As the summer peak brings millions of travelers to the world’s most iconic destinations, many cities are grappling with the unintended consequences of their own popularity. Crumbling infrastructure, stressed local services, and community pushback are exposing the fragile foundations of a global tourism model that has long prioritized growth over balance. While tourists continue to flood historic centers, coastal hotspots, and natural landmarks, local leaders face mounting pressure to reconcile economic opportunity with livability, sustainability, and long-term planning.

Uncoordinated policies, fragmented governance, and short-term fixes—like blanket visitor caps or reactive taxes—often fail to address the deeper structural challenges. The real issues lie in poor investment in public infrastructure, lack of inclusive decision-making, and an overreliance on outdated metrics of tourism success. Against this backdrop, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a timely new report urging a paradigm shift: one that rethinks how destinations are managed, funded, and protected for the future.

While overcrowding is often seen as a tourism problem, many of the real pressures come from deeper issues such as underinvestment in infrastructure, poor planning, and fragmented decision-making. These challenges affect both residents and visitors and need joined-up solutions.

Travel & Tourism supports one in every 10 jobs and nearly 10% of global GDP and is set to support one in three new jobs over the next decade. When managed well, it also fosters cultural exchange, global understanding, and environmental protection. But without smart planning, the benefits it brings could be at risk.

WTTC’s paper, Managing Destination Overcrowding: A Call to Action, explains that there’s no simple fix to the problem and urges governments, local leaders, and businesses to work together to support both communities and visitors.

In 2024, the Travel & Tourism sector is expected to contribute nearly $11 trillion to the global economy and support 357 million jobs. That’s a huge success but it also means destinations must plan to manage growth responsibly.

Annually, governments around the world accrue more than $3.3TN from Travel & Tourism businesses, equivalent to 9.6% of global tax revenues. The global tourism body urges governments to reinvest this sum in vital infrastructure and solutions to relieve pressures on already very popular destinations.

The report examines some of the root causes of overcrowding in a select number of increasingly popular destinations across Europe and provides practical solutions that can be tailored to local needs. From using better data and planning tools to involving residents in decisions.

A Practical Plan of Action

The paper outlines six simple steps destinations can take to manage tourism better:

1. Get Organised – Bring the right stakeholders together, via empowered taskforces
2. Make a Plan – Define a shared vision and destination strategy
3. Gather the Evidence – A lack of data is exacerbating issues in several destinations. It is therefore crucial to carry out evidence-based diagnoses and responses to the unique challenges faced by each destination
4. Stay Vigilant – Monitor conditions and act early
5. Invest Wisely – Reinvest in infrastructure and resilience, being transparent about where money is spent
6. Empower Residents – Make sure residents have a say and understand the benefits of Travel & Tourism in their communities

Why It Matters

A growing number of destinations have introduced tourism taxes in response to pressure, but WTTC warns that these measures don’t always solve the real problems and can put jobs, income, and services at risk.

The report finds that if 11 major European cities capped visitor numbers, it could cost $245BN in lost GDP and almost 3MN jobs over three years.

The report includes examples of destinations that are taking positive steps to combat some of the causes:

• Turisme de Barcelona Consortium operates under a public-private partnership model, guided by the principles of sustainable development goals
• VisitFlanders’ Travel to Tomorrow strategy, which reframes tourism as a tool to support local community goals such as making sure that listening to residents needs is a central tenet in their practice
• Dubrovnik’s partnership with CLIA, reducing congestion through cruise coordination and community dialogue
• Iceland, which reinvests tourism levies directly into environmental protection

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said

“Travel & Tourism brings huge benefits including jobs, investment, and deeper cultural understanding. But growth needs to be managed carefully.

“We’re encouraging all decision-makers to think ahead, work together, and focus on long-term benefits for residents and visitors alike. This isn’t about stopping tourism, it’s about making it work for everyone.”

The global tourism body believes this is a moment of opportunity.

With the right steps, destinations can protect what makes them special while ensuring that tourism continues to bring value to communities and local economies.

The report makes clear there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Every destination is different, and actions must be based on local realities. But with cooperation and planning, Travel & Tourism can continue to thrive in a way that protects what makes each place special.

The paper encourages leaders to think beyond short-term fixes and focus on reinvesting tourism income into critical infrastructure improvements, local services, and resident well-being.

Final Thoughts

To secure the future of Travel & Tourism, destinations must evolve from passive recipients of visitors to active stewards of place. This requires moving beyond reactive policies and toward a mindset of intentional, inclusive management—where tourism is not just allowed but designed to thrive in harmony with local needs.

The opportunity lies not in limiting tourism, but in reengineering how it is governed: aligning public and private interests, investing with transparency, and treating local communities not as collateral, but as co-creators of the visitor experience. If we want tourism to continue delivering value over the next decade, we must treat sustainable growth not as a trend—but as a prerequisite.