Another lively discussion, with everyone’s contributions proving interesting, informative and amusing. So, to begin at the end, our conclusion (such as we ever conclude anything), was that homo sapiens, as a species, are curious, creative and capacious, but not good at regulating their enthusiasm and tend to shrug off the consequences of excess. Human greed fuels Climate change and we’ll all go down blaming someone else.
So too with tourism, however you define that word. From the early 20th Century’s one-day excursions to Bognor, Blackpool or Clacton, to the emergence of Butlins-style all-inclusive packages, to cheap flights opening up the Costa del Sol and beyond, tourism has grown exponentially. Accessibility, affordability and expectation have expanded the global tourist industry; the bucket and spade have morphed into the bucket list, with TV travel shows feeding our desire to emulate the celebrities, the risk-takers and the culture seekers. The Forbidden City in Beijing? Got it covered. St Peter’s Basilica, Piazza San Marco, the Uffizi Gallery? Sorted on one tour. Mousehole in Cornwall. Sorry – it’s full today.
But it’s a two-way process: at first, a popular attraction is marketed and supported by tourist-fed amenities: trinkets and T-shirts, catering and accommodation. The tourists come and spread the wealth, everyone’s happy. But the warnings to rein in and moderate the flow always go unheeded until too late.
The anti-tourist protests in Spain, Italy and Portugal are increasing, railing against the growth of short-term accommodation as in Airbnbs, squeezing out local residents and small businesses, eroding the environment and putting strain on the infrastructure. Frequent flights, enormous cruise ships and organised coach trips all take their toll. Free market forces are fed by profit with little regulation or rationing. Timed tickets can be applied to individual venues, but not so easily to wider locations or cities.
But ‘tourists’ don’t suffer equally. Can you afford diversity? Elite quality over affordable quantity: the Tanzania Safari parks are, apparently, an expensive and exclusive experience, compared to the more affordable, budget tours of those in Kenya. As a metaphor, this applies universally, and as Jenny said: “You get what you pay for.”
Solutions? Not a chance unless circumstances change. Pisa’s Leaning Tower falls over; Venice sinks below the Adriatic; the Forbidden City succumbs to property developers; London prices itself out of the market. Until then, can’t stop, I’m off to Antarctica on my latest Eco Adventure holiday. I’m not a tourist, I’m an explorer.