The sun was setting over the ancient temples of Bali, Indonesia, casting a golden glow on the stone walls that had witnessed centuries of devotion. Some viral social media images of a tourist couple making out on the temple steps shattered this solemnity, provoking an outcry from the local community.

Thousands of miles away in Hunza, Pakistan, a tourist was seen breaking an entire branch from a cherry tree to savour the fruit, oblivious of the tree’s delicate existence and the locals’ reverence for their natural heritage. Meanwhile, in Florence, Italy, a traveler’s audacious kiss on the lips of a statue of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and excess, stirred resentment among the city’s residents who saw this act as a profound disrespect to their cultural legacy.

At the heart of these events lies the phenomenon of overtourism, characterized by an excessive influx of visitors to destinations unprepared for such volumes. Globally, this issue is straining environments, disrupting local communities, and eroding cultural identities. The globalization of travel and the allure of social media have exacerbated the problem.

In cities like Venice, the relentless footfall and the constant presence of cruise ships threaten to erode the very foundations of this floating........

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