An Explanation of Overtourism in Islands

The problem of excessive numbers of tourists to specific locations is not a new phenomenon, but its origins and the reasons for its appearance have received much less attention than the nature of the phenomenon and current reactions to it. This chapter discusses the reasons for the appearance of overtourism in islands, arguing that the issue is complex because of the ways in which overtourism may have originated and also because of the differences between warm-water islands and cold-water ones and their appeal to tourists. One form of overtourism derives from a gradual, evolutionary growth of tourism in a location, such that numbers eventually exceed the tolerance of residents and the capacity of key elements of the environment. A second form is of sudden and revolutionary growth in tourism emanating from one or more changes in the setting and form of tourism. Such changes might include a rapid increase in accessibility of a location (a bridge replacing a ferry), a sudden change in the level and cost of transport (the institution of low-cost air travel from origin markets) or the unanticipated rise in popularity of a location (due to social media coverage or appearance in a major video event), resulting in unexpected and unwelcome rises in tourist numbers. The chapter proceeds to identify the differing implications of these causes and settings in terms of potential agency responses as well as the likely effectiveness of any such mitigation procedures.