Tourism has long been a double-edged sword, with the term “tourist” often carrying negative connotations of superficiality and a lack of understanding. This perception has only intensified in recent years as anti-tourism movements gain traction worldwide. From protests demanding “Tourists go home” in Barcelona to Venice’s visitor fees and Amsterdam’s cruise ship terminal closure, the backlash is undeniable.
The sheer volume of tourists plays a significant role. In 2023, over 1.3 billion people crossed international borders as tourists, a post-COVID rebound and a remarkable increase since the 1950s. This surge, fueled by affordable flights and online booking platforms, comes at a cost. Tourism contributes to over 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and short-term rentals disrupt housing markets, forcing locals to make sacrifices. The impact extends beyond these aggregate effects, with cities like Dubrovnik imposing rules to curb tourist behavior, Amsterdam targeting British tourists with a “stay away” campaign, and Budapest, Munich, Dusseldorf, and Prague banning “beer-bikes.” Even Italy’s culture minister has expressed frustration over tourists defacing historical sites like the Colosseum.
Amidst this complex landscape, travel journalist Paige McClanahan offers a different perspective in her book, *The New Tourist*. She argues that travel can still be a force for good, but it requires a new approach. McClanahan contrasts the “old tourist,” who treats destinations as mere backdrops for Instagram photos or bucket-list items, with the “new tourist,” who seeks meaningful connections with different cultures and is open to learning from them. She believes travel can promote global understanding, particularly in a world facing interconnected challenges like pandemics, AI advancements, and climate change. She emphasizes the need for “high-quality, meaningful interactions” that broaden perspectives and deepen our understanding of humanity’s interconnectedness.
However, McClanahan acknowledges that we cannot continue traveling as we have. The term “overtourism,” coined in 2016, encapsulates the challenges faced by popular destinations like Iceland, where tourism surged after the 2008 financial crisis. While tourism helped the country pay off its IMF loan, it also led to environmental degradation and strained infrastructure. McClanahan recounts a telling anecdote from Eliza Reid, Iceland’s former first lady, who recalled being shocked by the city’s transformation into a tourist hub in 2017, barely recognizable to locals.
The pandemic further highlighted the downsides of mass tourism. In places like Hawaii, the absence of tourists during international travel bans revealed the sacrifices locals had made for the tourism industry. Contrary to expectations, many residents did not yearn for the return of tourists; they valued the peace and quiet the pandemic had brought. McClanahan recounts a Hawaii tourism conference participant boldly declaring, “Tourism is colonialism. Tourists need to go home now.” This sentiment reflects a growing awareness that tourism, in its current form, often exploits rather than benefits local communities.
McClanahan’s book delves into the tension between the economic benefits of tourism and its social costs. She argues that if tourism drives a low-wage culture or if intermediaries like cruise companies and Airbnb siphon off the profits, the traditional economic justification for tourism collapses, leading to resentment on both sides. She recalls her own experience in Tulum, Mexico, where the stark economic disparity between tourists and locals was evident. She emphasizes that being a responsible tourist means spending more time in a place, avoiding peak seasons, and supporting local businesses.
The origins of modern tourism, as McClanahan outlines, can be traced back to the 1970s when Tony and Maureen Wheeler founded Lonely Planet, a travel guidebook empire. The Wheelers popularized budget travel and the idea of seeking “authentic” experiences off the beaten path. However, McClanahan critiques this approach, noting that these “travelers” often had the same environmental impact as traditional tourists but contributed less economically to the destinations they visited.
McClanahan contrasts the approach of Bhutan, which has maintained a low-volume, high-quality tourism model since 1974, with Nepal, a backpacker’s paradise. In Bhutan, tourists must join organized tours led by local guides and pay a sustainable development fee, ensuring tourism benefits the local economy and preserves the country’s cultural heritage. In contrast, Nepal’s influx of visitors has strained its resources, making it harder to preserve the very landscapes that attract tourists.
McClanahan’s first rule of new tourism is simple: “Travel to fewer places, and spend longer there.” She encourages travelers to cherish the uniqueness of each destination, recognizing that they may never return. This mindset, she argues, adds a bittersweet depth to the travel experience. However, McClanahan warns against “last chance” tourism, where people rush to visit endangered sites like the Great Barrier Reef or Venice before they are irrevocably damaged. She finds this trend depressing and self-defeating, emphasizing that tourism should not be about capturing a perfect selfie but about fostering meaningful connections and understanding.
Some countries are experimenting with ways to make tourism more sustainable. In Palau, tourists who use reef-safe sunscreen receive special access to certain areas, while Denmark’s Copenpay initiative rewards environmentally conscious behavior, such as picking up litter or cycling instead of driving. While these initiatives are creative, McClanahan points out that they are not enough to offset the carbon footprint of air travel, the most significant environmental impact of tourism.
McClanahan remains optimistic about the potential for technological innovations in aviation to reduce carbon emissions, but she stresses that widespread adoption is necessary to make a meaningful difference. She urges consumers and voters to push for faster implementation of carbon-free travel technologies, whether through electric or hydrogen-powered flights or synthetic fuels made from atmospheric carbon dioxide.
In the face of the climate crisis and other ethical challenges, McClanahan calls for a more thoughtful approach to travel. She reminds us that we are not just in traffic; we are the traffic. As travelers, we need to recognize our role in overtourism and learn to do things differently. *The New Tourist* by Paige McClanahan is available now, published by Simon & Schuster.
