Circumvent Europe’s Tourism Hot Spots By Visiting During Off-Season, Travel Expert Andy Berke Says
Europe is, without debate, the greatest tourism destination on Earth. Given the history, culture, ease of access and variety of destinations, it’s no wonder that millions flock to the region annually. According to estimates to 2016, France drew nearly 83 million visitors. Italy was recorded as bringing in 52.4 million in 2016 and that’s up from the 50.7 million who came the year before. Statistics out of the United Kingdom and Germany were equally impressive: 35.8 and 35.6 million, respectively. The take-away from these figures, which were recorded by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, is this: Andy Berke’s insider travel tips will come in handy for 2018 and beyond. That’s because “over-tourism” is a growing concern in some of these European locations and it has forced local leaders to change the way they deal with visitors.
According to IntrepidTravel.com, “hot spots” are giving way to off-the-beaten-path destinations. For example, Poland, Belarus, Cyprus and Moldova had become the places to see in 2018. “Amsterdam is the city most travel-savvy folks think of when the ‘over-tourism’ topic comes up,” said expert Andy Berke. As TravelMarketReport.com notes, Amsterdam is home to 850,000 people. That figure pales in comparison to the 17 million who visited in 2016. “The uptick in tourism is only expected to continue, as Amsterdam continues to be popular for long weekends or stopovers for cruises and long-haul flights,” the article notes. Even if you’re not looking to travel to the Netherlands, Andy Berke’s insider travel tips will come in handy no matter where you plan to go in Europe. That’s because other destinations have come up with a solution. Venice, another city that sees a massive influx of visitors each and every year, has proposed this fix: Establish a “reservation system” that offers discounts to those who come to the region of Italy during the off-season.
Another prudent point, according to TravelMarketReport.com, is that travel agents should let their clients know that over-tourism is real and learning that shoulder-to-shoulder crowds await should be disclosed beforehand. With the insider advice from Andy Berke, you’ll be able to either circumvent the crowds by finding a similar tourism destination or, as Venice has done, visiting during the off-season. To drive the point home, an agent with Renaissance Travel and Events told the website this: “I do understand when people go to Italy for the first time they want to see places like Venice, but let’s divert you after and find a small town and try to build something around a particular destination or interest, like cooking.” Mr. Berke couldn’t agree more.