Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Last week Cornwall became the latest beauty spot on the planet by admitting that it was the victim of its own success in attracting tourists.
The increase in tourist numbers are such that there’s barely enough space to place a beach towel on the sands of Porthcurno beach and Kynance Cove. The local tourist board has resorted to pleading with people to stay away.
No doubt the long, hot summer sent people rushing for the coast. But Cornwall’s over-tourism problem now has given rise to concerns.
In the case of Cornwall, the fans of the BBC’s Poldark arrived in such numbers that it threatened what attracted them in the first place: the tranquil sublimity of the Cornish Caribbean. Many other destinations have taken more drastic steps to curb fans’ insatiable appetite to visit places depicted on screen.
Croatia’s Dubrovnik, used as the fictional King’s Landing on TV’s Game of Thrones, has limited the daily number of tourists that can enter the historic old town. Thailand’s Maya Bay, location for the film The Beach, shut its doors for the tourists who came in such large numbers spoiling the beauty place they were meant to enjoy.
Cities across Europe now regularly witness locals coming down to the streets to protest about everything from noise and litter to Airbnb out-of-towners warping house prices.
Perhaps what is most important is that travelers need to understand how their behaviour can exhaust the charm of a destination faster than it can be replenished – and change their behavior permanently.
Tags: cornwall
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