SCMP Economy4/29/2026TravelChina
When Tourist Arrivals Rise But Locals Are Left Behind: Rethinking Tourism Success
Opinion: Overtourism strains communities and reduces cultural heritage to photo opportunities, demanding a shift from numbers to people-centered metrics
Quick Look
- This opinion piece argues that tourism success cannot be measured by arrival numbers alone, as overtourism strains local communities, transforms living cultural ecosystems into visitor-oriented economies, and reduces traditions to superficial performances.
- Citing examples from Kyoto and India's tourism data, the author calls for prioritizing residents' well-being over spreadsheets.
AI-generated summary
Font size
This opinion piece argues that tourism success cannot be measured by arrival numbers alone, as overtourism strains local communities, transforms living cultural ecosystems into visitor-oriented economies, and reduces traditions to superficial performances. Citing examples from Kyoto and India's tourism data, the author calls for prioritizing residents' well-being over spreadsheets.
Related Topics
This article was originally published by SCMP Economy.
