OS Conversations: Mass tourism
The pandemic stopped most of us travelling anywhere, but now the United Nations predicts that international tourism will soon return to pre-Covid levels. While that might be welcome if you\u2019re making money from tourism, the number of visitors can also cause problems. Hosts James Reynolds and Lukwesa Burak discuss how you balance the tourist dollar.
Residents of Venice, Bali and Spain\u2019s Canary Islands discuss their concerns, ranging from a lack of infrastructure and non-tourist housing to cultural insensitivity and the distribution of tourism income.
\u201cTenerife has about one million residents and six million tourists visit every year,\u201d says Brian. \u201cWith over 36 percent of the population living in or at risk of poverty, it\u2019s obvious that mass tourism has failed the islanders.\u201d
We also discuss the role of travel influencers who share videos and photos with a mass audience on social media. Kristen Sarah in Costa Rica, who runs @Hopscotchtheglobe vlog, says: \u201cAs influencers, it\u2019s our messaging that encourages and inspires others to follow in our footsteps,\u201d she says. \u201cA photo is just a photo. But if you don\u2019t take in the place that you\u2019re visiting, then what\u2019s the point of even going?\u201d
A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team.