UNESCO says "Selfie Tourism" destroys world

Cultural and natural landmarks are being damaged by the onslaught of people seeking the ideal social media post.

Picture after picture, we are obliterating civilisation. It’s not mine to claim. In light of the devastating growth of “selfie tourism,” the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has issued a triple-alarm warning.

Tourists who visit famous sites primarily to take pictures for social media, rather than to learn about the history or culture of the area, are examples of the “selfie tourist” trend. Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have replaced first-hand experience as the primary focus.

The new trend is centred around people “visiting destinations primarily to take and share photos of themselves, often with iconic landmarks in the background,” according to UNESCO. This is in stark contrast to the annoying but understandable traditional vacation photography, in which people posed in front of famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum for souvenirs. It’s terrible.

This change has been accelerated by social media. Many of the most well-known sites on Earth are suffering serious damage as a result of selfie tourism, according to UNESCO. “The impact of selfie tourism varies depending on the destination,” a spokesperson from UNESCO told The Mirror. “Many instances have shown that it has caused crowding at particular sites, which in turn has put strain on the local infrastructure and worsened the overall experience for visitors.”

Consequently, a number of previously unknown parts of the globe have become major tourist attractions. Tourists seeking to replicate a viral moment have turned these once-hidden gems into tourist traps. A town in Austria called Hallstatt is thought to have been the inspiration for Disney’s Frozen. More than a million tourists flock there every year to take selfies with the beautiful mountains in the background.

Town officials recently erected a fence around a popular photo spot in an effort to control the massive influx of tourists. Frustrated with the constant influx of tourists trying to capture a photo of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the town’s mayor Alexander Scheutz told the Austrian press that “the town’s residents just want to be left alone.” This sentiment is shared by residents of many other famous towns, including this one. Many locals around the world are becoming increasingly resentful of the influx of tourists brought to their doorsteps by social media platforms.

In addition to being an annoyance to natives, the selfie culture endangers historical artefacts and puts people in danger. A gondola in Venice went down when a group of Chinese tourists disregarded the gondolier’s warnings and continued to take pictures. This is in the midst of Venice, a famous city that is already struggling due to the influx of tourists. Banning huge cruise ships and limiting day visitors are just two examples of the measures taken to reduce crowds, but the city is still unable to handle the influx of tourists.

Cities also have to deal with rude tourists who treat the city like a picture backdrop, which is a problem for local officials. Tourists who “go to great lengths for the ideal shot” frequently engage in damaging behaviours such as trespassing, vandalism, or risky stunts that lead to accidents, as UNESCO has often highlighted.

Selfie tourism is causing problems everywhere, even in more remote places. Tourists in Abruzzo, Italy, who are more concerned with taking pictures of their truffle finds than actually finding them, have ruined the experience for local truffle hunters. So, local tour operators like Experience BellaVita have adapted by giving their customers tools to fully immerse themselves in the experience, instead of relying on their phones. Founder of Experience BellaVita Marino Cardelli explains, “The idea is to discourage people from using their phones so they might have a more meaningful travel experience that goes beyond the superficiality of selfies.”

UNESCO says “Selfie Tourism” destroys world

Cultural and natural landmarks are being damaged by the onslaught of people seeking the ideal social media post.

By nr39r

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