B2 reading: Too many tourists

In a small number of famous places, the problem is no longer how to attract tourists but how to cope with them. Residents of some historic cities complain that their streets have become so crowded in summer that it is almost impossible to walk to the shops. Rents have risen as flats are turned into holiday lets, and the bakeries and hardware stores that once served local people have been replaced by souvenir shops and ice-cream bars. The word "overtourism" was created to describe this situation, and it has quickly become part of everyday language.

The causes are not hard to find. Flights are cheaper than they were a generation ago, cruise ships can bring several thousand visitors into a port on a single morning, and social media has made certain viewpoints and streets famous almost overnight. A photograph that receives a million likes can send crowds of people to a place that has neither the paths nor the toilets to deal with them.

Local authorities have tried a range of responses. Some have introduced a daily fee for day visitors, arguing that people who stay in hotels already contribute through tourist taxes, while those who arrive by coach or ship in the morning and leave in the evening spend little. Others have limited the number of cruise ships that may dock, or have stopped issuing new licences for holiday rentals in the historic centre. A few popular natural sites now require visitors to book a time slot in advance, much as one would for a museum.

These measures are controversial. Business owners who depend on visitors worry that charging entry will make their town seem unwelcoming, and some residents question whether a city should be treated like a theme park with a ticket at the gate. There is also a risk that limiting visitors in one place simply moves the crowds to the next village along the coast.

For travellers who want to be part of the solution rather than the problem, the advice from tourism experts is fairly consistent. Travel outside the peak months if you can; a city in October or March is often more pleasant anyway. Stay longer in fewer places rather than trying to see six cities in a week. Choose locally owned accommodation and restaurants, so that more of your money stays in the community. And consider the lesser-known town an hour away from the famous one, which may be just as beautiful and far more grateful for your visit.

None of this means that people should stop travelling. Tourism provides jobs and income for millions, and the chance to see how others live has real value. The question is how to share the benefits more fairly, both between places and between visitors and the people who call those places home.