TRACK 18: TOURISM

Overtourism; Commodification of culture and nature; Responsible tourism; Regenerative tourism

Chairs:

• Alex Deffner, University of Thessaly
• Ferhan Gezici, İstanbul Technical University (ITU)
• Nikola Mitrović, University of Belgrade

Tourism is one of the four main leisure categories, alongside culture, sport, and entertainment. There has been a growth in mass and special interest forms of tourism, while planetary crises have accelerated the problems of the tourism destinations. Globalization and the branding of popular destinations through leisure resources and events create powerful attractions for visitors, expanding tourism and, in several cases, overtourism. A key aspect of this is the commodification of space and nature. From a digital perspective, tourist destinations and accommodations become marketable assets with different values on various platforms, turning culture, heritage, and visiting time into tradeable objects.

Instead of viewing mass tourism and overtourism only as problems, we can approach them also as opportunities. Responsible and regenerative tourism offer a hopeful perspective, extending awareness beyond damage reduction. As one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, tourism should strive to preserve cultural and natural environments and explore avenues for regeneration. This shift in perspective positions responsible and regenerative tourism as an ongoing journey, requiring place-based approaches and effective governance, rather than relying on one-size-fits-all solutions.

This track aims to set a debate around theoretical contributions and case studies posing a variety of potential questions:

• Which destinations might be most vulnerable in planetary crises, and why?
• How can the principles of responsible and regenerative, tourism be integrated into current planning practices to address the planetary crises?
• Given the need for place-based strategies, what role does planning play in ensuring care for all inhabitants within the ecological limits of tourism destinations?
• How can spaces be reimagined to accommodate the growing commodification of culture and heritage in tourism without losing their authenticity?
• What innovative approaches can be employed to turn the negative impacts of overtourism into opportunities for climate resilience and environmental sustainability?
• What is the role of local communities and global powers in tourism planning for climate change adaptation and mitigation?
• What is the importance of local identity and co-creation in place marketing/ branding in tourism (destination branding)?
• How crucial is the temporal dimension of tourism: slow (alternative) instead of fast (mass)?