Part 2: Overtourism: How Can Our Favourite Destinations Survive the Crowds?

Haven’t read Part One? Click here for our full report on the protests, policies, and flashpoints leading to Overtourism in 2025.

How the Travel Industry Is Responding to Overtourism

From tour operators and hotel chains to national tourism boards and tech platforms, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of renaissance. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in response to rising anti-tourism protests, has acknowledged the urgency of the moment but urged for a more nuanced conversation. In a recent statement, the WTTC emphasised that travel and tourism are not solely to blame for complex challenges like housing shortages. “The sector creates employment and revenue from international and domestic visitors,” the council noted, adding that many of the issues being attributed to tourism, such as rental inflation or urban congestion, often stem from deeper, structural problems that go beyond the travel industry’s direct control.

Importantly, the WTTC pointed out that Travel & Tourism generates significant tax revenue, and governments must be held accountable for reinvesting these funds into infrastructure and local community services. “We support responsible travel that benefits people,” the council said, calling for greater collaboration between governments, tourism bodies, and citizens.

This perspective has gained traction among destination managers who are now pivoting from mass tourism to measured, value-driven travel. For example, Italy’s “Italy Reimagined” Campaign encourages visitors to explore lesser-known regions such as Umbria, Calabria, and Puglia, which areas rich in culture but less saturated with tourists. Meanwhile, major tour brands like Globus and Trafalgar are now offering discounts for off-season travel and are working with local councils to redesign itineraries that minimise environmental impact while maximising cultural exchange.

Hotels, too, are adapting. The Oberoi Group in India launched “Elements by Oberoi,” a sustainability initiative focused on waste reduction, local sourcing, and guest education. Similar efforts are echoed by international hotel chains like Accor and eco-conscious brands such as Soneva, which now actively promote “planet-positive” stays, ranging from plastic-free amenities to regenerative farming on-site. Guests are gently encouraged to participate, with in-room nudges on reusing linens, minimising plastic use, and choosing lower-emission experiences.

Governments are leaning into technology to support these shifts. Japan’s predictive crowd-management apps alert visitors in real-time about congestion at hotspots like Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera Temple, nudging them toward quieter alternatives. The CopenPay initiative in Denmark goes a step further, rewarding tourists with perks like free coffee or museum passes if they bike instead of drive, or pick up litter in public spaces. QR-coded timed entries are being adopted in cities like Athens and Amsterdam, while geo-tagging regulations are being explored to limit viral-fueled overcrowding at fragile landmarks.

From high-end resorts to budget tours, the conversation is moving from volume to value, from extraction to stewardship. “We don’t want to be part of the problem,” said a Thai hotelier, “We want to be part of the reason our island still thrives ten years from now.”

This pivot reflects a deeper truth: the industry knows that its survival depends on the health and happiness of the very places it promotes. And increasingly, travellers do too.

What Can Be Done for Responsible Travel in 2025?

If overtourism is the crisis, conscious travel is the cure. But the responsibility doesn’t just lie with governments or companies. Every traveller, each of us, has the power to change the game with thoughtful decisions.

Travelling in the off-season, for instance, not only spares destinations from burnout but also offers more intimate, rewarding experiences. Choosing locally owned stays and guides ensures your money supports real people, not faceless corporations. It also helps keep cultural traditions alive, not just commodified.

Packing sustainably, reusable bottles, cloth bags, and solid toiletries reduces the environmental footprint that tourists unknowingly carry. Social media also plays a role. Following content creators who promote responsible travel, rather than viral, over-filtered photo-ops, shifts the narrative from “look at me” to “learn with me.”

Emerging trends like slow travel and regenerative tourism are also gaining ground. Unlike fast-paced, checklist-based tourism, slow travel emphasises deep connection, spending more time in fewer places, engaging with communities, and respecting rhythms. Regenerative travel takes it a step further.

And for readers looking for actionable tips, check out our standalone guide: 6 Ways for Responsible Travel in 2025.

Can the Tourism Industry Truly Hit Reset?

Most experts believe it can, but only if short-term fixes give way to long-term transformation. Education, regulation, and thoughtful investment must work hand in hand.

Spain’s Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo recently acknowledged the scope of the challenge. He stated, “It’s important to understand that these record numbers… pose challenges… and we need to deal with those challenges also for our population.” Greece’s €20 cruise passenger fee in Santorini and Mykonos is a prime example of a smart, targeted levy funding local infrastructure and deterring overuse.

Some governments are also considering “two-tier pricing”, charging visitors more than residents, not as punishment, but as a way to fund heritage preservation and drive respect. Japan is exploring this for Mount Fuji and Kyoto’s temples. It’s a delicate balance, but one rooted in mutual benefit.

Education is equally key. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said at last year’s UN climate summit, “Overtourism is not just about numbers, it’s about impact.” From signage in hotels to campaigns at airports, public education can transform travellers from passive consumers into mindful guests. It’s no longer enough to visit a place. You must honour it.

Taxes, technology, and awareness are tools, not ends in themselves. The real goal is balance: to allow places to breathe, to give culture space to live, and to ensure the welcome doesn’t come at the cost of the host.

My Take on What’s Changing

I can think, admiring the canals of Venice at dawn, the city still in mist. It would be magical until, by noon, the charm would be drowned by selfie sticks, loudspeakers, and stampeding crowds. The contrast between reverence and recklessness is the very crux of this thought. Tourism is a privilege. But like all privileges, it comes with responsibility.

This is not a thought of hostility. It’s a call for harmony. From officials to influencers, from airlines to armchair travellers, everyone has a role to play in reshaping how we travel. Because if we don’t, the very places we treasure might not be around for the next generation to fall in love with.

If we truly believe that travel builds bridges between cultures, economies, and people, then we must also believe that loving a place means visiting it gently. Cruise ship levies, short-term rental bans, AI crowd sensors, these are just signals of something bigger which is a return to balance.

The age of extractive tourism is ending. A new era is rising, one of maturity, mindfulness, and mutual respect.

And in that shift lies hope.