MIDDLE EAST
I NS I GHT
While the drivers of overtourism are well understood, the solutions are not so easy to come by. Attention is now shifting from growth-centric tourism models to stewardship-based approaches. Taking responsibility
BY FELICITY COUSINS
A ccording to UN Tourism and the World Tourism Barometer, more than 1.1 billion international tourists travelled globally between January and September 2025, which is about 50 million more people than during the same period in 2024. By 2030 that figure will reach 1.8 billion arrivals. It's good news for the tourism industry but without sustainable frameworks in place, can host communities, infrastructures and ecosystems thrive, or even survive? ITB Berlin’s ‘Leading Tourism into Balance’ theme is a response to this reality. Here we explore how that shift is taking shape around the world, showcasing destinations, sectors and initiatives that are recalibrating tourism to be more responsible, resilient and inclusive. Searching for solutions Randy Durband, CEO, The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) says overtourism is not a new phenomenon but how it is successfully managed, with eight billion people on the planet and a growing percentage enjoying frequent travel, is an urgent work in progress. “Historically, tourism was hardly managed at all, with the public sector paying for promotion but not management and development. Now a
growing number of destinations have formed management structures, but those are still mostly in infancy and less common than one might assume,” he says. In 2025, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) published Managing Destination Overcrowding: A Call to Action, highlighting that when well-managed, tourism fosters cultural exchange, global understanding and environmental protection. Without smart planning, however, these benefits risk being undermined, impacting both residents and visitors. The paper outlines six actions to help destinations better manage tourism. Debbie Hindle, Chair of ICRT global says: “Responsible tourism is about making better places to live in and better places to visit. The order of that sentence is crucial. The balance for locals and tourists can be tipped off kilter in many different ways. Each destination needs to understand the specific causes and therefore the tools to address
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