It was to be expected: a growing world population that wants to do the prosperous things that were once reserved for a wealthy upper class is putting pressure on the earth. This applies to consumption in general (unfortunately there are not enough raw materials for everyone), but lately also to a specific variant of it: tourism. There is not enough space for everyone everywhere.
Tropical paradises in Southeast Asia and Latin America have long suffered from overtourism, but now that, after Venice, more and more European cities, beaches and other destinations are being invaded by selfie-taking hordes from abroad to such an extent that local life is being disrupted, residents are worried.
In Barcelona, the Canary Islands, Mallorca, Lisbon and Amsterdam, all kinds of protests against the takeover of their city and country have broken out. Although initially focused on governments and project developers, earlier this month tourists themselves were also attacked with water pistols. ‘Go home’ was the message from the Barcelona gunmen.
The nuisance takes many forms, but the most problematic is displacement. Fruit shops become Nutella shops, houses become hotels, rents and property prices adjust to the purchasing power of visitors, and so a house becomes a place for passers-by. The city will become a campsite, wrote the German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk ten years ago, in his opinion the height of barbarism.
Travelling is great. Getting to know other cultures broadens your thinking, meeting others increases empathy, a trip through a different nature offers a different adventure and on a beach with palm trees even the breeze feels different. But we travel more and more to look for more of the same in other places. Yoga in Bali, a burger in Barcelona, beer in Amsterdam. Only the decor changes. The main language has long been English everywhere.
It should be less. Imposing restrictions is difficult: travel is the most physical form of freedom and no one wants to lose that. But one’s freedom always ends with the other’s lack of freedom. Tourism, like all consumption, revolves around scarce goods. The solution (provided some kind of individual travel quota is unattainable) lies in pricing and regulation: higher tourist taxes, more expensive air travel, stricter zoning plans and, for example, banning new hotels, as in Amsterdam. Gone.
To prevent travel from becoming an exclusively elitist activity again, a city could also offer cheaper options (at less crowded times or places). But it wouldn’t be surprising if a trip to the city of Barcelona or a week in the Canary Islands became a little less common. They’re worth it.
The position of the newspaper is expressed in the Volkskrant commentary. It is the result of a discussion between the commentators and the editor-in-chief.
