Overtourism
Also called: Tourism carrying capacity · Topic: Tertiary, Quaternary and Quinary Activities · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Overtourism means a place gets more tourists than it can carry. The most a place can handle without damage is called its carrying capacity. Past that limit, crowds, traffic, waste and new buildings harm nature and make daily life hard for local people. It matters because tourism brings jobs and income, but too much of it can damage the very place visitors come to see. Common responses are entry fees, caps on visitor numbers, permits, and steering visitors to other sites.
Example
Manali in Himachal Pradesh, in the Himalayas, faces traffic jams, heavy building and waste in the peak season. Joshimath in Uttarakhand, which is sinking, and the crowded Char Dham route show the same strain on fragile mountains. Abroad, Venice in Italy has charged day-trippers an entry fee since 2024.
Don't confuse with
- Seasonality of tourism: this means visitor numbers rise and fall with the weather or holidays. Overtourism means numbers go beyond what a place can bear, whatever the season.