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8/22/2019

Topic Reading-Vol.2689-8/22/2019

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
What is it like to live in an over-touristed city?
Conflicting interests. While travelers and visitors are looking for excitement or extraordinary experience, local residents want to maintain peace and order in their neighborhood. This becomes a serious problem to the cities where visitors outnumber the residents multiple times, like Amsterdam whose visitor-resident ratio went over 18 last year. Such over-tourism puts a strain on the resources and infrastructure of the city. For example, overcrowded public transportation like subways and buses, heavy traffic around popular scenic or selfie spots, and trash and drunken tourists on the street. Other major tourist destinations like San Francisco, Barcelona, and Toronto are also facing  similar problems. To balance the peace of the lives of the residents and attraction for visitors, these cities are trying to divert the tourists to lesser-known places around the cities’ hot spots.
Another problem caused by over-tourism is the rising housing places partly being pushed by vacation rent like Airbnb. Some cities have banned such renting practices, but it is hard to enforce the regulation or monitor the situation.
Over tourism is also a controversial issue among local residents. While there are people and businesses that benefit from visitors, there are people who are constantly annoyed. Tour buses drop tourists at scenic spots and drive narrow and already crowded streets causing noise and leaving exhaust gases. Cruise ships bring thousands of passengers at once to a tiny port town. In the meantime, they hire guides, buy souvenirs, and eat and drink, and pay taxes. Indeed, tourism is essential for the local economy. Tourists are welcomed as long as they respect the local residents, their lives and customs.
Enjoy reading the article and rethink your next vacation plan.

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