– The phenomenon of overtourism is sometimes called the silent killer of cities. […] Residents move out of city centers because life there is unbearable. – says Monika Bak, PhD, DSc, Prof of the UG. The dean of the Faculty of Economics answered students’ questions about sustainable tourism in the series “Discussions about Sustainable Development”.
The conversation focused on issues related to Sustainable Development Goals 8, 9 and 12. These are, in turn: Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and Responsible Consumption and Production. The main topic of the interview was sustainable tourism and the phenomenon of overtourism:
This is a situation where, in a tenement in the center of the city, it suddenly turns out that the last apartment that was still inhabited by a native resident is abandoned by him, and this apartment is put to rent. It turns out that the last vegetable store around the corner ceases to exist, is turned into a souvenir store or some other tourist attraction – says Monika Bak, Ph.D., UG professor.
According to the Dean of the Faculty of Economics, the main source of this problem is the huge number of tourists who come to these places using “cheap” means of transportation.
The interview with the Dean of the Faculty of Economics was conducted by CZRUG intern Zuzanna Neubauer. What solutions should be taken to try to reduce overtourism? Can tourism be more sustainable? Learn the answers to these and many other questions in the interview, which can be viewed here: