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UNESCO says ‘selfie tourism’ is destroying world’s best sights

Posted on by Vaseline

We are destroying civilization, one photo at a time. Don’t believe me. Believe UNESCO, the arm of the United Nations responsible for defending humanity’s cultural heritage, which is calling a three-alarm fire on the devastating rise of “selfie tourism.”

Selfie tourism is a trend in which travelers visit iconic landmarks not to immerse themselves in history or local culture, but to take photos for social media. It’s less about personal experiences and more about composing an image for Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. And while traditional vacation photography, where family and friends pose in front of the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum as a souvenir, was annoying but understandable, this new phenomenon is focused squarely on “visiting destinations primarily for the purpose of taking and sharing photos of themselves, often with iconic landmarks in the background,” according to UNESCO. It’s a plague.

The Instagram Effect

Social media has accelerated this shift. UNESCO warns that selfie tourism is having serious consequences for many of the world’s most famous landmarks. “The impact of selfie tourism varies by destination,” a UNESCO spokesperson told The Mirror“In many cases it has led to overcrowding in specific places, putting pressure on local infrastructure and contributing to the degradation of the overall visitor experience.”

This has led to some of the world’s lesser-known locations becoming hotspots. Once hidden gems, these destinations are now flooded with visitors looking to relive a viral moment. In Hallstatt, Austria, a town believed to be Disney’s Frozen—more than a million tourists come every year to take selfies against the picturesque mountain backdrop.

The influx has been so overwhelming that the city recently erected a fence to prevent people from gathering at a popular photo spot. The city’s frustrated mayor, Alexander Scheutz, told the Austrian press that “the people of the city just want to be left alone,” a sentiment shared by residents of many other iconic cities such as Barcelona, ​​which has become a cesspool of tourists fighting over a photo of the Sagrada Familia. The global resentment that many residents feel over the masses of tourists that social media platforms have delivered to their doorsteps is only growing.

Real consequences

Selfie culture is not only annoying for locals, it also poses a major risk to cultural heritage and public safety. In Venice, a gondola capsized when tourists from China refused to stop taking photos despite warnings from the gondolier. And that’s in Venice, a famous city already besieged by overtourism. Despite measures to curb the crowds, such as banning large cruise ships and limiting day trippers, the city continues to buckle under the weight of tourists. Local officials have also had to deal with disrespectful behavior from visitors who see the city as little more than a backdrop for their photos. UNESCO has repeatedly stated that when tourists “go to extremes for the ideal picture,” it often results in harmful actions such as trespassing, vandalism or dangerous stunts that end in accidents.

Even in rural areas, selfie tourism is wreaking havoc. In Abruzzo, Italy, truffle hunting experiences have been disrupted by tourists more interested in photographing their finds than in the hunt itself. As a result, local tour operators like Experience BellaVita have had to adapt by providing participants with tools to immerse themselves in the experience instead of their phones. “The idea,” says Marino Cardelli, owner of Experience BellaVita, “is to discourage people from using their phones so they can have a more meaningful travel experience that goes beyond the superficiality of selfies.”

It’s not the only attempt to curb this nasty onslaught. Cities and destinations around the world are fighting back with fines and fees. Portofino, Italy, introduced $300 fines for tourists who lingered too long at popular selfie spots. The idea is to prevent the “anarchic chaos,” as Mayor Matteo Viacava describes it The Timesbecause overcrowding on the streets creates ‘dangerous situations’.

Other cities are employing more subtle strategies to keep tourists away from overcrowded attractions. In Amsterdam, officials have been working to move the city’s famous red-light district to the outskirts of the city in hopes of dispersing the crowds. In Florence, efforts are underway to funnel visitors to lesser-known neighborhoods in an effort to ease the pressure on the main tourist areas. New Zealand launched a campaign to encourage travelers to “bring something new” from their trips, rather than the same tired old photos for tourist hotspots, the BBC reported.

But because many of these places have economies that depend on tourism, all this anti-tourism sentiment and restrictive measures can backfire. Protecting cultural heritage and local life, while still allowing visitors to be an economic engine, is a difficult balance to strike. A UNESCO spokesperson told The Mirror that “transforming selfie tourism into a more sustainable practice requires a change in both mindset and behavior.”

The agency believes that influencers play an important role in shaping responsible tourism practices, but is that really the case? Perhaps the key here is common sense, self-control, good manners and respect for people and places. Or, in the words of Fran Lebowitz, the greatest storyteller and one of the biggest grouches of all time: just pretend it’s a city!

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