The Travel Advisors Leading the Overtourism Fight for a Post-Pandemic Era

Overtourism has been blamed for, among other things, accelerating environmental degradation, driving up rents for local residents, and overwhelming infrastructure. But there is a powerful group that is emerging to play a leading role in the fight against overtourism post-pandemic: travel advisors. As people are getting back on the road in large numbers, travel advisors have increasingly become key figures in the fight against overtourism as more travelers are turning to them for advice, including information on how to partake in more sustainable travel. Sustainable travel is a topic that has been on the minds of many travelers. Survey data reported in a webinar conducted by Virtuoso, a network of agencies specializing in luxury travel, revealed that 82 percent of respondents said the pandemic has encouraged them to travel in a more responsible manner. And travel advisors are seeing customers broach the topic of overtourism, a term coined by Skift, as they seek guidance for their trips. "It actually comes up during the first conversation with clients as they communicate their vacation preferences," said Irene Lane, a travel advisor and founder of Greenloons, a company that provides ecotourism planning services to clients.

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Erin Green, a travel advisor at Pique Travel Design, also sees an openness among travelers regarding the topic. "I think they are receptive to hearing about overtourism," she said. "Especially as beyond the altruistic reasons to not contribute more to overtourism, a place that is overtourist