Two European capitals have introduced new travel tools to curb large numbers of tourists and mitigate the impact of overtourism on local communities.
Authorities in Amsterdam and Copenhagen plan to use artificial intelligence (AI) to “hide” some of their most popular sites and offer tourists alternative routes, Travel Tomorrow reports.
The new strategy is inspired by a pilot scheme the Netherlands tried out in the province of Overijssel in 2021.
During the scheme, holidaymakers were offered either an app that showed popular tourist attractions on a map, or an alternative application called “Travel with Zoey” that provided alternative recommendations.
The Breda University research team that came up with the two apps are now partnering with tourist boards in Amsterdam and Copenhagen to test them in larger cities.
Travel of Zoe chief executive Rajneesh Badal said the tool could become “part of policymakers' and destination management organisations' toolkit” if larger-scale trials produced results “broadly similar to those in Overijssel”.
Speaking after exams in the Dutch province, Ondrej Mitas, a senior lecturer in applied sciences, said tourists were still enjoying their holidays despite being advised to go to places other than the most popular hotspots.
“People had the same good time whether they went to the hotspots or not, and that's really important,” the lecturer from Breda University said.
“Whatever the source, the one that reaches people with the least friction and provides the most enjoyable experience will win.”
The Dutch capital is fighting an intense battle to curb overtourism, including plans to ban new hotel licenses and ban cruise ships from the port.
Copenhagen is also working to introduce measures to curb the tourism boom that has been hitting the Danish capital since the coronavirus pandemic.
The Danish capital is also implementing a unique approach to mitigating the negative effects of overtourism.
The city rewards visitors who take part in environmentally friendly activities such as picking up litter or cycling within the city.
As part of the new CopenPay scheme, which ran from July 15 to August 11, tourists were given free meals and activities as perks.
The initiative was announced by Copenhagen Tourist Board as a measure to combat pollution caused by the millions of tourists who visit the city each year.
