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Globe and Mail
25-06-2025
- Globe and Mail
Canadians rethink travel as overtourism crowds iconic destinations
When Lily Carlson and her husband sat down to plan their travel for the year, Greece and Thailand were high on their bucket list. But the pull of these iconic destinations was overshadowed by the thought of having to wade through the crowds at landmarks while contributing to the overtourism sweeping the countries. Greece, for example, saw nearly four times as many tourists as its own population last year, and its islands of Santorini and Mykonos are feeling the strain of surging water and housing demand. 'It's the drawback of mass tourism and the challenges that local communities there are facing' that persuaded Ms. Carlson and her family, from Acton, Ont., to consider lesser-known locales, she said. They headed to Nosara in Costa Rica, away from the tourist hotspots. Average nightly stays there hovered affordably around $95-$165 on the low end or around $290 for higher-end accommodations. Canadian travel boycott hurting U.S. tourism industry, northeast governors say The 'Canada Strong Pass' promoting national tourism will come into effect on June 20 A growing number of Canadians are looking to follow their lead. Data published in June from a YouGov survey commissioned by Flight Centre Canada showed that 71 per cent of Canadian travellers are concerned about the growing negative impact of overtourism on local communities, and 78 per cent said that many hotspots are too busy to enjoy. But seeking out less crowded destinations has become that much more complicated for Canadians avoiding the United States, making the list of international alternatives even shorter. In Portugal – where anti-tourism protests erupted again last week – Canadian visitor numbers jumped 11.3 per cent year-over-year. Airfares to Faro and Funchal jumped 3 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively, for summer 2025, Kayak data showed. Canadian travel to Japan rose nearly 30 per cent between January and April, 2025, from the same period a year earlier, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. In response to overcrowding, some towns are building barriers to block views of Mount Fuji, among other efforts to reduce tourist congestion. Elizabeth Becker, author of Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism, compared overtourism to throwing a dinner party clogged with uninvited guests. 'You invite 12 people and 2,000 show up.' Places are not meant to be 'trampled like this,' she said. 'And if they're not equipped to welcome you – that's overbooked.' Even for travellers who aren't motivated by sustainability, overtourism hurts their wallets – and travel experiences. 'Just imagine standing in line to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, shoulder to shoulder with thousands of people,' said Amra Durakovic of Flight Centre Canada. In Paris, that very scenario reached a boiling point last week when Louvre employees walked off the job, citing unmanageable guest volumes, a shortage of bathrooms and rest seating. Canadians visiting Paris and Barcelona – both at the epicentre of overtourism – are now likely to pay more for a lesser experience too. Barcelona recorded an all-time high of over 2.3 million overnight stays in January, 2025, and the highest-ever March average daily rate of €197.09 ($314), up 27.7 per cent year over year, according to CoStar. Average flight costs to the city from Canada jumped 2 per cent this summer to $1,149, Kayak data showed. Spain's consumer affairs ministry ordered Airbnb to remove over 65,000 listings in spring and plans to shutter all of the 10,000 licensed short-term rental apartments in the city by 2028. International tourism levels are back to pre-COVID levels, but there is uneven distribution, said Michael O'Regan, lecturer in tourism and events at Glasgow Caledonian University. 'Traffic is highly concentrated in a relatively small number of 'honeypot' destinations,' he said, including Venice, Amsterdam, Barcelona, parts of Paris. In Paris, another destination where the number of annual tourists exceeds the population, international air arrivals are projected to jump 13 per cent year-over-year from April to July. data also showed searches for Paris by Canadians surged 106 per cent year-over-year last month. 'It's not that locals don't want tourists, it's just excessive,' Ms. Durakovic said. Mr. O'Regan added that anti-tourism protests are typically small and targeted at politicians. They link to 'deeper issues [around] housing costs, quality jobs and broader inequalities,' he said. Destinations want and need tourism for economic reasons. But he added that some have focused on maximizing visitor numbers without adequately planning for the social, environmental and infrastructure impacts. 'Many of these honeypot destinations are near equally stunning towns,' he said. 'Provins is just 90 minutes from Paris. Sirmione is an hour from Verona.' In Portugal, Ms. Durakovic suggested skipping Porto in favour of Braga or Guimarães. Braga, often called the 'Rome of Portugal,' is the country's oldest Christian city. 'Rich in religious heritage, and baroque architecture, it's also in the heart of the Vinho Verde region, ideal for vineyard tours.' Bruges in Belgium and France's Strasbourg offer similar magic to Venetian canals, where locals have been chafing against overtourism – most recently with the backlash to Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos all but taking over the city for his wedding. 'Romania's great for those seeking slower-paced, culture-driven travel beyond the usual tourist spots,' said Ms. Carlson, who also shares sustainable travel tips on her social media accounts. She stayed in Brașov, where nightly costs ranged from $55 to $95 on the low end and up to $290 at the high end. The city, nestled in the Carpathian Mountains, is a gateway to sites like Bran Castle, better known as Dracula's hideaway and well-preserved medieval towns like Sibiu and Sighișoara.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pole vaulting in the street, competing for native Austria on District 3 champ's bucket list
She dreams of flying high in the maroon and white uniform of Texas A&M. Of competing in pole vault events held on city streets. Of wearing the red and white of her birth nation in an Olympics. The first is in Lily Carlson's immediate future. The next two might not be far behind. Advertisement The Bermudian Springs senior is the top seed in the PIAA Class 3A pole vault competition after clearing 14 feet at the District 3 meet. It is her first time competing in Class 3A after winning the PIAA Class 2A title the past two seasons. The state meet, May 23-24 at Shippensburg University, is her last in high school competition. Then she begins working on the rest of the list. Austria is first. She was born in Vienna and lived in Austria until she was 7 years old, when she came to the United States with her American mom. Her dad remained in his native Austria. Carlson will be spending a big chunk of the summer training in Europe. Advertisement 'Half my trip I'll be in Vienna,' she said. 'And then I'm hoping to go to Innsbruck and train at a club there. They have another girl that jumps like 13-9, and she's also going to A&M.' National signing day: See where York-Adams student-athletes are playing sports in college Bermudian Springs' Lily Carlson clears 14 feet in the 3A pole vault competition at the PIAA District 3 Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium Saturday, May 17, 2025. She laughs at the idea that Texas A&M will have two native Austrian freshman pole vaulters. Magdalena Rauter is the future Aggie Carlson hopes to connect with in Innsbruck. Rauter is the Austrian national champion and world U20 silver medalist. 'They have fully funded athletes there,' Carlson said. 'In Austria, they actually are like professional athletes and get paid. Track's just bigger, pole vault is bigger.' Advertisement And they really do shut down streets so they can lay runways and set up pole vault standards to have competitions in their cities. Carlson's eyes light up when she thinks of the possibilities. Those possibilities include challenging for a spot on the Austrian Olympic team. It's a long process that starts with qualifying for the European championships. Austrian hasn't had a pole vaulter in the European competition since 2014. Bermudian Springs' Lily Carlson smiles after finishing her day with a gold medal and a new district record in the 3A pole vault at the PIAA District 3 Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium Saturday, May 17, 2025. The top vaulters from the European championships qualify for the Olympics, regardless of their country. Australian Nina Kennedy won the gold medal in Paris after clearing 4.90 meters (16.076 feet). An American and Canadian won the silver and bronze. Advertisement Clearing 14-0 for the first time in a competition was a positive step toward those Olympic dreams. '14 is a big bar, a huge milestone of mine,' Carlson said. 'It feels really good to finally clear that. I've known I can clear it, but to see that bar stay standing, I'm really excited.' Carlson had three attempts at the state record 14-3, and nearly had it on her second try. She cleared it, but tapped the bar on her way down. She'll get another shot at that record in the state meet when she goes up against defending champ Veronica Vacca of Mt. St. Joseph's, who comes in as the second seed at 13-8, although she has cleared 14-0 in competition. Bermudian Springs' Lily Carlson celebrates with her friends and fellow competitors after setting a new district record in the 3A pole vault at the PIAA District 3 Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University's Seth Grove Stadium Saturday, May 17, 2025. Carlson will have many of her training partners in the pole vault area with her at the state meet because they qualified through the District 3 competition. Having that kind of support, the friends who stand in a line with their hands clasped together as you soar to new heights, is vital to Carlson. Advertisement 'I've been training with them for the past few years,' she said. 'Vault Worx has been like a second home, a second family and we are all super close. We're always celebrating each other. 'We understand pole vault is such a hard and intense sport that we're always cheering each other on.' Having a support system like that to lean on is even more important at events like district and state meets, when communicating with coaches is difficult at best. Technology and coaches are not allowed on the infield, so athletes have to communicate through hand signals and shouts across the track as races are run. Carlson will have some additional support at this year's state meet. Her father will be on hand to see her compete in person for the first time since she was a freshman. Advertisement 'He has seen videos, but nothing in person,' she said. 'He's going to help me with my German, and we're going to get rolling.' Let the dreams begin. Shelly Stallsmith covers York-Adams high school sports for GameTimePA and the USAToday Network. Connect with her by email mstallsmith@ or on X, formerly Twitter, @ShelStallsmith. This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: PIAA track and field: Pole vault champ has lofty goals after last meet
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bermudian Springs' Lily Carlson adds Class 3A state title, PIAA record to resume
Bermudian Springs senior Lily Carlson waited longer than it took for her to win her third PIAA gold medal. Because she passes through the lower heights, she's used to waiting for a while. She relaxes, talks with other competitors who are also her closest friends. She goes through her pole vault journal. Advertisement The competition took a wet turn just as Carlson was beginning to start her warmup routine. And then the clouds grew dark and the rain fell. The tarps came out and talks began about moving the event inside Shippensburg University's Heiges Field House. By the time grounds crew brought out blowers to dry off the runway, the rain came again. It took about 90 minutes before athletes were jumping again. Officials made the decision to wipe the slate clean for girls who had to vault in pouring rain before action was suspended. That included defending champion Veronica Vacca, who opted to start her competition at 12-0. She missed three straight tries and ended up no-heighting. All before Carlson had taken her first jump. Bermudian Springs' Lily Carlson celebrates after setting a state record in the 3A pole vault (14-0.25) during the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University on Friday, May 23, 2025. "I definitely missed out on competing with her," Carlson said of going against Vacca. "I was really looking forward to jumping against her." Advertisement Nineteen minutes after the defending champion and record holder was eliminated, Carlson cleared 12-6 on her first attempt. Six minutes later the last competitor exhausted her attempts and Carlson had won a Class 3A title to go with two Class 2A gold medals. She might have lucked out by waiting to jump because she hadn't started to warm up. She was able to maintain her regular routine instead of having her flow interrupted. Carlson, who will compete at Texas A&M in the fall, completes her career with three District 3 pole vault championships, records in Class 2A and 3A, one Class 2A 100 hurdles title and three PIAA pole vault gold medals. Bermudian Springs' Lily Carlson celebrates after setting a state record in the 3A pole vault (14-0.25) during the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University on Friday, May 23, 2025. And one PIAA record. Advertisement That came on her third attempt at 14-0.25 that broke Vacca's record of 14-0. When it was all said and done, and she missed three attempts to extend the record for 14-3, she credited her friends and people in the stands with helping her make history. "The crowd was absolutely amazing," Carlson said. "I love the excitement. I love the encouragement and everything. It helped me keep up my speed and do what I need to do." More on Carlson: Pole vaulting in the street, competing for native Austria on District 3 champ's bucket list Jumping to gold: New Oxford's Brayden Billman snares first state gold in Class 3A triple jump Advertisement Carlson said everything kind of stops when she clears a height. She sees the bar, hears the crowd and feels the energy. When she cleared 14-0.25, she looked to her family in the stands, her coaches along the fence then ran to her friends. It was clear as she met with media after the medal ceremony that the titles and medals weren't on the horizon when she started on this journey as a freshman. "When I came to VaultWorx after my freshman year, my coach was like, 'yeah, you're going to jump 13 feet. That's going to be the bar to get,'" she said with a laugh. "And then last year, it was 14. So it's been a process. When I started I had no idea what I was getting into. I thought I was terrible for the first year. "And then it all kind of came together. It's been absolutely phenomenal." Advertisement Asked when she thought she will come down from this high, she thinks maybe a week. Before it happens though, there will be celebratory chocolate ice cream and various desserts. And graduation. After that, she's off to new challenges and new heights. This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Bermudian Springs Lily Carlson breaks PIAA pole vault record
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PIAA track and field: Broken records, hungry officials, YAIAA finishers and medalists
YAIAA athletes broke one of the oldest PIAA track and field records at this year's meet, and one of the newest. Both came with a lot of encouragement from the stands. Bermudian Springs senior Lily Carlson had the Class 3A pole vault gold medal in hand, but missed her first two attempts at 14-0.25 to break the year-old record. Needing some extra adrenaline, she encouraged the fans to clap. Advertisement They did and she soared. She broke the record set last year by Mount St. Joseph's Veronica Vacca, who earned a no height finish when she failed to clear 12-0. Dallastown senior Jalen Cook didn't ask for any help to break the Class 3A high jump record. But he got it anyway. A few fans took notice when he won the gold medal at 6-9. He drew in more when he broke the 40-year-old mark of 7-0.25 when he cleared 7-1. He had them on their feet when he broke an equally old state record of 7-2.5 and became the first high school athlete to clear 7-3 in Pennsylvania. Only four PIAA records are older than the high jump mark set by Plymouth-Whitemarsh graduate Tyrone Smith in 1985. The oldest is the boys Class 2A long jump record set in 1976. Advertisement South Western graduate Mike Spangler also owns an old one. He set the boys Class 2A 400 meter record in 1984. They captured two of the five gold medals won by four York-Adams athletes this year at Shippensburg University. Spring Grove junior Ella Bahn won gold in girls Class 3A 100 and 300 hurdles and New Oxford junior Brayden Billman won gold in the boys Class 3A triple jump. during the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Pack for anything It makes sense that a spring season that started with cold and damp would end with cold and damp. Instead of a typical Memorial Day weekend where athletes would try to find shade, this year they were looking for protection against wind and rain. And trying to figure out how to handle either. Advertisement Double gold medalist Bahn said she prefers running in cooler temperatures compared to the broiling sun we had last year. Clearly the distance runners preferred it as two 3200 records were broken and the other two were seriously flirted with. Carlson told her coaches she felt the wind at her side during one of her record-breaking attempts on Friday, when the Class 3A pole vaulters combined for 17 no-height finishes. There were seven fewer among the Class 2A vaulters on Saturday, when they had reversed their runway direction and wind came in gusts instead of steady. The rain that forced delays on Friday stayed away on Saturday, but the dark clouds hung around. Athletes race in the 3A 3200m run during the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University on Saturday, May 24, 2025. 'Hey, I'm hungry!' PIAA officials had some rumbling bellies when their boxed lunches were late on Friday. But they weren't as angry at the Jersey Mike's officials who were left scratching their heads, wondering where their food had gone. Advertisement The 140 boxed lunches were picked up by the driver contracted through a delivery app. The food never made it to Seth Grove Stadium. PIAA officials were told that the driver took off with the sandwiches and store officials had no way of tracking down the food or the driver. Jersey Mike's scrambled to put together a fresh order, and by mid-afternoon the officials were fed. The store is out roughly $1,600 and if found, the driver will be in a heap of trouble. South Western's Elijah Holly, center, runs in the 3A 400m dash during the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University on Saturday, May 24, 2025. YAIAA medalists Class 3A Ella Bahn, Spring Grove, jr.: Won the girls 100 hurdles in 13.64 and 300 hurdles in 41.98. | Finished seventh in the girls high jump at 5-5. The winning jump was 5-7. | Advertisement Brayden Billman, New Oxford, jr.: Won the boys triple jump in 47-5. | Finished fifth in the boys long jump with a jump of 23-4.25. The winning jump was 24-4. Jalen Cook, Dallastown, sr.: Broke the PIAA and state record to win boys high jump gold at 7-3. Lily Carlson, Bermudian Springs, sr.: Won the girls pole vault in a PIAA record 14-0.25. Dallastown: The team of Neila Granger, Addison Emenheiser, Leah Navarro and Natalie Good finished sixth in the girls 4x800 in 9:19.46. The winning time was 9:03.23. Elijah Holly, South Western, sr.: Finished eighth in the boys 800 meters in 49.15. The winning time was 46.52. Advertisement Robert Salazar Rosell, York High, sr.: Finished fifth in the boys 300 hurdles in 38.32. The winning time was 36.99. York Tech's Jaydyn Brown competes in the 3A girls discus at the PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg University on Saturday, May 24, 2025. YAIAA state finishers Class 2A Jaedyn Brown, York Tech, so.: Finished 16th in the girls discus with a throw of 117-0. The winning throw was 143-3. Delone Catholic: The team of Max Holz, JP Groves, Nolan Kruse and Braden Smith finished 18th in the boys 4x100 in 44.24. The winning time was 42.48. Fairfield: The team of Brock Herb, Nathan Davis, Michael Fisher and Noah Davis finished 27th in the boys 4x100 in 44.84. The winning time was 42.48. | The team of Chris Brown, Nathan Davis, Noah Davis and Brock Herb finished 15th in the 4x400 relay in 3:31.67. The winning time was 3:21.69. Advertisement Miley Heath, Hanover, sr.: Finished 20th in the girls shot put with a throw of 32-7.25. The winning throw was 41-2. Benedicte Parker, Littlestown, jr.: Finished 27th in the girls long jump with a jump of 15-4. The winning jump was 18-5.75. Zander Spillman, Littlestown, jr.: Finished 29th in boys long jump with a jump of 19-5.25. The winning jump was 22-10.50. Class 3A Wyatt Carbaugh, South Western, so.: Finished 19th in the boys javelin with a throw of 161-4. The winning throw was 204-4. Dallastown: The team of Jalen Cook, Gabe Annan, Christian Rodriguez and Christopher Cromartie finished 20th in the boys 4x100 in 43.21. The winning time was 41.38. Advertisement Lyla Eltz, South Western, fr.: Finished 25th in the girls 3200 meters in 11:03.42. The winning time was 10:22.08. Natalie Good, Dallastown, sr.: Finished 24th in the girls 800 meters in 2:19.47. The winning time was 2:03.84. Molly Mclaughlin, Dallastown, fr.: Finished 13th in the girls 100 meters at 12.48 and 29th in the 200 in 26.43. The winning time was 11.69. Magnus Mitchell, York Tech, so.: Finished 28th in the boys 200 meters in 23.20. The winning time was 21.05. Leah Navarro, Dallastown, fr.: Finished 21st in the girls 3200 meters in 10:58.61. The winning time was 10:22.08. Robert Salazar Rosell, York High, sr.: Finished 16th in the 110 hurdles at 14.88. The winning time was a PIAA record 13.63. Advertisement David Smith, Kennard-Dale, sr.: Finished 15th in the boys 300 hurdles in 39.78. The winning time was 36.99. Melanie Thoman, Dover, jr.: Finished 13th in the girls shot put with a throw of 37-1. The winning throw was 43-3. Sophia Treglia, Northeastern, jr.: Finished 20th in the girls 1600 meters at 5:09.54. The winning time was 4:44.22. York High: The team of Nikole Rodriguez, Jontai Bailey, Leira Hinojosa and Ennesty Smith finished 11th in the girls 4x100 in 49.08. The winning time was 47.41. Team scores Top 10 schools and YAIAA Class 2A girls: 1. Quaker Valley, 54; 2. Lewisburg, 47; 3. Laurel, 31; 4. North Catholic, 29; 5. Warrior Run, 26; 6. Greenville, 25; 7. Pine Grove, 24; 8. (tie) Winchester Thurston and Conemaugh Township, 23; 10. Wellsboro, 20. Advertisement Class 2A boys: 1. Quaker Valley, 75; 2. Nativity BVM, 30; 3. Lewisburg, 27.33; 4. Corry, 26; 5. (tie) Danville and Hickory, 24; 7. Mercyhurst Prep, 20; 8. (tie) Hughesville and Beaver, 18; 9. Minersville, 18; 10. Mohawk, 18. Class 3A girls: 1. Souderton, 33; 2. McCaskey, 29; 3. (tie) Kennett and Owen J. Roberts, 22; 5. Spring Grove, 22; 6. (tie) Cheltenham and Ephrata, 20; 8. Haverford Twp., 20; 9. State College, 19; 10. (tie) Central Buck East and Cedar Crest, 18. YAIAA: 24. Bermudian Springs, 10; 65. Dallastown, 3. Class 3A boys: 1. State College, 53; 2. Palmyra, 28; 3. Grove City, 21; 4. (tie) Gateway and Central Bucks East, 20; 6. Manheim Twp., 20; 7. Mifflin County, 20; 8. Owen J. Roberts, 20; 9. (tie) Dowingtown West and Central Dauphin, 18. YAIAA: 14. New Oxford, 14; 22. Dallastown, 10; 60. York High, 4; 88. South Western, 1. Shelly Stallsmith covers York-Adams high school sports for GameTimePA and the USAToday Network. Connect with her by email mstallsmith@ or on X, formerly Twitter, @ShelStallsmith. This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: PIAA track and field: 7-3 is the new state high jump standard
