Overtourism in cities and small islands

The book, published by Routledge (UK), is edited by Prof. Lino Briguglio, Prof. Marie Avellino and Dr Jim Butcher. It contains 19 chapters presenting a comprehensive examination of the challenges of overtourism, with a focus on cities in Europe and small islands worldwide.

The book is available at the University Library and can be accessed online by University of Malta academics. Many chapters of the book investigate how the success of tourism increasingly threatens the very qualities that attract visitors, with the attendant disruption of daily life, the displacement of local communities through gentrification, and the commodification of cultural heritage.

Many authors expose the political dimensions that often prioritise economic gains over sustainability, and the difficulty of effectively controlling the inflow of tourism without hurting the livelihoods of people employed in the sector. The book emphasises the role of the host community in tourism planning, arguing that often the interests of government and of business are served first.

As well as the problems associated with mass tourism, the volume’s case studies also examine potential solutions in this regard. Smart technology, stakeholder co-operation, quality tourism approaches and community activism all offer pathways forward, although each destination faces unique challenges requiring tailored responses. At a time of intense protests against overtourism, the volume asks whether overtourism will eventually correct itself when destinations lose their appeal, or are we witnessing the permanent transformation of places?

The book contains two chapters on tourism in Malta, both arguing that overtourism exists in the islands and that, therefore, it is imperative that strategies and planning relating to tourism in Malta assign major importance to quality rather than quantity.

More information is available online.