Back in January, we reported that global experts think we won’t be seeing the end of overtourism any time soon.
We did, however, note that 2026 brought in relevant and diverse solutions to the issue in different parts of the world.
Economic headwinds notwithstanding, overall travel demand continues to climb toward record highs as we approach the end of the year.
It is notable that both travellers and governments are actively changing how and where trips happen.
Whether we like it or not, overtourism persists
Considering the way airfare has risen since February of this year, international overnight arrivals reached a record 1.57 billion in 2026.
In its Global Travel Report 2026 presented at this year’s World Travel Market (WTM) London, Tourism Economics projected global arrivals to jump another eight percent in 2027 if geopolitical tensions ease, keeping intense pressure on popular infrastructure.
However, we need to consider local sentiment: locals in heavily-visited areas, particularly in Spain, Italy, and Japan,are developing what industry analysts call tourism phobia.
And why wouldn’t they: the influx of tourists and digital nomads continues to drive up the cost of residential real estate and also strains local services and leads to price hikes for basic commodities.
As a result, those living in known tourism hubs are now displaying increasingly open hostility towards crowds of foreign travellers.
Experts covered by Amaravati Today declared:
“Our objective is to ensure that tourism creates opportunities for local communities while preserving their quality of life. Tourism brings growth, jobs and investment, but its benefits are not equally distributed... Some destinations face strong pressure from visitors, numbers, while other territories have significant untapped potential.”
As a result, some urban destinations like Amsterdam and Barcelona have frozen hotel construction, raised tourist taxes, and restricted short-term rentals.
However, experts note these measures often only serve as symptom management: something that simply drives crowds into surrounding neighborhoods without actually thinning numbers.
Well, now what?
As 2026 draws to a close, we are looking at several trends that stand to change the global travel landscape.
If we go by a recent survey conducted by Omio and YouGov, 47 percent of those they interviewed plan to travel more in the coming year.
Likewise, 66 percent expect to travel domestically in their home nations, while 46 percent expect to visit another country within their continent or region.
It is interesting to note that a growing number of intrepid globe-trekkers are swapping famous hubs like Bali in favour of lesser-known regions in Indonesia, North Africa, or secondary European cities.
At the same time, 22 percent of those surveyed plan to book trips outside the busiest months to avoid crowds.
Industry forecasts from Explore Worldwide also highlight a sharp rise in monsoon or green season tourism with bookings surging for wetter off-peak seasons in places like Borneo.
However, experts warn that redirecting tourists to quiet areas can create new overtourism hotspots if those places lack adequate housing, water, and transit infrastructure.
Rather than relying solely on strict visitor caps, institutions like the European Union are rolling out management toolboxes focused on resident well-being and spreading visitors across seasons.
Meanwhile, as the United Nations has designated 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism, tourism boards throughout the world are pushing for stronger governance regarding both sustainable and regenerative tourism in the coming months.
