According to a 2017 survey, approximately two in five European residents believe that the number of tourists poses a threat to the continent’s cultural heritage. In order to investigate the determinants of this perception, the data from this survey of 26,000 residents was used to estimate ordered probit models. The results from these reveal that the probability of overtourism being viewed as a threat to cultural heritage is significantly lower for residents living near historical monuments, sites or festivals. The perception of overtourism as a threat is generally higher in cities in comparison with rural areas.

Heritage tourism is a growing segment of the modern tourism industry, and several studies have been undertaken to identify the individuals who participate in this type of tourism. These have indicated that heritage tourists, generally, are middle class, middle age, and well educated. However, despite their iconic role, there has been relatively little attention paid to profile of visitors to World Heritage Sites. This study aims to better understand the demography of this specific tourism segment through the use of survey-based research at three geographically diverse World Heritage Sites: Independence Hall in the USA, Studenica Monastery in Serbia, and the Archaeological Site of Volubilis in Morocco. Through the use of descriptive statistics, several over-arching trends were noted among the three sites. World Heritage Site visitors were found to be very well educated, but they did not have any similarities in relation to age, income, or residence, which contrasts the “general” heritage tourist typology. However, there were several World Heritage specific trends. While this work is a snapshot of the three sites under study and thus is difficult to generalize, it provides the basis for more comprehensive demographic research on visitors to World Heritage Sites.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide a series of indicators to determine the limits to urban tourism growth, tourism gentrification and overtourism. The study addresses overtourism within the frame of urban liveability through a proxy analysis of tourism-relevant indicators for major European tourist cities. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the various indicators, a composite overtourism indicator is derived. The following dimensions are considered for the composite indicator: total number of overnight stays per relevant tourist area in km ² ; number of museum visitors per population; average annual change in total nights between 2009 and 2017; and foreign nights per population. Findings: Based on the results, Venice is the city with the highest degree of overtourism, followed by Florence, Seville and Lisbon. The remaining cities have a lower than average overtourism potential as indicated by the negative z- score. Research limitations/implications: This study and the composite overtourism indicators are only a starting point that can lead to further research in the field. Recommendations for further studies include the assessment of visitor flow and overtourism at different times of the year and to expand the study to other European urban destinations. Practical implications: The paper suggests that policymakers should use these indicators when managing urban tourism development and monitoring visitor growth. Furthermore, they can be a starting point from which to assess the impact of tourism on the quality of life of local residents. Social implications: This study provides a starting point from which to assess the causes for social unrest tied to overtourism. If the city under study is found to have a lower than average overtourism potential, this indicates that there may be other social or psychological issues at play apart from sheer overcrowding. Originality/value: To date, there has been no composite indicator that considered the different numerical aspects of overtourism altogether. This study provides a set of key indicators and a composite overtourism indicator to provide a preliminary appraisal of overtourism as a demand-side phenomenon with evidence from a range of established European urban destinations.

As a result of global climate change, natural disasters are becoming more common. However, to date, there has been almost no discussion on second homeowners and disasters, even though second homes are often found in areas that are more prone to natural hazards, i.e. mountainous and coastal regions. In order to develop suitable disaster planning, it is necessary to understand how the impacted individuals respond to disasters. To address this issue, this work presents a conceptual framework that emphasizes the importance of place attachment to the post-disaster decision-making process of second homeowners. Due to the absence of literature on this specific topic as well as on second homes and disasters in general, a comprehensive review of the literature from a variety of fields, including tourism, environmental psychology, housing studies, and disaster studies, has been utilized to develop this framework. The resulting framework highlights the centrality of place attachment in this process with its interactions with risk awareness and external factors resulting in three potential final decisions: relocate, return, or return and adapt. As second homeowners can be an integral part of the local and regional economy, an understanding of this process is essential to ensure they are adequately supported post-disaster.