After the end of coronavirus pandemic, overtourism has been a big problem
at popular sightseeing spots over the world. In Venice of Italy,
the city administration has decided to impose tax on day trippers visiting
the world heritage. Citizens in Barcelona, Spain demonstrated to
seek for reduction of incoming overseas travelers. Here in Japan,
natives in Kyoto now have deep concern about seeing foreigners even appeared
at local community areas. In any cases, the common aspect is a flood of
outsiders destroying daily life-living of local residents as seen in the
disturbance in traffic and commute as well as pile-up of waste scattering.
Travelers' manner is also troublesome. Some of them enter into off-the-limit areas callously and take out amenities of accommodation without permission. While a sightseeing essentially brings amount of impression and newly inspiration to visitor’s mind, their bad behavior makes to lose such value easily. We should take account the proverb:“Do as Romans do.” Anyway, the number of tourists over the world will not decrease unless world-scale economic or war-like catastrophe preventing them from freely moving occurs. Is there any measure to stop such trend? There is one alternative. Current IT development enables to see any sightseeing spots under virtual reality circumstance very vividly. 3D device and smart glass can take you to any place worldwide in a moment, even to the Moon if wished. Liberated from irritable fatigue of long-time flight and packed spaces for transit, you can set up unique travel plan and enjoy your own journey at anytime stationed in a relaxed chair or so. The purpose of a travel is to make one’s mentality fruitful. Physical experience is not an only way for that purpose. We should change our existing concept and be flexible to have choice to see and believe.(Takashi Higashi, President, TCS)
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