OS Conversations: Mass tourism

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 11 May 2024

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The pandemic stopped most of us travelling anywhere, but now the United Nations predicts that international tourism will soon return to pre-Covid levels. While that might be welcome if you’re making money from tourism, the number of visitors can also cause problems. Hosts James Reynolds and Lukwesa Burak discuss how you balance the tourist dollar.

Residents of Venice, Bali and Spain’s Canary Islands discuss their concerns, ranging from a lack of infrastructure and non-tourist housing to cultural insensitivity and the distribution of tourism income.

“Tenerife has about one million residents and six million tourists visit every year,” says Brian. “With over 36 percent of the population living in or at risk of poverty, it’s obvious that mass tourism has failed the islanders.”

We also discuss the role of travel influencers who share videos and photos with a mass audience on social media. Kristen Sarah in Costa Rica, who runs @Hopscotchtheglobe vlog, says: “As influencers, it’s our messaging that encourages and inspires others to follow in our footsteps,” she says. “A photo is just a photo. But if you don’t take in the place that you’re visiting, then what’s the point of even going?”

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello I'm James Reynolds. Welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service.
0:05.0	In BBC OS conversations we bring people together to share their experiences.
0:10.0	And this time we hear from travelers and those who, whilst understanding the benefits of tourism,
0:14.8	are also unhappy with the large numbers of visitors coming to effect where they live.
0:22.1	What's it like to live in a place which everyone wants to visit?
0:25.6	We'll hear from those concerned about large numbers of incoming tourists as well as the travel bloggers who can make a beauty spot go viral.
0:33.0	Are they to blame if some tourists just want to pitch up
0:36.4	and take a selfie and fail to consider the local environment?
0:39.5	I would say no personally because I'm aware of it. I do my best to respect the places and the people that I visit.
0:47.3	I've seen both sides but I think it's important to be aware so that you can be part of the solution
0:51.9	rather than the problem.
0:54.0	Those images of empty streets and beaches during the peak of the pandemic are increasingly
0:59.4	becoming a distant memory as tourists are once again crowding into famous attractions.
1:05.3	According to UN figures international tourism is on track this year to return to pre-Covid levels.
1:11.2	At the same time those who receive the visitors are increasingly feeling the need to take action in response.
1:17.0	Recently famous destinations, Venice, barley, Tenerife, Kyoto have either introduced or increased tourist taxes or placed restrictions on the number of visitors who get to come in.
1:28.0	Some residents are even telling tourists to go home.
1:32.0	In Maraga in Spain it's been done with stickers on streets
1:35.0	because tourists are causing rents to go up to unaffordable levels for those who
1:39.2	actually live there. Our conversations today explore how you balance the tourist dollar.
1:44.4	First up, my colleague Lequesoparach spoke to three people who might consider themselves to be incredibly
1:49.2	lucky. They live in some of the places which are among the most popular in the entire world.
	...

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