Minimising overtourism

A new body has been formed in order to tackle the growing problem of ‘overtourism’ around the world. The World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH) aims to promote ethical practices and better management of destinations that are feeling the effects of unrestricted visitor growth. WTACH is comprised of 15 advisors from diverse backgrounds within the tourism sector. Their work will consist of collaborating with destinations that require assistance to develop appropriate strategies and policy framework recommendations. The core idea behind these strategies and recommendations is always that tourism needs to respect host communities and their cultural and heritage assets. The formation of WTACH comes after witnessing the tangible negative effects that overtourism has had on sites such as Angkor Wat (pictured), Phi Phi Island and Mt Everest. According to the World Tourism Organization, international tourism arrivals hit 1.4 billion in 2018, two years ahead of their previous forecast of 2020.