Fighting overtourism in Lanzarote (Spain)

Abstract

Purpose Lanzarote, Spain, as a tourism destination, suffered a rapid tourist expansion for many years, and this has endangered its sustainability. The purpose of this study is to investigate the case of overtourism and its consequences for the local population and the environment, and to identify ways to mitigate this issue. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a case study approach. Data obtained from tourists visiting the destination were used to examine three key aspects of tourism development, namely, the arrival of tourists to the island, the accommodation offer and the growth of the population. Social awareness with environmental values and protection of the island’s natural resources were the main engine to establish measures to mitigate overtourism. Findings The analysis shows rapid growth in the arrival of tourists to the island and how it affected the accommodation offer and the population. It explores the solution that the authorities of the island took to solve the problem of disorganized growth of tourism and makes reference to the importance of managing the image of a destination to contribute to tourism sustainability. Originality/value This research proposes practical solutions to tackle overtourism at a destination which has been used by the United Nations as an example to establish sustainable tourism development guidelines. It proposes a unique mitigation strategy which is derived from the use of natural recreation.

Measuring Overtourism: A Necessary Tool for Landscape Planning

“…Although most focus on the supply of regulated accommodation, some papers have also calculated the supply of unregulated accommodation and second homes [14,31]. To ascertain the pressure of second homes, Carballo et al [16] calculate the ratio between the total number of properties and the resident population. Finally, Peeters et al [8] calculate the ratio between Airbnb beds and total number of beds offered by Booking to measure the pressure of this accommodation, which has been typified as one of the causes of overtourism in many destinations.…”

Deconstructing the Overtourism-Related Social Conflicts

“…As cities have grown progressively to the leading tourism destinations [64][65][66], the tourism industry has become more and more integrated into local economic structures [67,68]. This effect has escalated in cities, which have incorporated tourism as a tool for economic development or renewal [69,70]. However, for a long time, tourism has been promoted as a tool to enhance the community's quality of life [71][72][73] mainly owing to the sector's interdisciplinary character, seemingly beneficial outcomes for a wide range of stakeholders, and a multiplier effect [74,75].…”

“…The constant development, liberalism, and boosterism, supported by associated optimism have been the dominant logic within the industry and among its advocates [76][77][78]. The overtourism phenomenon currently observed, particularly in European cities, is the harmful consequence of these policies to the sector's evolution [16,69,[79][80][81][82][83].…”

The Relationship of Subjective Well-Being in Residents’ Perceptions of the Impacts of Overtourism in the City of Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil

“…Despite the relevance of analyzing the influencing aspects of overtourism in destinations, authors such as Capocchi et al [1], Carballo et al [44], and Insch [2], encourage research to understand how the process of development of anti-tourism feelings occurs, with regard to overtourism and consequently the decline of destinations influenced by such phenomena. As already mentioned, this term has been used in the literature for a short time; it came out in 2016 [3].…”

“…Thus, it still needs more considerable attention and acclamation within the academia, so that it has greater visibility and depth in the analysis of the relationships between the residents' well-being and the perception of excessive tourism. Carballo et al [44] further argue that research related to the theme has been approached as theoretical insights and reflections. However, they still need specific variables and scales that can measure the residents' feelings of overtourism.…”