Technology has fueled overtourism – now it could also help to stem the tide
Tourism is not always welcomed by the people who actually live in the places so many of us want to visit. Big crowds can bring economic benefits, but they can also price out the locals and cause environmental damage.
Some blame Airbnb. Others blame the cruise ship operators, the retired 'boomers' or the growing middle classes across the world, with their disposable incomes and insatiable appetite for selfies.
But one element which often gets overlooked is the role of technology.
Historically, new transport technology has been a huge driver of the tourism industry. In the UK, for example, 19th-century railway expansion introduced mass tourism to coastal towns including Bournemouth and Blackpool.
In the 1960s, cheaper air travel did the same for destinations abroad, with places such as Majorca and the Spanish Costa del Sol becoming accessible to hoards of new visitors.
But new modes of transport are no longer the main driver of mass tourism. There are no imminent new ways of travelling by land, air or sea which will fuel change in the industry in the way that trains and planes once did.
Now the effects of technology are more subtle, as the online world transforms the way we travel across the real world.
The internet has blurred the distinction between residents and tourists. The surge in working from home, itself made possible by the internet, means that some people can live where they like to play, instead of prioritizing proximity to the office or commuter trains.
Then there are the 'digital nomads' who embrace the idea of remote working to the extent that they are able to live anywhere in the world with a decent internet connection.
The rise of social media has also had a big impact on tourism, spreading stories and images about previously little-known attractions. A few viral videos can quickly turn quiet backwaters into travel hotspots.
Just ask residents of the once-quiet Italian ski resort of Roccaraso, which was overwhelmed by a surge of visitors in January 2025 thanks to some TikTok videos by the Italian social media influencer, Rita De Crescenzo.
The online world has also closed a gap which previously existed between tourism destinations and their distant customers. Pre-internet, the global tourism industry relied on travel agencies and printed media. Now, every hotel or resort is a click away, with platforms like Airbnb (which hosted 5 million rental properties in 2024) transforming the sector.
The effects of artificial intelligence on tourism are less certain. But perhaps it could be part of a solution.
Virtual vacations?
AI could be used to help create bespoke, personal tourism experiences in locations that really need tourists, thus reducing the harm caused to overcrowded locations or fragile eco-systems. The travel industry could also use it to make more accurate predictions about travel patterns, helping places like Barcelona and Venice to manage their number of visitors.
AI-enhanced virtual reality also has the potential to let people have experiences of tourism destinations from afar, with research suggesting 'virtual holidays' could dramatically change the tourism sector.
After all, many of us have swapped other real-life experiences like shopping and work meetings to something we do via a screen. There is even evidence of an emerging preference for playing online sports over the real-life versions.
But could virtual tourism become so attractive that it significantly reduces the real thing? Will tourists really be content with seeing a virtual version of an artistic or natural wonder, instead of queuing for hours to experience it as part of a crowd?
Similar questions were asked when color television developed in the 1960s. Would, for example, the vivid portrayal of wildlife in African game reserves reduce the need for tourists to travel there? Who would bother with the expense and effort of going to Kenya or Botswana, when they could be seen up close from the comfort of a sofa?
The outcome, though, was the exact opposite. There is evidence that wildlife programs have actually stimulated demand to see the real thing. Similarly, popular films and TV shows set in beautiful locations make people want to visit them, with anticipation and expectation adding value to the final tourist experience.
So, while we can be pretty sure AI will affect tourism – as it will every industry – we don't yet know whether its overall impact will be to reduce pressure on the world's most popular places, or further stimulate demand.
And it may not be technology that has the final say – concerns about climate change and economic pressures may influence global travel patterns first. But one thing is for sure: overtourism is not over yet.
Adrian Palmer is Professor of Marketing, University of Reading.
The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.
External Link
https://theconversation.com/technology-has-fuelled-overtourism-now-it-could-also-help-to-stem-the-tide-258435
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Japan Today
4 days ago
- Japan Today
Technology has fueled overtourism – now it could also help to stem the tide
By Adrian Palmer Tourism is not always welcomed by the people who actually live in the places so many of us want to visit. Big crowds can bring economic benefits, but they can also price out the locals and cause environmental damage. Some blame Airbnb. Others blame the cruise ship operators, the retired 'boomers' or the growing middle classes across the world, with their disposable incomes and insatiable appetite for selfies. But one element which often gets overlooked is the role of technology. Historically, new transport technology has been a huge driver of the tourism industry. In the UK, for example, 19th-century railway expansion introduced mass tourism to coastal towns including Bournemouth and Blackpool. In the 1960s, cheaper air travel did the same for destinations abroad, with places such as Majorca and the Spanish Costa del Sol becoming accessible to hoards of new visitors. But new modes of transport are no longer the main driver of mass tourism. There are no imminent new ways of travelling by land, air or sea which will fuel change in the industry in the way that trains and planes once did. Now the effects of technology are more subtle, as the online world transforms the way we travel across the real world. The internet has blurred the distinction between residents and tourists. The surge in working from home, itself made possible by the internet, means that some people can live where they like to play, instead of prioritizing proximity to the office or commuter trains. Then there are the 'digital nomads' who embrace the idea of remote working to the extent that they are able to live anywhere in the world with a decent internet connection. The rise of social media has also had a big impact on tourism, spreading stories and images about previously little-known attractions. A few viral videos can quickly turn quiet backwaters into travel hotspots. Just ask residents of the once-quiet Italian ski resort of Roccaraso, which was overwhelmed by a surge of visitors in January 2025 thanks to some TikTok videos by the Italian social media influencer, Rita De Crescenzo. The online world has also closed a gap which previously existed between tourism destinations and their distant customers. Pre-internet, the global tourism industry relied on travel agencies and printed media. Now, every hotel or resort is a click away, with platforms like Airbnb (which hosted 5 million rental properties in 2024) transforming the sector. The effects of artificial intelligence on tourism are less certain. But perhaps it could be part of a solution. Virtual vacations? AI could be used to help create bespoke, personal tourism experiences in locations that really need tourists, thus reducing the harm caused to overcrowded locations or fragile eco-systems. The travel industry could also use it to make more accurate predictions about travel patterns, helping places like Barcelona and Venice to manage their number of visitors. AI-enhanced virtual reality also has the potential to let people have experiences of tourism destinations from afar, with research suggesting 'virtual holidays' could dramatically change the tourism sector. After all, many of us have swapped other real-life experiences like shopping and work meetings to something we do via a screen. There is even evidence of an emerging preference for playing online sports over the real-life versions. But could virtual tourism become so attractive that it significantly reduces the real thing? Will tourists really be content with seeing a virtual version of an artistic or natural wonder, instead of queuing for hours to experience it as part of a crowd? Similar questions were asked when color television developed in the 1960s. Would, for example, the vivid portrayal of wildlife in African game reserves reduce the need for tourists to travel there? Who would bother with the expense and effort of going to Kenya or Botswana, when they could be seen up close from the comfort of a sofa? The outcome, though, was the exact opposite. There is evidence that wildlife programs have actually stimulated demand to see the real thing. Similarly, popular films and TV shows set in beautiful locations make people want to visit them, with anticipation and expectation adding value to the final tourist experience. So, while we can be pretty sure AI will affect tourism – as it will every industry – we don't yet know whether its overall impact will be to reduce pressure on the world's most popular places, or further stimulate demand. And it may not be technology that has the final say – concerns about climate change and economic pressures may influence global travel patterns first. But one thing is for sure: overtourism is not over yet. Adrian Palmer is Professor of Marketing, University of Reading. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. External Link © Japan Today
11-08-2025
Osaka Expo Ticket Sales Exceed Break-Even Point
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Japan Times
07-08-2025
- Japan Times
Airbnb warns of slowing growth despite strong Q2 earnings
Airbnb issued a better-than-expected outlook for the third quarter as it saw encouraging summer travel demand, but warned that growth rates may not keep up later this year due to tough year-ago comparisons. For the three months ending Sept. 30, the short-term rental company said growth on the basis of nights and seats booked — a closely watched metric — is expected to be "relatively stable' from the 7.4% achieved in the second quarter, Airbnb said in a shareholder letter on Wednesday. That's close to the 7% increase that Wall Street was projecting. Third-quarter revenue is expected to be in the range of $4.02 billion to $4.1 billion, the mid-point of which also exceeds the average analyst estimate. "As we look ahead to Q3, we're encouraged by current demand trends,' Airbnb said in the letter, adding that it saw an acceleration of nights-booked growth in July, particularly in North America. Yet, it expects tougher year-over-year comparisons toward the end of the current period and into the fourth quarter, "putting pressure on growth rates later in the year.' Airbnb's results were surprisingly strong in the second half of last year, as travelers ultimately booked trips that they had delayed. Shares of Airbnb fell 6.3% in extended trading. On Wednesday, Airbnb also announced a new share repurchase program of as much as $6 billion, after it beat expectations to generate $1 billion in free cash flow in the second quarter. Airbnb's report follows the lukewarm forecast provided by online travel peer Booking, which warned that worsening economic uncertainty will weigh on travel demand. Airbnb's second-quarter results otherwise broadly exceeded expectations from "solid growth in nights stayed,' the company said. Gains were especially strong in Latin America and Asia Pacific — registering double digits — as the company saw more first-time bookers in Brazil and Japan following an effort on Airbnb's part to adapt the product and marketing to local tastes. Meanwhile, reservations by North American travelers contributed low single-digit growth in nights booked despite some improvement in demand during the period, mostly driven by domestic travel. The slow gains weighed on broader results, Airbnb said: excluding this region, which makes up about 30% of total nights and seats booked, total nights would have grown double-digits during the quarter. Overall, total nights and seats booked grew 7.4% to 134.4 million in the second quarter. Revenue was $3.1 billion, exceeding expectations for $3.03 billion. Net income was $642 million. Analysts were expecting $599.3 million. The company did not break out results for its Experiences and new a la carte Services offerings that it launched in May, which allows travelers to book tour activities as well as hire professionals such as chefs, personal trainers or photographers. But it said that awareness is growing and guest feedback has been positive early on. It has also received "significant interest from potential activity hosts,' with more than 60,000 applications submitted since launch. These new verticals will help add $1 billion or more in revenue annually, Chief Executive Officer Brian Chesky has said, though it will take a few years for them to scale up. Airbnb restated the amount it plans to invest into the new businesses, with a new pledge of $200 million. That figure is in line with the lower bound of the range it provided investors in February. The impact of these investments on earnings margins will be most pronounced in the second half of this year, it has said. The launch of new businesses has also put the company in a "better position' to reward its customers through a loyalty program, Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson said in an interview last week, saying that one is under consideration for the future. Chesky elaborated further on the opportunity when asked on an earnings call with analysts on Wednesday, and reiterated that Airbnb will not offer a points program like its hospitality competitors. "A loyalty or membership program is a very, very compelling thing for Airbnb,' he said. "I do think we are sometimes at a competitive disadvantage vis-a-vis OTAs and hotels because they have a lot of programs that we don't. So I think there is a lot of upside if we were to have a program.' "If we were to do something, I don't think it would be a traditional points program,' he added. "I think it would be something much more interesting and novel. I absolutely think you should see something from us in the future. Not imminently but in the future.'
