Overtourism & the problem with travel vlogging

Overtourism is a thing. Time and time again, I return to places I had fond memories of, only to find them overrun with tourists. But I love traveling, and I would be a hypocrite if I was somehow against it. But I do think we can all play our part to make traveling more sustainable for the destinations we choose to visit.

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[carlyzel]

Poor Manatees. I'm too antisocial to have to deal with crowds so I avoid tourist hot spots. I prefer exploring new places.

[helenawoods]

so so important! Alex and I have decided to limit our travels this year and be more intention and no longer vlog our travels because of this exact reason!

[teleking]

It's a strange phenomenon. I think people are no longer interested in the work or adventure of locating those beautiful spots. Just copy what someone else has already done. Get the same photo. I don't see the point. I shoot wildlife mostly and in the birding community it has gotten tight lipped when something unusual is found.Several years ago there was a owl that had been found out a logging road in a remote area. An uncommon visitor. I had gone several times to the area to photograph it. Birders knew all about it and shared the information. Three weeks or so after the discovery I was up there and a tour bus showed up full of foreign photographers. They were noisy, they littered and they disturbed all the wildlife. Discoveries after that were kept pretty tight amongst the immediate community. No more posting locations on birding forums. I know the Instagrammers can be much worse and have really ruined some places.It's not good at all is it?

[NomadicLiving]

Visited Denali National Park last summer, we nick-named it Denali Disney!

[missymango]

I think this is a trend in part caused by globalization. Information about certain places people have visited are now easily spread around the internet. As well, it is lucrative for vloggers to give this information out because there are more and more people able spend on travel. The solution you suggest might not sit right with people because everyone has a different reason for why they share their trip on the internet. For me, every trip I make is special and I enjoy sharing my content with my friends and family. Growing up, my family never travelled and the need for me to pick up my camera means I can bring my family along with me during my travels. I agree that there is an ugly side to tourism (gas emission, overpopulation, exposure of nature) and tourists always get a bad rap about the impact. I think it is by education, instead of witholding information like you suggest is the solution. Young people these days are more and more conscious of environmental issues, and I believe if we embrace the globalization of information and, instead of giving out information on where you can take the best selfie, rather encourage vloggers to use their influence to educate people about the places they travel is a more empowering move than asking vloggers to selfishly keep something that they enjoyed to themselves.

[alanplummer]

Fully agree with you, Nicole! I used to dive in the springs in Central Florida over forty years ago and it was remarkable seeing the manatee in their natural state without herds of people around... many of whom have no appreciation or understanding of nature. Keep up the great work! Thank you!

[TripHacksDC]

You nailed it, Nicole. This is a really important topic. Even at sites that can accommodate a lot of people (like the Lincoln Memorial), I am so happy when people come tour them in the off-season because it's a much nicer experience than when there are thousands of people there in the peak of summer.

[lassiurs]

Places like being mentioned should only allow so many a month and be the first one first serve ideal. Mean yes but ultimately respectful.

[hannanumber]

This is so important!! I went to Santorini ten years ago because a friend recommended it and it was so overcrowded already then. So glad you're highlighting this issue, which more people should consider when making travel plans!

[Storystein]

Sad but true.
5:12 I have some of those fond memories from my school trip in Italy. The times that I walked away from the buzzing tourist traps, simply wandering about, exploring the 'realness' of the towns and cities were the most magical :) Visiting sites where it is quiet, where you have time to observe the local life, to admire art or your surroundings. Thanks for resurfacing these memories.

[zjgvergara]

To answer your question at 5:43, yes Lauterbrunnen Switzerland, it was awesome! However, like you said, there were other places much less known that we stumbled upon that was just as memorable if not more memorable than Lauterbrunnen.

[MickAngelhere]

I know the feeling I recently saw a photo of a location on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria and I couldn’t believe the huge crowds and the traffic jam thirty odd years ago you hardly saw anyone.
When I go travelling I always not only go to the big cities but off the beaten track and it’s amazing what you come across the less people the people the better .
Social media has its place but in some cases it causing magical places to lose their magic and that’s sad

[johnnyc.]

I'm so glad I was stationed in Germany back in the 80's. No Instagram, no social media, no overcrowding, just me and my film camera. Got to enjoy and see so many places, like cruising down the Rhine river, exploring Neuschwanstein, drinking beer at the Oktoberfest, and many more tourist locations. Would love to go back, but like you said, it's probably insufferable nowadays.

[dannyelam]

Venice is a prime example of this, mostly caused by floods of cruise ships.

[donwyates]

Nicole, I remember your New Year resolutions - this is a good start! When I see crowds pushing out native species, I get a little verklempt. I'd originally intended to revisit (this year) some of the beautiful places I've been, but after seeing this video, I've decided to seek the less traveled path and enjoy the natural beauty that goes unnoticed - and provide no GPS coordinates in any posts that I make. I deplore the overcrowding. I've never seen Yellowstone, and likely never will.

[jexcalder]

New subscriber here! Love your videos Nicole, keep up the fantastic work

[neelsredphoto]

I think you raise some very important points here. Thank you for sharing, Nicole

[zenphotojourney]

I've lived near Zion National Park for over 20 years now and have seen the same problem. 😞

[LegionOfWeirdos]

When I first visited Playa del Carmen it had a population less than 15, 000... Basically it was like a bus stop area with some houses around it. Maybe five or six souvenir shops and a couple restaurants. I went back in the late 90s and it had a population three times that. It was like a mini Cancun. Now that the population is 200, 000+ I'm just not interested anymore.

Most of the places I discover anymore are completely unplanned. I like it that way.

[tulipanchen]

Thank you so much for this video. When I travel, I try to travel by train, bike or I walk - yes.... hiking is a perfect way to learn more about your own country. When I see pictures of these huge cruise ships in Venice, Spitzbergen, Montenegro ... (I could go on for a long time) my heard bleeds. I love to see videos about nature, but I know, when people go to these places, they're ruined (the places - not the people) - perhaps for ever. Is it really worth it - just for my personal pleasure or for the "privilege" to say "I was there"?