Travel and Tourism in the Age of Overtourism

Over the last decade, while many scholars have maintained their interest in the classical debate concerning the impacts of tourism, some have attempted new conceptualisations, while others have converged towards critical narratives promoted by a number of social movements, and have become involved in subsequent discussions on ‘overtourism’ and ‘tourismphobia’. The terms ‘overtourism’ and ‘tourismphobia’ have their genesis in the rapid unfolding of unsustainable mass tourism practices and the responses that these have generated amongst academics, practitioners, social movements and grassroots organizations concerned with the detrimental use of urban, rural and coastal spaces, among others, for tourism purposes. The renewed interest in the study of the adverse impacts of tourism, as implied in the term ‘overtourism’, is related to a variety of well-established causes.

Travel and Tourism in the Age of Overtourism builds on existing knowledge and makes a theoretical and practical contribution the overtourism debate and the system dynamics underlining it. This collection suggests ways to address this from a tourism and planning perspective. It offers critical reflections on the contemporary evolution of tourism development and the implication of such processes on people, places and spaces.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a Special Issue of the journal Tourism Planning & Development.