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https://theconversation.com/anti-tourism-protests-are-not-new-they-happened-in-ancient-rome-19th-century-england-and-after-world-war-ii-260295>
"This hot European summer, anti-tourism protests have made headlines, from
Barcelona to Venice, Mallorca and the Canary Islands. The unrest is not
confined to Europe, though.
In Mexico City on Friday, peaceful protests against overtourism and
gentrification by foreign “digital nomads” turned violent, with a small group
of protesters smashing storefront windows and ransacking stores.
Earlier this year, Japan’s tourism board urged Australians to swap Tokyo and
Kyoto (where tourists have been accused of harassing geishas) for
less-travelled destinations. Tourists have been criticised for behaving badly
in Antarctica and Bali (where tourism accounts for 60–70% of its gross domestic
product), too.
While unrest about overtourism in Europe dates to at least 2017, this year
marks a milestone: protests have been coordinated by community campaigners
across the continent for the first time. Locals have resorted to anti-tourism
graffiti in Athens, water pistol attacks in Italy, Portugal and Spain, and a
water parade against cruise ships in Venice. Security warnings for travellers
to Europe have been issued this northern summer season.
Common complaints are overcrowding, housing unaffordability, and damage to
physical and natural environments. Elsewhere in the world, concerns also
include unbalanced tourism policies, insensitive tourists and real estate
speculation.
But local protests against tourism are not new. They have a long history: from
ancient Rome and 19th-century Brighton, to Hawaii and the Caribbean after the
rise of mass tourism in the 1950s."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
