overtourism

American  

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

noun

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of overtourism

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overtourism

But for the country’s counterparts—Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain—tourism is the focus of protests by locals because overtourism is driving up the cost of living and crowding them out of their homes.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

Like elsewhere, overtourism has emerged as a major issue in Japan.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

For years, big cruise ships funneled crowds into destinations like Venice and Barcelona, fueling overtourism concerns and prompting officials to impose restrictions on cruise traffic, ship size and visitor volume.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

The city is so synonymous with overtourism that some travelers have sworn off it completely—yet even amid cruise ship bans and entry fees for day-trippers, crowds keep coming.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

In 2011, officials implemented a daily cap on visitors to protect and preserve the site, but concerns remain about overtourism.

From BBC ● Dec. 30, 2025