WTTC Urges Smarter Tourism Planning to Protect Destinations and Communities
As global tourism surges during the height of summer, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a new report urging governments and industry leaders to adopt smarter, more sustainable approaches to managing growing visitor numbers. The paper, titled Managing Destination Overcrowding: A Call to Action, outlines six key steps to help destinations thrive while preserving the quality of life for local residents.
Although overcrowding is often blamed solely on the volume of tourists, the WTTC emphasizes that underlying issues such as inadequate infrastructure, poor urban planning, and fragmented governance are often to blame. These challenges not only affect visitors but also strain the daily lives of residents, risking tourism’s long-term viability if not addressed with coordinated solutions.
The report highlights the importance of tourism as a global economic engine, with the sector expected to contribute nearly $11 trillion to the global economy in 2024, supporting 357 million jobs worldwide. It also notes that governments benefit significantly from tourism revenues—more than $3.3 trillion annually, representing 9.6% of global tax revenue—yet often fail to reinvest those funds into the infrastructure and policies needed to sustain healthy growth.
WTTC lays out a six-step roadmap for destinations seeking to manage tourism pressure responsibly: organize multi-stakeholder taskforces, develop shared long-term strategies, base decisions on reliable data, monitor trends in real time, reinvest tax income transparently, and include residents in the decision-making process. These recommendations are meant to be adaptable to local realities, emphasizing there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Examples of best practices include Barcelona’s public-private tourism model, VisitFlanders’ “Travel to Tomorrow” strategy, and Dubrovnik’s cruise coordination plan with the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Iceland also stands out for directly reinvesting tourism levies into environmental protection, demonstrating how policy can align with long-term sustainability goals.
While some cities have introduced tourism taxes to ease local pressures, WTTC warns that such tools alone are not enough and may risk backfiring. The report estimates that capping tourist numbers in 11 major European cities could result in $245 billion in lost GDP and nearly 3 million jobs over three years, underlining the importance of strategic management over restrictive policies.
WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson concluded, “Travel & Tourism brings huge benefits including jobs, investment, and deeper cultural understanding. But growth needs to be managed carefully. This isn’t about stopping tourism—it’s about making it work for everyone.” The report calls on public and private stakeholders to look beyond short-term fixes and reinvest in infrastructure, services, and communities, ensuring that tourism continues to be a force for good across the globe.
