Overtourism Threatens Cultural Landmarks, Environment

A tourist takes a selfie in front of the the ruins of the fifth century B.C. Parthenon temple at the Acropolis hill, on Friday, Sept. 1, 2017.
A tourist takes a selfie in front of the the ruins of the fifth century B.C. Parthenon temple at the Acropolis hill, on Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo
A tourist takes a selfie in front of the the ruins of the fifth century B.C. Parthenon temple at the Acropolis hill, on Friday, Sept. 1, 2017.
A tourist takes a selfie in front of the the ruins of the fifth century B.C. Parthenon temple at the Acropolis hill, on Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo

Overtourism Threatens Cultural Landmarks, Environment

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In the past couple of years, tourists have faced an increased hotel tax in Ireland, new restrictions on tourist numbers in Dubrovnik, Croatia and even a ban on motorcoaches in Rome. These and similar policies come in response to the overcrowding, as well as environmental and infrastructure challenges, associated with overtourism. These problems plague not only international destinations, but American sites as well. U.S. national parks receive more visitors than their land can handle. Tourists flock to Airbnb properties in beautiful cities like New Orleans. Joining us to discuss overtourism and how both individuals and governments can work toward more sustainable travel is journalist Elizabeth Becker. She’s the author of the book Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism.