[email protected]
ROBIN ESROCK - BESTSELLING AUTHOR, SPEAKER, TV HOST
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • BOOKS
  • SPEAKING
  • BLOG
  • TV
  • PARTNERS
  • MEDIA
    • PHOTOS >
      • Favourite Photos
      • Esrock in Photos
      • Download Bio Photo
      • VIDEO
  • CONTACT

An old dog learns new tricks.

9/11/2018

7 Comments

 
Picture
Walk, em... Squeeze through Medieval Gates in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is in the news.  Since I visited as a backpacker (and Vancouver Sun travel columnist) in 2005, Croatia’s walled medieval city has become a magnet for mass tourism, fuelled by an onslaught of cruise ships, the success of Game of Thrones - Dubrovnik is a key location - and countless articles detailing its many wonders, written by travel writers just like me.   The result today is crowds so thick you can’t see feet for cobblestone. The infrastructure is choked, there’s notorious price gauging, increased pollution, and Disneyland-esque line-ups outside attractions and businesses barely able to cope.   This is the curse of Overtourism, a word that travellers are going to be hearing more and more often.  Tourism is an industry of growth.  More tourists = more hotels = more restaurants = more tour operators = more money = a better economy.   Rampant growth has little concern if roads or sewerage pipes or the food supply chain or ports or museums or hotels or attractions were never designed to accommodate it.   Hence, Venice is a disaster each summer.  Hence, the reality of Paris is so shocking to Japanese tourists seduced by its image they can have psychotic breaks (Google Paris Syndrome).  Hence available accommodation is limited, Air Bnb has soaked up what’s left and locals can’t afford to rent a place in their own city.  Hence finding and keeping talented staff is impossible, and transient employees are exploited under the table.  I encountered this end game on full display in high season Bali, where crowded beaches were covered in garbage and the roads were choked with snarling traffic.    I encountered it in the Masai Mara with Landrover traffic jams and aggressive guides dangerously jostling for position to get a glimpse of a lion, the beast quickly retreating from the cacophony of camera clicks.  Of course you won’t see this reality in the marketing paraphernalia produced by advertising agencies for tourism promotional boards.  Videos and brochures depict dreamy sunsets and isolated beaches, candlelit restaurants and goosebump-inducing landscapes - miraculously captured just out of view of the tour buses and line-ups, the pushy hawkers and the tourists bewildered by ticket prices with more hidden fees than your last bank mortgage.
Overtourism never used to be a big thing, because mass international tourism never used to be big thing.   Travelling abroad once signalled great fortune and privilege.  With cheaper flights, online tools and the growth of personal wealth, well over a billion people travel abroad each year.   The masses are inspired by advertising, by television shows, by books, by online Top 10’s, by travel writers promoting bucket lists.  Oh yes, they’re inspired by people just like me, enthusiastically promoting destinations and activities that make life worth living.   A destination’s prosperity brings more exposure, which brings more in-bound tourism, and the developers to build resorts and hotels to accommodate them.  We may as well stick in a zipline, or a waterpark, or an open-top bus tour, and let the good times roll.  And indeed, they have.  Mass tourism has been a boon for everyone. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism generates over 10% of the world’s total GDP, supporting over one tenth of all the jobs in the world economy.  Beyond the economic benefits, travel brings people together, inspires, enlightens, informs.  I don’t need to write about why travel is good.  Yet, when tourism is allowed to grow unchecked and without care, when greed and profit drive growth, there is an end game.  I saw it on full display in Bali, and I’m not the only one.  Two decades ago the place was paradise.  But all that garbage has to go somewhere.  All those buses have to use the same narrow road.  All those tourists want to see the same show at sunset at the same temple.  And all those taxi drivers know they can feast on post-show “I just want to get back to the hotel” desperation like overfed hyenas on the Serengeti.  The End Game of Overtourism is not a pretty place.   It keeps us behind the safe walls of the resorts that protect us from the mayhem, and ensures we’ll never go back.   It inhibits meaningful cultural interactions.  It rewards the unscrupulous, the unethical, and the corrupt.   And it sends tourists packing for somewhere new, which, in turn, might gradually grow to become its own overtouristed nightmare.
Overtourism has been on my mind because of the jarring contrasts between Bali and Hoi An, Vietnam.  After 5 weeks renting a villa, my family couldn’t wait to leave Bali, and after five weeks renting a villa, we didn’t want to say goodbye to Hoi An.  Oh, tourism is exploding here too.  The word is out:  Hoi An represents a country and its people at its most loveliest: welcoming, beautiful, friendly, affordable.  And yet I’m hesitant to spread that news.  Because not far away from our villa, they’re building dozens of mega resorts all along the coast to Danang, 45 minutes away.  One resort has over 8000 rooms, built to serve one exploding market in particular, China.   And all these tourists will want to experience Hoi An like we did, and how could this small ancient town not become a Dubrovnik?   How could the main in-bound road of Cua Dai not become the choked nightmare of Bali’s Uluwatu Street?  And still,  how could I not rave about this wonderful destination without contributing in no short part to the overtourism problem?   Lots of questions to slurp back with my rice noodles.
Picture
Maya Beach, Thailand
Overtourism is changing and will continue to change the world of tourism.  Some authorities are dealing with it, making world headlines in the process.  In Thailand, they recently closed Maya Beach for six months to allow the famous cove - the setting of the film The Beach - to recover from years of tourist onslaught.  After assessing the extent of the damage, they closed the beach indefinitely.  Great for the environment and its surroundings, terrible if you own a local business and need tourists to put food on the table.  With overtourism, by the time you recognize the problem, it’s too late.  When an experience eventually becomes so negative that tourists shift their focus somewhere new - a new ancient city, a new island, a new beach -  they leave a path of environmental and economic devastation in their wake.   Will Dubrovnik shut its ports to turn down the millions of dollars cruise ships inject into the economy?  Would any city? Not likely.  Will I stop writing about inspiring places, which puts food on my table too?  Not likely either.  And there in lies the rub.  To stop the grotesque trend of overtourism, great sacrifices will need to be made.  Profits need to be pushed aside, the greater good must be pursued with long term vision.    Apply the same approach to the myriad of issues facing the planet, and then look at the leaders who have been elected to face them.  It’s not very promising, is it?
I don’t mean to and yet probably sound jaded, the dreaded word that haunts any self-respecting travel writer. Because as much as overtourism is a thing, so is Responsible Travel.  We can choose to travel with companies operating with sound ethics and impressive policies, and visit places that genuinely appreciate our interest, not just our credit card.  When authorities do use quotas and restrictions - as with gorilla encounters in Central Africa or in Peru’s Macchu Picchu - we can respect them as opposed to putting our own interests above all else.   Give Iceland or Barcelona a break, consider Finland and Lisbon.    And, yes do the research as to what a place will be like when you visit, as opposed to how incredible it was when the travel writer visited it back in, say, 2005.   As for myself, I believe that, however small the impact, my work has inspired the world,  and has made a tiny yet positive difference. I’ve always believed that travel is so personal. Just because I didn’t enjoy it, who I am to write negatively about any place or activity, and what gives me that right?   I’ve always believed there’s enough negative reporting in the world.   Well, my recent encounter with Overtourism in Bali has taught this old dog a new trick.  If I don’t starting telling everyone it how it is – warts and all - I’ll continue to be part of the problem, as opposed to part of the solution.  ​
7 Comments
Betjee link
10/5/2022 09:24:28 pm

Thank you for sharing! This article is a must read for every person interested in betting and wanted to expand their knowledge about the craft. Check https://betjee.com for more exciting games and unlimited earnings.

Reply
Satta King link
5/19/2024 10:30:22 pm

Appreciate your thoughtful analysis of online gaming trends. Your exploration of the psychological and financial aspects mirrors my findings on <a href="https://sattagalidisawar.in/"> Satta King </a> platforms like Sattagalidisawar. It's crucial to navigate the ethical dimensions of such platforms, and your insights contribute to that dialogue.

Reply
Gali Result link
5/21/2024 02:40:22 am

I wanted to share my thoughts on an article I read recently on the Gali Result site that provides an in-depth look at <a href="https://gali-result.in/"> Satta King </a>. This article is particularly insightful for those who are curious about the origins and evolution of the game. It explains how Satta King started as a form of lottery in the pre-independence era and evolved into the complex betting system we see today.

Reply
satta king link
6/1/2024 03:24:34 am

Nice post your content is very inspiring and appriciating I really like it please visit my site for
<a href="https://sattaking-vip.in/">satta king</a>
<a href="https://sattaking-vip.in/satta-king-online.php">delhi satta</a>
<a href="https://satta-king-no.com">satta</a>
<a href="https://sattaaking.org">satta king 786</a>
<a href="https://satta-king-no.com/satta-king-gali-2024-result.php">gali disawar</a>
<a href="https://sattaaking.org/satta-king-faridabad-2024-result.php">satta king delhi</a>
<a href="https://sattaaking.vip/satta-king-live-result.php">sattaking</a>
<a href="https://satta-kings-result.in/">satta king desawar</a>

Reply
k2 spice link
6/25/2024 08:11:44 pm

Your blog is good on the benefits and risks of consuming <a href="https://k2spices.shop">K2 spice</a>. It was informative with a very clear analysis and both sides of the topic were well discussed. Having all these facts before making decisions is important, and this is what your blog did exactly. Thanks for the all work!

Reply
K2 spice link
7/7/2024 09:03:28 pm

Very nice articles thank you so much for writing such quality articles and share them on your blog for new players. It helps a lot to learn more and more new and updated things about <a href="https://k2spices.shop">K2 spice</a>. I always loved to read your posts and definitely want more.

Reply
Satta king link
7/7/2024 09:04:45 pm

Your articles about <a href="https://satta-king-expert.com">Satta king</a> have become the best source to learn about Satta King Games. I am here to thanks for your recent article about why positive mindset important for playing bet on Satta King, certainly the best work you are done ever.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Greetings. 
    ​Please come in. Mahalo for removing your shoes.


    ​After years running a behemoth of a blog called Modern Gonzo, I've decided to a: publish a book or eight, and b: make my stories more digestible, relevant, and deserving of your battered attention.

    ​Here you will find some of my adventures to over 120 countries, travel tips and advice, rantings, ravings, commentary, observations and ongoing adventures.

    Previously...

    April 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012


    Categories

    All
    Adrenaline
    Adventure
    Africa
    Airports
    Albania
    Alberta
    Anguilla
    Animals
    Antarctica
    Arctic
    Argentina
    Art
    Asia
    Australia
    Awards
    Backpacking
    Bali
    Beaches
    Belgium
    Belize
    Bike
    Boats
    Bolivia
    Books
    Botswana
    Brazil
    British Columbia
    Bucket List
    Bulgaria
    Cambodia
    Canada
    Caribbean
    Central America
    Chile
    China
    Climate
    Colombia
    Commentary
    Contests
    Cook Islands
    Costa Rica
    Croatia
    Cruise
    Cuba
    Culture
    Czech Republic
    Denmark
    Diving
    Ecuador
    England
    Estonia
    Ethiopia
    Europe
    Family
    Family Travel
    Finland
    Fishing
    Flying
    Food And Wine
    France
    Galapagos
    Gear
    Genealogy
    Georgia
    Germany
    Gift Guide
    Great Britain
    Greenland
    Halloween
    Hawaii
    Hike
    History
    Holland
    Hong Kong
    Horse
    Hotels
    Hungary
    Iceland
    India
    Indigenous
    Indonesia
    Industry
    Interview
    Iran
    Ireland
    Islands
    Israel
    Issues
    Italy
    Japan
    Jordan
    Lakes
    Laos
    Latvia
    Lithuania
    Malaysia
    Malta
    Mancations
    Mauritius
    Mexico
    Mongolia
    Mountains
    Movies
    Myanmar
    News
    New Zealand
    Nicaragua
    North America
    North Korea
    Norway
    Nunavut
    Panama
    Papua New Guinea
    Peru
    Philippines
    Photo Galleries
    Portugal
    Quirky
    Rafting
    Reviews
    Rivers
    Road Trip
    Romania
    Russia
    Sailing
    Saudi Arabia
    Scotland
    Ski
    Slovenia
    Snowboard
    South Africa
    South America
    South Korea
    Speaking
    Sponsored
    Sport
    Sri Lanka
    Sustainability
    Sweden
    Taiwan
    Technology
    Thailand
    The Netherlands
    Tibet
    Tourism
    Train
    Transylvania
    Travel Tips
    Tunisia
    Turkey
    Ukraine
    United States
    Usa
    Vancouver
    Venezuela
    Victoria
    Vietnam
    Volcanoes
    Water
    Weird
    Winter
    Zanzibar
    Ziplining

    RSS Feed

Picture

Subscribe

​
​Subscribe to my newsletter for infrequent inspiration
​

    Sorry about the hurdles, it filters out the $#!% spammers! ​

Subscribe

Coming Fall 2025

Picture

Quick Links


Books

About

Speaking

Media

TV

Photo

Contact

 Copyright Esrock World Media 2005-2024 

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • BOOKS
  • SPEAKING
  • BLOG
  • TV
  • PARTNERS
  • MEDIA
    • PHOTOS >
      • Favourite Photos
      • Esrock in Photos
      • Download Bio Photo
      • VIDEO
  • CONTACT