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. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overtourism

In recent years, communities around the popular mountain have tightened access rules to Mount Fuji to ease severe overtourism problems.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

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

Tens of thousands protested against overtourism on the Spanish island of Mallorca last month, demanding fewer visitors and more affordable housing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 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

However, authorities say the number of visitors in recent years has "increased dramatically, exceeding the city's capacity and resulting in overtourism, which is having a serious impact on the living environment of local residents".

From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2026

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