Pre-Emptively Managing Overtourism by Promoting Rural Tourism in Low-Density Areas: Lessons from Madeira

Abstract

Overtourism refers not only to situations in which carrying capacity levels have been exceeded, but also to those in which tourists and residents share negative feelings of discomfort and other emotions, loss of quality of life and unpleasant experiences in their activities of daily life. The growing number of places struggling with the problem of overtourism suggests that brand new approaches are required to minimize the effects of excessive tourism. However, the impacts of overtourism are place-specific and a one-size-fits-all approach is inappropriate. Many destinations still have a considerable margin to manoeuvre but are nonetheless heading towards increasingly unsustainable levels of tourists per square kilometer. Such regions have time to take some pre-emptive measures based on principles of sustainable development using greener and energy-saving technologies. Over the past few decades, degrowth has arisen as an unorthodox approach based on principles of fairness and social and environmental justice. In certain areas, such as island economies, the economic dynamics remain largely dependent on the tourism sector, which forces the local actors to think and act differently. In this study, we analyze the strategies employed by Madeira to counter the negative effects of oversaturation in a pre-emptive way. The findings of this case study, based on the data at the county level, are enhanced by a panel data analysis of a number of relevant explanatory variables explaining the dispersion of tourists to the rural hinterland. The results suggest that the development of the rural hinterland has proven capable of exerting a progressively positive influence well beyond the borders of the rural hinterland by accommodating a growing share of the increasing numbers of tourists welcomed in the region in the 2002–2019 period, at the expense of the main capital city. This study confirms the importance and potential of the development of the rural hinterland to tackle overtourism in the main tourism areas. In terms of recommendations, it is suggested that local operators and policy-makers must develop efforts to research new ways to adopt energy-saving projects and develop tourisms products that incorporate eco-friendly behaviors.

Analysis of the path to enhance the quality development of rural tourism with the help of rural revitalization strategy in the context of the Internet

“…The results show that in the process of rural tourism development, political decision-making and community relations lead to social exclusion [15]. Majdak, P. et al argued that in conducting rural tourism, the overcapacity of accommodating tourists may exceed the level of carrying capacity of the villages [16]. He, H. et al analyzed the impact of rural tourism on farmers' income by taking the key villages of tourism poverty alleviation in the Qinba mountainous area of Hanzhong in southern Shanxi Province as the research object [17].…”

Revitalizing Rural Tourism: A Croatian Case Study in Sustainable Practices

“…The island's deliberate investments in infrastructure, improved accessibility of rural areas, and a conscious shift in tourist distribution have resulted in above-average growth rates for the rural hinterland. The dispersion strategy mitigates the impact on urban infrastructure and has proven particularly effective under external pressures, where demand for quality rural spaces has increased [33]. Madeira's approach, incorporating policy measures and focusing on unique experiences like ecotourism, showcases a proactive stance in shaping sustainable and diverse tourism, offering valuable lessons for regions navigating similar development trajectories.…”

A Review Research on Tourism in the Green Economy

“…Numerous articles address the challenge of saving and conserving energy in tourism, which is closely related to the analysis of carbon emissions and low-carbon technology schemes (Lu et al 2018;Ma et al 2022;Salehi et al 2021). Energy saving analyses are applied both at the general level and in specific areas such as rural areas (Dzhusibalieva et al 2016;Majdak and de Almeida 2022;Llinàs et al 2021;Li et al 2005). In general, green energy plays a leading role in transitioning to a green economy (Potts et al 2019), particularly in tourist destinations in emerging economies (Tazikhina et al 2022;Huang et al 2021).…”