overtourism

American

[oh-ver-toor-iz-uhm] / ˌoʊ vərˈtʊər ɪz əm /

noun

a situation in which too many tourists travel to a popular destination, causing the place to suffer negative environmental, economic, and sociocultural impacts.

From packed viewpoints to water shortages, Santorini is the most visible face of overtourism in the Greek islands.

Etymology

Origin of overtourism

First recorded in 1990–95; over- ( def. ) + tourism ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Overtourism, I believe, is too many people going to the same place at the same time.

From Slate • Oct. 6, 2023

Overtourism has long been a problem for the fragile lagoon city.

From Reuters • Sep. 5, 2023

Overtourism instead exploits our working class; our bleached coral reefs, eroding beaches and trashed hiking trails speak for themselves.

From Washington Post • Jun. 8, 2022

Overtourism isn’t an issue limited to the Galápagos: Venice, Italy, is among the cities that have been affected by overcrowding from tourism.

From New York Times • Jun. 1, 2018

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023