Travel expert tells tourists worried of ‘overwhelmed’ European cities to ‘not leave homes’

As more and more popular hotspots are lamenting the issues created by mass tourism, an expert noted there may be another way for people to visit popular destinations. 

Bizarrely, this form of travelling involves not leaving the house at all. 

Responsible tourism expert Siobhán Daly told Wanderlust magazine: “Some destinations and attractions also offer high-quality virtual experiences. Prospective tourists can enjoy the sites from the comfort of their own homes.”

Augmented-reality technology allows people to see landscapes up close while remaining in their living room.

However, this trend may not catch on among people who love to experience first-hand other cultures, food and traditions when travelling, rather than just sightseeing. 

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Spain alone over the past months to protest mass tourism.

On April 20, many in the Canary Islands voiced their fury at the current tourism model on the archipelago, which locals believe places at risk the environment and worsens the housing crisis rather than putting more money in their pockets. 

In Tenerife alone, an estimated 120,000 people joined the march putting the spotlight on the issues created by overtourism. 

Many protests have since followed, including in Palma, on the Balearic island of Majorca, and in Malaga. 

In early July, a huge demonstration was staged in Barcelona, with some of the signs carried by the many attendees reading, “Tourists go home” and “Barcelona is not for sale”.

The protest attracted even more international attention due to a small group of demonstrators who sprayed tourists sitting at a restaurant with water guns.