When the locals in the fairytale Austrian lakeside village Hallstatt blocked the main access tunnel, holding placards asking visitors to “think of the children”, it showed what can happen when popular destinations start to become overrun with tourists.
Hallstatt has only 800 inhabitants, but opens its gates to around 10,000 visitors a day, that is, hosting a population increase of 1,000%. And of course the village that is said to have inspired the movie kingdom of Arendella in Frozen is just one of a growing number of places where residents are upset about the massive influx of travelers.
The term “hyper-tourism” is relatively new, having been coined a decade ago to highlight the increase in the number of visitors to a degree that burdens cities, monuments and landscapes. A number of major cities and resorts now impose bans, fines, taxes and slot systems, and in some cases even discouragement campaigns are launched in an attempt to limit the number of tourists.
The debate surrounding what constitutes an “excessive” number of visitors is more relevant than ever, as the numbers of tourists worldwide have exceeded pre-pandemic levels and their dynamics are expected to increase continuously. According to the latest forecasts, the number of tourists worldwide, which reached the mark of 1.5 billion in 2019, will reach 1.8 billion in 2030.
Also, thanks to the use of satellite data, the French start-up Murmuration, which monitors the environmental impact of tourism, reports that 80% of travelers visit just 10% of the world’s tourist destinations!
Greece is of course one of the countries directly affected by the phenomenon of overtourism. The Cyclades are certainly in the eye of the cyclone, now threatened by the surge in tourist development and uncontrolled construction. At the altar of economic development, a multitude of environmental, cultural and social issues are created, such as the degradation of natural resources, the destruction of cultural heritage, water scarcity, waste management problems and socio-economic inequalities. We all know what is happening in Mykonos and Santorini, that rapid tourist construction has led to the loss of their authentic character and the overshadowing of their inherent beauty. THE Paros and the Naxos they have now entered the frame, but the bell is ringing for other islands as well, as we learned with all solemnity on April 17th.
On that day, the list of the 7 most endangered monuments and cultural heritage sites in Europe for 2024 was announced (“7 Most Endangered 2024”). The list was compiled by the organization Europa Nostrathe European voice of civil society committed to the preservation and promotion of cultural and natural heritage, and the Institute of the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Three of these seven areas are Sifnos, Serifos and Folegandros!
The candidacy of the Cyclades, and specifically of Sifnos, Serifos and Folegandros, in the “7 Most Endangered 2024” program, was initiated by the Hellenic Society for Environment and Culture (ELLET). The Europa Nostra Board of Directors selected the finalists from among 11 monuments and heritage sites from nine countries previously nominated by the program’s Advisory Board.
These are the 7 most endangered monuments and cultural heritage sites in Europe for 2024:
- Cyclades Islands: the cases of Sifnos, Serifos and Folegandros, GREECE
- Courées, Roubaix-Tourcoing, FRANCE
- Church of San Pietro, Gessate, Milan, ITALY
- Synagogue of Siena, ITALY
- Home of the Yugoslav People’s Army, Šabac, SERBIA
- St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Altınözü / Hatay, TURKEY
- Iron Gate of Antioch, Antakya / Hatay, TURKEY
According to ELLET, it is crucial to take strategic policy-based measures to address the challenging issues in the Cyclades. Based on her proposal, the approach to preserving the integrity of the islands should be holistic. As immediate priorities it sets the establishment of the Special Spatial Plan for Tourism in order to regulate and manage the activities, together with the establishment of a binding Regional Spatial Plan for the South Aegean.
In addition, the proposal highlights the need to draw up Local Urban Plans to define landscape enhancement zones, cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Environment for the convergence of policies and the creation of specific institutional arrangements for the integration of carrying capacity into spatial planning.
The 7 selected monuments and places will receive a grant of 10,000 euros each from the Institute of the European Investment Bankwith the aim of implementing an agreed and timely activity that will contribute to the rescue of threatened sites.
The next step is to gather information from the expert groups representing Europa Nostra and the Institute of the European Investment Bank, as and from the organizations that proposed the 7 selected areas. They will then meet with key stakeholders to assess the areas and issue a technical and financial report with recommendations for action.
