As tourism has surged, there have been increased concerns expressed about overtourism ? a phenomena of unsustainable tourism which negatively affects the livelihoods of local communities and the resources upon which tourism is based. As it is becoming increasingly clear that the environmental, social and economic impacts of tourism on destinations must be managed appropriately to secure their long-term viability, there is a critical need to understand governance and planning tools that can resolve current problems of overtourism without losing the benefits of tourism development.

Overtourism is the first book to examine in detail the origin and causes of overtourism and place the topic in a conceptual context with other forms of tourism including sustainable and mass tourism. It includes a number of case studies of overtourism in both urban and rural settings and discusses potential steps to reduce the impacts on both residents and the natural environment of affected areas.

Rachel Dodds, Ryerson University and Richard Butler, Professor Emeritus University of Strathclyde