Will Chile face an over tourism crisis?

Whilst cities like Barcelona and Venice are struggling to contain the massive amount of tourists every summer, our country has the opportunity to face this challenge on time.

Locals gathered in Barcelona to protest against the cost of living due to tourism.

We have seen images of hundreds of people in the streets of Barcelona, protesting against the excessive rise in the cost of living in their city. Some of them used water pistols to confront skeptical tourists witnessing over 150 social organizations gathering to protest. The reason? Tourism.

While tourism is often seen as an economic activity that benefits communities where it's practiced, the truth is that without regulations to achieve balance in this industry, the consequences for cities can be severe. Barcelona, a city of approximately 1.5 million inhabitants, receives nearly 32 million tourists annually (according to projections for 2024), putting significant strain on city services and driving up local living costs. This is especially evident in issues like housing, where properties are increasingly used for short-term tourist rentals, thereby raising prices and limiting housing options for locals.

In response, various organizations in Spain are mobilizing to urge authorities to regulate tourism in areas like Valencia, Ibiza, and Barcelona. Proposed initiatives include advocating for a "tourism deceleration" plan to prioritize sustainable economic activities over tourism and to regulate hotel permits and tourist accommodation uses. These measures aim to mitigate the impact on cities like Barcelona, which are not alone in facing these challenges.

An unregulated tourism can bring severe consequences to local communities

Other cities, such as Venice in Italy, have already implemented measures—like a tourist visitation tax during peak periods—to manage overwhelming tourist influxes post-pandemic. Similarly, New York City has directly banned the use of residential properties for tourist accommodations through platforms like Airbnb and Booking, aiming to curb informal lodging businesses.

Yet, are we immune to this phenomenon in Chile?

Concerns about an industry crisis due to overexploitation and inadequate regulation are beginning to surface in Chile. Cities like Valparaíso, San Pedro de Atacama, and Puerto Natales exemplify varying degrees of potential risks from excessive and unregulated tourism.

Assessing the current situation in our country requires a critical and objective approach. Chile has increasingly become an attractive destination for travelers worldwide due to its diverse environments, cultures, traditions, and stable economy. Therefore, it's crucial for both the public and private sectors to carefully examine and address potential negative impacts that tourism can bring to Chile's most visited destinations.

Cases like those of Barcelona, Venice, and New York City serve as examples for authorities to study and understand the shortcomings within the tourism value chain. By doing so, they can adopt strategies that engage local stakeholders in decision-making processes to protect their environments and interests.

In this context, travelers also play a crucial role in fostering responsible tourism development. Simple actions like learning about local traditions, customs, and respecting destination protocols are fundamental to being conscientious tourists. Principles such as "Leave No Trace" and "Slow Travel" should guide travelers towards supporting sustainable tourism practices that contribute positively to the destinations they visit.

Ultimately, it's up to all of us to understand the needs of the places we visit, be aware of their challenges, and contribute to enhancing the quality of life in these territories, even if in small ways.