Andy Headington, Adido chief executive, believes digital marketing can play a part in tackling the issue
Overtourism has made national headlines in recent weeks. And, while it’s not a new issue, some of the images and stories have made many contemplate the best way forward.
From a travel marketing perspective, it’s important to look at the role technology has played, and will play in the future, to help find solutions for everyone concerned.
Harnessing technology
When it comes to the relationship between tourism and technology, there’s an element of ‘give and take’. Yes, technology plays a part in overtourism, but on the flipside, it also holds the potential to offer solutions.
The continued rise of digital marketing has been instrumental in bringing lesser-known destinations into the limelight. A good example of this is Albania, where social media helped spread the word about this beautiful, yet largely tourist-free country.
We are no longer constricted to choosing where to go off the back of a travel brochure or advert. By highlighting the unique attractions of these under-visited places, digital marketing can help redistribute tourist traffic. It can also help tourists find more cost-effective alternatives.
Additionally, digital marketing can be harnessed to educate tourists about the impact of overtourism. An online campaign launched in Amsterdam last year triggered warning ads whenever anyone in the UK entered ‘stag party Amsterdam’ or ‘pub crawl Amsterdam’ into a search engine, alerting people of the possible consequences of bad behaviour.
A strong example of tech ingenuity was the ‘Feel Florence’ app, developed by the city of Florence to manage overtourism in real time. Through data collection from sensors deployed across the city, this app informs tourists which attractions are subject to overcrowding, suggesting alternative, less crowded, places to visit.
The future
Sadly, overtourism is a problem that isn’t going away anytime soon. Whether it’s in 10, 50 or 100 years, it’s likely that people will still want to marvel at Mount Fuji, go scuba diving in the great Barrier Reef or wander along Las Ramblas in Barcelona.
It’s how we in travel marketing, and tourists in general, take steps to mitigate overcrowding through sustainable and responsible tourism.
Some travel and tourism brands are blazing a trail, but it needs everyone in the industry, from top to bottom, to push in the same direction. For travel agencies, for example, there’s an art form to showcasing to clients destinations that might not immediately be top of their wish-list. These could be those ‘hidden gems’ that to date have flown under the tourism radar.
We also need to look to tech giants, policymakers and local governments to really set the ball rolling. Whether that’s through diversifying algorithms so we are not all funnelled towards the same destinations, or through investment in resources, transport links and infrastructure that support sustainable tourism, that’s a conversation to be had.
However, what we in travel marketing can do, right now, is keep finding new, innovative ways to put sustainable travel front and centre in our marketing strategies.