Seoul and Barcelona Are looking for ‘Overtourism’ Solution

The two significant tourist destinations of the world, Seoul and Barcelona, will look for a solution together to resolve ‘overtourism’, a common faced by both the cities. According to a city official here on Wednesday, the residents of the two cities expressed problem due to huge number of visitors at a forum in the South Korean capital later this week.

To quote the official, "the two sides will discuss the issue by studying cases of Seoul, Barcelona and Indonesia at the 2017 Seoul International Fair and Sustainable Tourism Forum (SIFT) that will open on Thursday."

The industry of the world tourism and number of tourists, according to the Seoul City, are increasing at a rate of 4 to 5 percent each year and makes up to 10 percent of the GDP. In 2016, the visitor number around the world reached 1.23 billion mark.

Nonetheless, the huge inflow of tourists is actually worsening the quality of life of all the locals in key European cities like Barcelona, Amsterdam and Venice, as per the latest news reports. Besides, overtourism also raises the local rent, compelling the residents out of their homes.

In Barcelona, lately some anti-tourist rallies happened and a group of masked men deflated bus tires. Also, few tourist bicycles were damaged.

Inhabitants at Seoul tourist destinations like Bukchon Hanok Village are no exception either. They are also stressed because of noise, wastes and breach of privacy every day.