Global Tourism in 2024: Lessons (Un)Learned from the 2019 Overtourism Crisis

After COVID-19, global tourism rebounded faster than anticipated. Starting in 2023, many European destinations saw visitor numbers not just recover to 2019 levels, but exceed them. Cities like Paris, Barcelona, and Venice once again faced overflowing crowds — just like in 2019, when overtourism led to resident protests and policy debates.

Back then, the criticism was clear: unchecked tourism growth inflated prices, eroded local economies, and strained cultural and urban infrastructure. Now, after a four-year pause, many cities are reliving the same scenarios — often with the same playbook.

According to UNWTO, international tourism reached 95% of pre-pandemic levels in the first half of 2024. Amsterdam has tightened tourist conduct rules, Barcelona has limited new hotel permits, and destinations like Capri and parts of Greece have raised tourist taxes. But these are mostly reactive measures, not strategic reforms — and this signals a broader failure to learn from 2019.

Many countries still lack a long-term vision: how can tourism remain economically valuable without harming environmental and urban systems? Terms like “responsible travel,” “daily tourist quotas,” and “flight levies” are entering policy discussions — but transformative change has yet to take root.

In Georgia, tourism has rebounded and remains a major economic pillar. Yet, as in 2019, this growth continues largely unregulated. Seasonal strain is already visible in destinations like Batumi, Mtskheta, and Svaneti, and there are no safeguards in place to reduce pressure on local resources. If Georgia continues to focus purely on numbers, a repeat of 2019’s mistakes may not just be likely — it may already be underway.