‘We’re not anti-tourist’: Italy’s picturesque villages struggle to cope with deluge of Insta-visitors

8 comments

1. Going back to Italy in July and I’m already dreading the absolute mess it’s gonna be. It’s an absolute struggle in the summer for everyone.

2. We were in Amalfi and Positano just a couple of weeks ago. The crowds were insane and high season hadn’t even started yet. Not going there again, and we don’t even travel in high season.

3. It’s funny how often so many people don’t understand overtourism with these type of articles and immediately jump to ‘oh look they want to destroy their economy’

4. It feels a bit like we’re hitting critical mass for tourism and someone well above my paygrade needs to have a brainwave. Lots of Southern Europe seems to have hit the wall with tourist numbers but also cities like Barcelona and Amsterdam. Between cruises and cheap flights we’ve got too many people going to places that weren’t built to accommodate them.

5. They should be anti-tourist, for almost all kinds of would-be tourist.

   If a place is beautiful and pleasant, it cannot be so if the whole world shows up. They should massively raise the prices on tourism and dedicate much of the money from tourism to improving the lives of the local people.

   That’s not just true for tourism, btw.

6. People don’t seem to understand that while they are on vacation, we don’t stop living there. Tourism must be compatible with residents’ right to serenity and tranquility. Especially on the islands. It’s time to create a limited number filter.

7. There are about twenty gazillion cities, towns and villages in Italy, all with their particular food, history and traditions, and you guys all seem to come visit the same 5. And then complain about the crowd, which is you.

8. I know lots of people want to ban airbnbs and jack up prices and I support providing more money to local.

   My only concern is international travel becoming unaffordable for working class people.

   There is a big push to drive up travel costs by plane as well as tourists costs. As someone who is working class international travel is becoming difficult. I live in Japan and a new flight surcharge jacked up prices on airlines last year, the weak yen etc has me already considering the fact I may not get to travel outside of Japan at all in a year.

   It’s rather depressing and I worry it’s the working class being further crushed by the advance forward of the wealthy and capitalism. Creating further depression and isolation as well as growing ignorance.

   Overcrowding is a massive issue. Just thought I’d give a little insight to international travelers and the working class. I don’t know what the solution is.