Latest news with #overtourism


BBC News
4 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Does Edinburgh's Royal Mile need 72 tourist gift shops?
BBC The Royal Mile is the ancient spine of Edinburgh, visited by five million tourists each year. The collective name for four streets that thread through the city's Old Town, it is home to a 900-year-old castle, a palace and a parliament. But the people who live there claim they are now seeing the overtourism problems being experienced across Europe. With tourists comes tourist shops, and BBC Scotland News walked the length of the Royal Mile to count up a total of 72 stores, selling everything from kilts to Highland cow fridge magnets. They are part of an industry that supports more than 40,000 jobs in Edinburgh. But locals say having so many similar shops in one place is symptomatic of the challenges that mass tourism brings. The gift shops - most of which are run by three main operators - sell every imaginable Scotland or Edinburgh-themed item, from postcards and soft toys to clothing. Included are two shops which only sell Christmas-related gifts. The Royal Mile is also home to 42 cafes or restaurants, 13 bars, eight jewellers and three kilt retailers. That's in addition to the museums, cathedral, court, primary school and homes located along the steep and narrow pavements. 'I'm not against tourism, I just think it has gone too far' One man who is almost uniquely qualified to understand the impact of tourism on the Royal Mile is 77-year-old Jimmy Robertson. He has lived on the Canongate, at the bottom of the Royal Mile, since birth and proudly refers to himself as a Canongotian. Jimmy, who has lived in five different homes, can list the "useful shops" that used to be a stone's throw away. They include hairdressers, butchers, grocers and a doctors' surgery - which is now a whisky shop. He said it used to be "a normal area" where people would live and work. "It was probably in the 1980s you saw a lot of people moving out and the street beginning to change," he explained. Jimmy used to work at the brewery which is now the site of the Scottish Parliament. He has long enjoyed sitting outside the 17th Century Canongate Kirk, where one of the benches has an inscription to his late mother. Jimmy added: "I would sit on that bench and you'd watch the world go by, saying hello to folk you knew coming by. "Now I sit there and it feels like it is just tourists that pass me by. "I'm not against tourism, I just think it has gone far in how it affects people who live here." Jimmy said he now had to go out of the area to get his food shopping, or rely on relatives to bring it to him. He said the council was to blame for allowing too many tourist shops to open in one area. It is a point that some critics argue is borne out by data published by the City of Edinburgh Council last year which shows it owns and rents out 35 shops along the Royal Mile, many of which are leased to tourism businesses. Hanna Wesemann lives just off the Royal Mile and both her children attended Royal Mile Primary School. In 2004, this Victorian-era built school had 165 pupils but now the roll is down to 118 pupils – well below its 210 capacity. The 29% fall in pupils does not surprise Hanna, who says the Old Town increasingly "does not feel like a good area to bring up a family". Hanna puts this down to the pressures of tourism and the blight of anti-social behaviour by problem drug and alcohol users outside her flat, which requires regular calls to the police. She said: "It feels like all that's left here is shops for tourists, tourists, and people who have multiple and complex needs. "It [the Royal Mile] is on our doorstep but we never go there because there's nothing for us. "There used to be some useful shops, even charity shops, but now they are all gone and all I can see is gift shops which all seem to sell the same stuff." Increase in international visitors to Edinburgh Only London beats Edinburgh in terms of the most popular places to visit in the UK. Domestic visitors account for the bulk of the city's tourists staying for at least one night - a total of 2.6m in 2023, up from 2.47m in 2015. But it is overseas visitors who are driving Edinburgh's increasing popularity. After a dramatic fall in the Covid years, Edinburgh now attracts one million more international visitors every year than it did a decade ago. Combined with domestic visitors, that is 4.98m total overnight trips by all visitors in 2023. Where to accommodate these tourists, especially in peak periods like the Edinburgh festivals, has been a topic of hot discussion in the city for years. Edinburgh saw a well documented surge in residential properties being turned over to holiday lets in the previous decade. The number of listings by Airbnb in the city jumped from 1,900 in 2014 to 9,000 three years later. New laws requiring operators of short-term lets to have a licence has reduced this tally but data from Inside Airbnb - an independent website which gathers data on Airbnb's operations - suggests there are still just under 6,000 listings for Edinburgh properties today. BBC Scotland News counted 96 key boxes of the type typically used for holiday lets on, or just off, the Royal Mile earlier this month. The impact of holiday lets on people living in the most popular tourist areas is very familiar to Hanna and her family. She explained: "They're not bad people but they don't consider this as an area where people live as normal residents. "You can't build a relationship with someone for three days and I'm really tired of going upstairs every few days and saying 'Can you please be quiet, we have to go to work in the morning'." While much of the focus on where tourists stay has been on the controversy around holiday lets, there are now 181 hotels in Edinburgh - more than twice as many as there were in 2005. What tourism does for Edinburgh's economy There is little doubt that tourism plays a key role in the city's economy. Hosting the world's largest arts festival every August is a big part of that but tourism is now an all-year round industry. It is estimated the average overnight visitor spent £435 in 2023. That filters down to a range of businesses, from coffee shops to taxi firms, supporting thousands of jobs. A spokesman for the Gold Brothers Group - which owns 16 shops on the Royal Mile and employs 340 people in peak season - said claims about too many tourists were nothing new. But he added that there was still capacity for more visitors outwith the festivals in August. The spokesman said: "Our view is that a number of priority issues are being overlooked due to a fixation on tourist numbers. "The urgent priorities for residents, business owners and visitors to the Old Town are cleanliness as the place is filthy; anti-social behaviour; and criminality including violence and a serious 'theftdemic'. "Maybe Edinburgh's local population could come and visit and reflect on what the Royal Mile looked like years ago with its poorly maintained shops with little or no investment and then, without prejudice, consider the quality of outlets now." The spokesman called on the City of Edinburgh Council to "stride to its A game" by cleaning the Old Town more often and ensuring it is "safe and a joy to behold". Edinburgh 'a great place to live and visit' Council leader Jane Meagher said the local authority was determined ensure the Royal Mile was "clean and well-maintained". She also told BBC Scotland News the Old Town High Street was thriving. Meagher added: "Shopfronts are open, supporting local jobs and our economy, with a great mix of businesses in the area from independent kiltmakers to homemade crafts. "As one of the biggest landlords in the area we encourage this mix and work to make sure properties are occupied." The council leader acknowledged anti-social behaviour remained a concern but said the local authority was working with Police Scotland to address problems. Additional CCTV has also been installed around the Tron and Hunter Square. Meagher said: "We're also making the Royal Mile a safer place for pedestrians and cyclists, while making sure it is clean and well-maintained. "Our refurbishment of North Bridge is a visible commitment of our plans to ensure the area remains at the beating heart of the city, as is the extra £1m we're investing this year to tackle litter and graffiti in our communities." The funding includes additional resources for washing pavements and closes in the Old Town. Meagher said: "Once Edinburgh's visitor levy has launched, we hope to invest even more money to manage the impact tourism has, to ensure our city remains a great place to live and to visit." The future of tourism in Edinburgh Getty Images The latest Scottish census suggests just under 9,000 people live in the areas in and around the Royal Mile. This covers the tall blocks of flats that flank either side of the Royal Mile and the nearby council-built estate of Dumbiedykes, which has about 600 homes but no shop, GP surgery, pharmacy or post office. All of these residents feel the direct pressure tourism can bring but there are wider pressures on the city too. A 8.4% jump in the city's population in the 10 years to 2023 has contributed to a deepening housing and homelessness crisis. Next year Edinburgh will introduce the kind of tourist tax that is common around Europe and city leaders have pledged to invest the £50m it is expected to raise every year on infrastructure improvements. This has been mostly welcomed but some fear it might not be enough to help Edinburgh adapt to the growing demands of tourism. Edinburgh becomes first 'tourist tax' city in Scotland 'I was homeless - now I show tourists my city's hidden side' Record number of overseas tourists visit Scotland in 2023 Tourism Scotland Edinburgh Impacts of tourism Airbnb


Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Traveller reveals what dreamy tourist hotspot is REALLY like - with litter everywhere and buildings falling down
A keen traveller has opened up about his experience of a dreamy tourist hotspot and revealed the less desirable side of the island rarely shown on social media. Joshwa, a travel influencer who regularly posts about his journeys around the world on TikTok, posted a series of clips from his time in Bali. Bali is an island in Indonesia, located within Southeast Asia. Known for its beautiful beaches, delicious cuisine and jaw-dropping landscapes, the island is often portrayed as a luxury location. However, though Joshwa praised the 'fabulous culture' and 'great hospitality', he noted there were other aspects, including how locals don't reap the same benefits as tourists. One of the content creator's videos showed decrepit buildings, abandoned beanbags along a beach and litter piled high. The clip also featured footage of makeshift buildings with metal roofs and poorly maintained roads. He captioned the video with: 'Amazingly stunning Island. 'Bali's fabulous culture, beautiful people, with great hospitality did not fail to impress. 'However, the island lacks the infrastructure that it needs to be able to sustain 1. The littering and pollution issue and 2. the over tourism issue that currently is not sustainable.' The footage attracted over 700,000 views and thousands of likes, with many taking to the comments to share their verdicts on the tourist hotspot. One penned: 'Went once. Not for me. Gilly Islands were the best part about the trip but Bali is a hard no for me.' While someone else pointed out the economic situation of the country and said: 'The biggest bill in this country is literally $6, with the average salary $250 per month, what do people expect.' Another added: 'You go to another country for a cultural experience… that's Bali stay at the resort if your an influencer cause that's who you are a resorter… I like to embrace and immerse myself in the culture mix with the locals they are beautiful people!' 'Finally someone is actually showing facts…,' one watcher chimed in. In another video, that attracted over one million views, Joshwa highlighted the struggles of local residents in Bali. The camera panned to show a busy restaurant, before flipping to fragile-looking buildings. At one point, it featured a sign that read 'please stop littering', stood next to a pile of plastic bottles and other rubbish. He captioned the video: 'I really agree with what Zoe said. Bali was very pretentious for me. Maybe just me, but full of people that aren't really my style. you get one or two humans. others seem to be lost in a world. somewhere. 'The locals are the best people, so caring, kind and hospitality is off the charts. it's such a shame they can't share their Island and enjoy it to the full extent tourists do!. 'I'm going to do a longer reel on this but it's just crazy it came up at the same time. because just the other day I was saying how Bali is for pollution, poverty, lack of health standards. 'Whilst everyone is in a beach cop live in lavish life spending thousands of pounds and the locals cannot enjoy their life or even integrate with the tourists because of the lack of the above. 'Molly Mae's sister wasn't telling lies.' Joshwa's videos come after Molly Mae's sister, Zoe Rae, left Bali after just 48 hours because it didn't live up to her expectations. @plantpotworldwide I really agree with what Zoe said. Bali was very pretentious for me. Maybe just me, but full of people that aren't really my style. you get one or two humans. others seem to be lost in a world. somewhere. The locals are the best people, so caring, kind and hospitality is off the charts. it's such a shame they can't share their Island and enjoy it to the full extent tourists do!. I'm going to do a longer reel on this but it's just crazy it came up at the same time. because just the other day I was saying how Bali is for pollution, poverty, lack of health standards. Whilst everyone is in a beach cop live in lavish life spending thousands of pounds and the locals cannot enjoy their life or even integrate with the tourists because of the lack of the above. Molly Mae's sister wasn't telling lies. #PlantPotJosh #PlantPotWorldWide #TravelTikTok #fyp #Viral #Travel #Bali #Asia #MollyMae #Indonesia #Creator #RealLife ♬ original sound - Daily Mail UK The fitness influencer, 28, had planned the trip to Indonesia with her husband Danny to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. And despite staying in a huge sea view room at the Radisson Blu, a five-star hotel, they decided to leave early and jet to Dubai instead. Zoe explained that Bali looks better on social media than in real life, as influencers make it look luxurious, despite it being a developing country. In a new YouTube video, Zoe told the camera: 'Since landing in Bali, something for us wasn't quite right. 'We came here with high expectations because we had seen on social media that everyone was having such a lovely time. Lovely places to eat and beaches, and lovely gyms and coffee shops. 'But I don't think the reality of Bali is shown much at all, and I do think it is down to a lot of influencers posting the more luxury side of things.' She added: 'Before joining the army, I spent five months travelling South East Asia. I did Thailand, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, I did a lot and spent time in these countries. But there is something very different about Bali. 'We got told Uluwatu where we are now is one of the best places to go, so if this is one of the better places, I'm not sure where the other places are like. 'I wasn't going to sit down and say anything, but people want to know.' Danny then joined the video and said: 'You either go on holiday to travel and experience culture or you want to go away and relax.' Zoe continued: 'Yeah, and we could have got a flight tomorrow as today is our anniversary, but time is precious and we just want to get out, and why delay it. 'We missed the mark, maybe we didn't do our own research, maybe it is our own fault. I did a lot of research though. 'I think it is just personal preference, and our preference was that this isn't for us, and we are making the executive decision to go enjoy our anniversary somewhere we know that we love and can relax and can drink the water.'


BBC News
9 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Overtourism: Does Edinburgh's Royal Mile need 72 gift shops?
The Royal Mile is the ancient spine of Edinburgh, and one of the top destinations for the five million tourists who come to the city every collective name for four streets that thread through the city's Old Town, it is home to a 900-year-old castle, a palace and a the people who live there claim they are now seeing the overtourism problems being experienced across tourists comes tourist shops and BBC Scotland News walked the length of the Royal Mile to find out just how many there research found a total of 72 stores, selling everything from kilts to Highland cow fridge are part of an industry that supports more than 40,000 jobs in locals say having so many similar shops in one place is symptomatic of the challenges that mass tourism brings. The gift shops - most of which are run by three main operators - sell every imaginable Scotland or Edinburgh-themed item, from postcards and soft toys to are two shops which only sell Christmas-related Royal Mile is also home to 42 cafes or restaurants, 13 bars, eight jewellers and three kilt in addition to the museums, cathedral, court, primary school and homes located along the steep and narrow pavements. 'I'm not against tourism, I just think it has gone too far' One man who is almost uniquely qualified to understand the impact of tourism on the Royal Mile is 77-year-old Jimmy has lived on the Canongate, at the bottom of the Royal Mile, since birth and proudly refers to himself as a who has lived in five different homes, can list the "useful shops" that used to be a stone's throw away. They include hairdressers, butchers, grocers and a doctors' surgery - which is now a whisky said it used to be "a normal area" where people would live and work."It was probably in the 1980s you saw a lot of people moving out and the street beginning to change," he explained. Jimmy used to work at the brewery which is now the site of the Scottish Parliament. He has long enjoyed sitting outside the 17th Century Canongate Kirk, where one of the benches has an inscription to his late added: "I would sit on that bench and you'd watch the world go by, saying hello to folk you knew coming by. "Now I sit there and it feels like it is just tourists that pass me by."I'm not against tourism, I just think it has gone far in how it affects people who live here."Jimmy said he now had to go out of the area to get his food shopping, or rely on relatives to bring it to him. He said the council was to blame for allowing too many tourist shops to open in one area. It is a point that some critics argue is borne out by data published by the City of Edinburgh Council last year which shows it owns and rents out 35 shops along the Royal Mile, many of which are leased to tourism businesses. Hanna Wesemann lives just off the Royal Mile and both her children attended Royal Mile Primary 2004, this Victorian-era built school had 165 pupils but now the roll is down to 118 pupils – well below its 210 capacity. The 29% fall in pupils does not surprise Hanna, who says the Old Town increasingly "does not feel like a good area to bring up a family".Hanna puts this down to the pressures of tourism and the blight of anti-social behaviour by problem drug and alcohol users outside her flat, which requires regular calls to the police. She said: "It feels like all that's left here is shops for tourists, tourists, and people who have multiple and complex needs."It [the Royal Mile] is on our doorstep but we never go there because there's nothing for us."There used to be some useful shops, even charity shops, but now they are all gone and all I can see is gift shops which all seem to sell the same stuff." Increase in international visitors to Edinburgh Only London beats Edinburgh in terms of the most popular places to visit in the visitors account for the bulk of the city's tourists staying for at least one night - a total of 2.6m in 2023, up from 2.47m in it is overseas visitors who are driving Edinburgh's increasing popularity. After a dramatic fall in the Covid years, Edinburgh now attracts one million more international visitors every year than it did a decade ago. Combined with domestic visitors, that is 4.98m total overnight trips by all visitors in 2023. Where to accommodate these tourists, especially in peak periods like the Edinburgh festivals, has been a topic of hot discussion in the city for years. Edinburgh saw a well documented surge in residential properties being turned over to holiday lets in the previous decade. The number of listings by Airbnb in the city jumped from 1,900 in 2014 to 9,000 three years laws requiring operators of short-term lets to have a licence has reduced this tally but data from Inside Airbnb - an independent website which gathers data on Airbnb's operations - suggests there are still just under 6,000 listings for Edinburgh properties today. BBC Scotland News counted 96 key boxes of the type typically used for holiday lets on, or just off, the Royal Mile earlier this month. The impact of holiday lets on people living in the most popular tourist areas is very familiar to Hanna and her family. She explained: "They're not bad people but they don't consider this as an area where people live as normal residents."You can't build a relationship with someone for three days and I'm really tired of going upstairs every few days and saying 'Can you please be quiet, we have to go to work in the morning'."While much of the focus on where tourists stay has been on the controversy around holiday lets, there are now 181 hotels in Edinburgh - more than twice as many as there were in 2005. What tourism does for Edinburgh's economy There is little doubt that tourism plays a key role in the city's economy. Hosting the world's largest arts festival every August is a big part of that but tourism is now an all-year round industry. It is estimated the average overnight visitor spent £435 in 2023. That filters down to a range of businesses, from coffee shops to taxi firms, supporting thousands of jobs. A spokesman for the Gold Brothers Group - which owns 16 shops on the Royal Mile and employs 340 people in peak season - said claims about too many tourists were nothing he added that there was still capacity for more visitors outwith the festivals in August. The spokesman said: "Our view is that a number of priority issues are being overlooked due to a fixation on tourist numbers. "The urgent priorities for residents, business owners and visitors to the Old Town are cleanliness as the place is filthy; anti-social behaviour; and criminality including violence and a serious 'theftdemic'."Maybe Edinburgh's local population could come and visit and reflect on what the Royal Mile looked like years ago with its poorly maintained shops with little or no investment and then, without prejudice, consider the quality of outlets now."The spokesman called on the City of Edinburgh Council to "stride to its A game" by cleaning the Old Town more often and ensuring it is "safe and a joy to behold". Edinburgh 'a great place to live and visit' Council Leader Jane Meagher said the local authority was determined ensure the Royal Mile was "clean and well-maintained".She also told BBC Scotland News the Old Town High Street was added: "Shopfronts are open, supporting local jobs and our economy, with a great mix of businesses in the area from independent kiltmakers to homemade crafts. "As one of the biggest landlords in the area we encourage this mix and work to make sure properties are occupied."The council leader acknowledged anti-social behaviour remained a concern but said the local authority was working with Police Scotland to address CCTV has also been installed around the Tron and Hunter said: "We're also making the Royal Mile a safer place for pedestrians and cyclists, while making sure it is clean and well-maintained. "Our refurbishment of North Bridge is a visible commitment of our plans to ensure the area remains at the beating heart of the city, as is the extra £1m we're investing this year to tackle litter and graffiti in our communities."The funding includes additional resources for washing pavements and closes in the Old said: "Once Edinburgh's visitor levy has launched, we hope to invest even more money to manage the impact tourism has, to ensure our city remains a great place to live and to visit." The future of tourism in Edinburgh The latest Scottish census suggests just under 9,000 people live in the areas in and around the Royal Mile. This covers the tall blocks of flats that flank either side of the Royal Mile and the nearby council-built estate of Dumbiedykes, which has about 600 homes but no shop, GP surgery, pharmacy or post of these residents feel the direct pressure tourism can bring but there are wider pressures on the city too. A 8.4% jump in the city's population in the 10 years to 2023 has contributed to a deepening housing and homelessness year Edinburgh will introduce the kind of tourist tax that is common around Europe and city leaders have pledged to invest the £50m it is expected to raise every year on infrastructure has been mostly welcomed but some fear it might not be enough to help Edinburgh adapt to the growing demands of tourism.


The Independent
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
What Barcelona port terminal closures mean for cruise passengers
The number of cruise terminals at the Port of Barcelona are set to be reduced by the end of the decade in an effort to address concerns about overtourism in the city. Barcelona City Council and the Port of Barcelona have unveiled plans to reduce the number of passenger cruise terminals from seven to five. Under the plans, terminals A, B and C will be demolished as part of a €185m (£160m) project. A new terminal will be built on the site of terminal C that will have capacity for 7,000 passengers at any given time. The changes will reduce Barcelona's maximum cruise capacity from 37,000 passengers to 31,000 per day. This could alter how often ships visit Barcelona. The new terminal will prioritise cruise lines that start or end at the port, plus small vessels and those that stay overnight, according to the announcement. Work will begin at the end of next year and the new terminal will be complete by 2030. It won't affect terminals D and E, which are operated by Carnival Corporation, Terminal H, operated by MSC Cruises, or Terminal G, run by Royal Caribbean Group. There will be a €90m (£78m) expansion to the Porta d'Europa bridge that links the wharf with the city. More shuttle services, and crowd-monitoring information screens, have been proposed. Onshore power supplies will be installed to help ships reduce their engine emissions while in-port. A study has also been commissioned to see how cruise passengers move around the city as part of a new sustainable mobility plan. Barcelona is Europe's largest cruise port and, according to the proposal, has seen a 20 per cent increase in passengers since 2018. Of 12.8 million cruise passengers who visited Spanish ports last year, 3.7 million came to Barcelona. This has prompted protests about overtourism and overcrowding in the city. The mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, said the growth cannot be infinite, adding: 'For the first time in history, a limit is being placed on the growth of cruises in the city. 'The current management of tourism involves setting limits and managing better.' Barcelona has been scaling back cruise operations since 2018, moving from the city centre to Adossat Wharf, before closing its North Terminal, located near La Rambla, in 2023. A statement from the port said: 'The agreement will reduce the number of cruise terminals at the Port of Barcelona and will roll out a series of projects to improve passenger mobility and make it more sustainable, moving forward in the responsible management of cruises and improving the coexistence between port activity and the city.' A spokesperson for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) trade body, said: "While cruise visitors currently represent less than five per cent of total tourists to Barcelona, cruise tourism contributes more than €1bn (£867m) annually to the Catalan economy and supports over 9,000 jobs, according to the University of Barcelona. 'Ensuring the sector's continued contribution – while enhancing sustainability – requires a thoughtful, collaborative approach, and we welcome the opportunity for ongoing dialogue and partnership with the Port of Barcelona, the City Council, and regional authorities. 'By working together, we can ensure that cruise tourism continues to be a well-managed, economically valuable, and increasingly sustainable part of Barcelona's future. "Cruise tourism is managed tourism, with scheduled arrivals planned years in advance and supported by guided excursions, and coordinated transportation, allowing for better tourism management and oversight."


Skift
2 days ago
- Business
- Skift
Barcelona to Close 2 Cruise Terminals to Tackle Overtourism
Barcelona's ongoing battle against mass tourism isn't slowing down. The city is emphasizing quality instead of quantity. Barcelona has announced plans to close two of its seven cruise terminals as part of the city's strategy to combat overtourism, Reuters reported. Barcelona's city hall and port authority reached an agreement last Thursday to demolish two terminals and rebuild a third for public use, which would lower the number of passengers the port can handle at one time from 37,000 to 31,000 by the end of the decade. Barcelona saw a 21% increase in cruise ship calls and a 20% increase in passengers to 1.2 million people in the first five months of this year from the same period in 2024, according to official data. Roughly 3.7 million cruise ship passengers arrived in Barcelona last year. 'For the first time in history, limits are being placed on the growth of cruise ships in the city,' said Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni, as quoted by Reuters. Collboni said last year he was seeking a new deal with port authorities to limit the number of one-day cruise calls. The city's new plan will see the port prioritize cruise ships that use Barcelona as their home port for departures and arrivals. The Port of Barcelona, Europe's biggest cruise port, reported 1.6 million cruise ship passengers were in transit last year. Barcelona's decision to shut down two cruise terminals is the city's latest move to clamp down on mass tourism. Collboni said last year the city had to impose restrictions in order not to become a 'theme park' without residents. The mayor has also announced Barcelona will enact a total ban on short-term rentals by 2029. In addition, Barcelona's tourism board said last year it would replace its longtime slogan 'Visit Barcelona' with 'This is Barcelona,' which Skift reported was part of the city's strategy to attact travelers interested in its history and culture and shift away from promoting mass tourism.