Venetians have long been protesting about the strain caused by mass tourism. And more recently by individuals with deep pockets and little concern for the environment.

🇯🇵 Japan has been experiencing an explosion in visitor numbers over the past decade, especially since the pandemic. It is now introducing measures to control numbers and to discourage disruptive behaviour.

🇫🇷 France is the world’s top destination. But it does not reap the rewards. Ironically, the high prices of accommodation and attractions make it more appealing as a brief stop-over on the way to more affordable European destinations.

🇪🇸 Spain depends on tourism. It contributes over 15% of its GDP. But locals have been protesting against mass tourism in Spain. A recent court case ordered the closure of rental flats whose visitors had caused a family psychological damage.

🇭🇷 In Croatia, hot spots struggle to cope with visitor numbers. Mošćenička Draga, a small coastal town, is typical. It has 1,500 residents but hosts up to 2,500 tourists in peak season. There’s an impact on the environment, living costs and the soul of a place. Recently, the ancient walled city of Dubrovnik, which hosts many more visitors, has introduced controls to stem the flow and limit the damage.

A Change Management approach to creating solutions

So, how can we create win-win solutions for both hosts and visitors?

By recognising that every visit or stay implies change, creating positive and negative impacts and provoking mixed emotions.

Just like a business, with leaders and employees, a place, its residents and visitors need to apply good Change Management fundamentals:

1. Define a clear vision & values

A place needs to set out what it stands for. And what it wants to preserve. It should be inclusive but also not tolerate behaviour that goes against its values.

As a visitor, we ought to know what we are signing up for, and respect local customs and laws. A lot relates to common sense and basic manners. But research is important because a resort may look familiar, but outside its confines, different rules can apply. And in terms of the environment, impacts are not always obvious. We need to take responsibility for our actions.

2. Consider all stakeholders

Many places need tourism to survive or thrive. They suffered during the pandemic. But now “revenge travel” is back and bigger than ever.

Places want to serve and delight their customers. But they should not chase that goal to the detriment of their citizens and residents. People need to live and work comfortably on a daily basis as much as people want to enjoy a special holiday experience. One should not cancel out or threaten the other.

As guests, we need to consider local life and try not to disrupt it. Make off-peak visits, try to limit noise in residential areas and support local businesses. Distribute our money and presence rather than crowd into the same “viral” spots. And generally, behave as we would like guests to behave in our home.

3. Engage people/get involved

Involve people and find out what they think, rather than impose a strategy. Towns and cities need to work with residents and local businesses to find out what works and what doesn’t. And balance commercial and environmental considerations. This "stewardship" model is gaining popularity.

As visitors, we also need to hear local stories to understand the context and our impact on it. So we can make our presence positive - and contribute more than we damage or erode. We need to choose companies which offer sustainable tourism choices. And do our own research to plan a route and activities which contribute rather than take advantage.

4. Communicate clearly

Information and stories are vital. Going back to the vision and values, a place needs to communicate them consistently. Otherwise, it can be easy for tourists to remain ignorant, and act accordingly.

And as visitors, we should try to engage with local people, to support their way of life and educate ourselves on their challenges. Not simply take a tour which may only add to their problems.

5. Measure and adapt

If you care about something, measure it. And make adjustments if it doesn’t fit. Prioritise quality over quantity. But be aware that higher prices are not necessarily the answer, as France illustrates. On the other hand, anything too cheap often devalues and encourages disrespect.

Sustainable solutions are more nuanced and need to consider the whole tourist experience. Some of the key levers include limiting numbers, managing flows, and substituting alternative destinations and attractions.

As a tourist, if you value a place, then keep a low profile but stay longer and do more. It doesn’t have to bankrupt you, but patronise local businesses not just global chains.

6. Celebrate and learn

Promote, enjoy and replicate what works. Alter or avoid what doesn’t. Whether you are the host or the visitor. Some schemes to limit visitor numbers, impose fines or charge entrance fees are unpopular at first, but deliver positive results.

As a tourist, think about your impact. I avoid beaches in July and August. I’ve stopped using trolley bags and switched to light carry-on bags, reducing the noise over cobble-stones. My goal in the future is to use more trains and discover more “hidden gem” destinations.

What about you -how will you make a positive change on your next trip?

Life is a journey and everyone’s map looks different. 🗺️