New technologies have offered a low cost and easy way to travel, but most tourist cities are failing to keep pace with managing the increased visitor flows. However, the same ICT sector is now being called on to deliver smart solutions to deal with overtourism and avoid the congestion of city centres.
Overtourism affects many world’s beautiful cities, which often find themselves unprepared to deal with massive flows of visitors encouraged by low prices and easy mobility. This alienates residents as they suffer from higher prices, unaffordable housing, overcrowded facilities, water and energy over-consumption, noise pollution, waste, and damage to the environment and to cultural heritage.
While new technologies are part of the problem, as peer-to-peer apps and social media have encouraged a focus on a small number of over-visited destinations, smart Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions can offer an exit strategy.