The more tourists in a place, the better tourism, right? Wrong. Mass tourism is a phenomenon that can be very harmful for some places and for tourists themselves.

This is an effect that makes cities that present themselves as tourist suffer great demands from tourists. And, with that, it is faced with situations in which its resources (natural, energy, food and others) are not enough.

Consider, for example, a location that sees tourist activities triple the number of people present there at certain times of the year. While there are ways to prepare for this, they are not always enough. With that, they can not only spoil the experience for tourists, but also for city residents.

Below, then, check out more about this phenomenon, how it is characterized and some of the destinations that suffer from it. So, learn everything about the subject and become an expert, as well as learn how to do conscious tourism.

Mass tourism is nothing more than a phenomenon that occurs in some tourist places that find demand much greater than their capacity to offer services and products. But not only that. It also refers to the impact that is generated on the local population by the precariousness of available resources.

According to a study promoted by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in partnership with some universities, mass tourism corresponds to “(…) the impact of tourism on a destination, or on parts of it, which excessively negatively influences the perception of quality of citizens' lives and/or the quality of visitor experiences”.

Consider, for example, cities that encounter tourist demand that exceeds their physical, social, economic and ecological capacities. Note that this leads to a decrease in the quality of life of those who live there, as well as can interfere with the tourist's own benefit.

When a location or part of it is faced with this type of situation, it tends to see its products become more expensive, since there is greater demand than those available. It also finds environmental impacts, such as a decrease in water and air quality, as well as an increase in waste production.

See, then, the main characteristics of what mass tourism is:

There are some factors that are repeated when we study how a place became a mass tourist destination, see the main ones:

Still, to understand what mass tourism is and how it affects tourist destinations, it is essential to consider the effects it causes. See the main ones:

Now that you know what mass tourism is, it remains to know which destinations are currently suffering from it. See what they are and, if you want to visit one of them, be prepared to go preferably in low season. Or else, be prepared for queues and to exercise the activity of a conscientious tourist.

Thailand's beaches and islands have won over the public in recent years. In that sense, they are one of the victims of mass tourism. 

Still, the Inca archaeological site, in Peru, represented by Machu Picchu, also suffers from high demands that are repeated in high seasons. It is not by chance that the local government has taken control measures, such as reducing visiting hours and the maximum time each visitor can stay there (4 hours).

Another destination that suffers from what is mass tourism is the Vatican, city-state located in Rome and where the official headquarters of the Catholic Church is present. Every year millions of tourists go to Italy to visit the Pope's address, seek a blessing from him and see works of art scattered around the chapels and streets, such as paintings and sculptures.

Another place that suffers from mass tourism is the Taj Mahal, an Indian mausoleum that is part of the country's history and that enchants for its beauty and history.

Finally, another place that also suffers from mass tourism refers to the Walls of China, present in Beijing. The place is famous for the great thousand-year-old monuments that attract millions of tourists annually, especially in the Chinese summer.