How Residents Feel About Tourism

Great New York Times article (May 19, 2020) on the loss of tourism in 11 of the most heavily visited places on earth, and residents’ reaction to this “bittersweet experience” of having the cities to themselves. What a great opportunity we have to consider new ways of managing the host-guest relationship and offering quality travel exchanges, rather than returning to the days of overtourism and tensions erupting from mass tourism.

While Petra (Jordan) is not one of the places included in the article, World Heritage Sites have been some of the most crowded places in the world – and the integrity of the site is often at risk. Destination Stewardship, that respectfully engages both residents and visitors, is needed now more than ever.