The Dark Side of Over-Tourism

When is tourism good tourism, and when is it just too much?

Current projections suggest global travel is going to carry on rising for the foreseeable future, as low-cost air travel and budget rentals make package holidays ever more affordable for ever more people.

But from Tenerife to Venice, more and more tourist destinations are feeling the pressure of these rising visitor numbers. In holiday hotspots, local people are complaining of congested streets, rising housing costs, and environmental degradation. And some have even taken to the streets to protest about the issue. So what’s to be done?

(Image: Thousands of people demonstrate against tourism policies on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain in 2024)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler