𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬. | Irina Smurovskaia | 103 comments

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬.

Lately, my feed is full of posts about overtourism:
Crowds. High prices. Locals being pushed out by short-term rentals.
Angry signs in Venice. Protests in Barcelona.
The tone is clear: 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑚.

And while I understand the frustration – and I believe redistribution of tourism and better local planning are essential – I want to offer a different perspective.

It’s easy to talk about “fewer tourists” after you’ve already travelled the world.
To say “less is more” once you’ve taken your own photos in Santorini or wandered the streets of Florence.

But let’s not forget:
𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞.
For most of history, the average person couldn’t afford to see the world.
The rise of affordable travel was not just an economic shift – it was a social one.
A chance for more people to explore, connect, and understand cultures beyond their own.

So when we start calling for fewer visitors and higher prices, let’s be honest:
We’re calling for tourism to become exclusive again.
Not less damaging – just less accessible.

Yes, mass tourism has consequences.
Yes, some places are overwhelmed.
But let’s not blame people for finally having access to something that used to be reserved for the elite.

Tourists didn’t invent plastic.
They didn’t design city zoning laws that allow investors to buy dozens of short-term rental apartments.
They didn’t decide that hotel chains should pay less tax than local businesses.
Tourists are not the ones releasing sewage into the sea or monopolizing land – 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞.

And when we talk about sustainability, let’s also talk about something few people mention:
𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬.
Because while local nature, cities, and infrastructure carry the burden of mass tourism – a huge portion of the profit is captured by a handful of global players.
This is true in wealthy countries and developing ones alike.

So before we say, “we need fewer tourists,” maybe we should be saying:
“We need stronger policies.”
“We need more local ownership.”
“We need governments that aren’t afraid to regulate big business – not just individual behaviour.”

𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬.

And until we balance that equation, tourists will follow the system they’re given – not the one we wish they would.