From overtourism to REC-OVERtourism. A digital experience for sustainable tourism

Access to various locations in recent years has been restricted. Some places have had to close due to overtourism, which was fueled by TV shows, movies, and Instagram posts, as well as unsustainable practices that surpassed the projected tourism capacity. These locations now require a period of recovery without any tourists. Before reopening, different policies are being implemented to limit the number of visitors and protect the ecosystem. In this article, we propose an alternative that transforms the travel experience into a digital one. We have developed an experience called REC-OVERtourism, which allows people to explore highly sought-after locations that had to be closed due to excessive visitor numbers and unsustainable practices over time. Through live camera streams, users will be able to explore these sites and enjoy the views.


INTRODUCTION
This research seeks to explore the feasibility of transposing the traditional travel experience into a digital realm.Drawing upon the framework of speculative practice, we raise the following inquiry: What if it were possible to embark on a journey without physically leaving one's location and discover sustainable and inclusive alternatives to mitigate overtourism?
In order to address this question, the research is structured into two main parts.Part one delves into the phenomenon of overtourism, encompassing an examination of the concept of tourism carrying capacity and sustainable tourism practices.By exploring the challenges and impacts associated with overtourism, this section provides a contextual foundation for the subsequent discussion.
Part two focuses on the REC-OVERtourism experience, which serves as an experimental platform for testing the concept's viability.This section encompasses user testing, where participants engage with the digital travel experience, and subsequently, a comprehensive analysis and discussion of the obtained results.By evaluating user feedback and reactions, we gain valuable insights into the potential of digital travel experiences to address the pressing issue of overtourism.Through this research, we aim to contribute to the ongoing discourse on sustainable tourism and explore innovative ways to address the challenges posed by overtourism.By envisioning a digital alternative to physical travel, we hope to provide new perspectives and opportunities for individuals to engage in sustainable and inclusive travel experiences.

OVERTOURISM
Cities provide visitors with a diverse range of multifunctional, complex, and multiuser environments.In recent years, there has been a notable shift in the perception of city tourism, as the growing number of tourists has placed strain on public transportation, infrastructure, roads, museums, attractions, and other services initially designed primarily for local residents [1].
The concept of overtourism is closely associated with destinations facing the negative impacts of excessive tourism activity.Overtourism occurs when the number of visitors exceeds the maximum capacity that a tourist destination can handle simultaneously [2].This maximum capacity is often referred to as the carrying capacity of the destination [3].The United Nations Statistics Division (UNWTO) now defines overtourism as "the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that excessively influences the perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitors' experiences in a negative way" [1].As a result, the available space for local residents is reduced [2], and residents face challenges navigating the streets amidst crowds of tourists, disrupting their daily lives, limiting access to essential amenities, and impeding overall well-being [4].
Overtourism implies that cities have a maximum capacity for tourism that can be exceeded, leading to uniform impacts [1].
However, this concept poses challenges when seeking solutions, as it hampers a shared understanding among different stakeholders regarding the specific nature of the problem(s) within the local context [5], as noted by McCool (2001).Such understanding is crucial because overtourism is not solely caused by tourism itself, and effective management strategies will require collaboration with stakeholders beyond the tourism sector, including residents [2].
When examining temporal overtourism, its most evident manifestation occurs during seasonal variations, such as the summer season in the Mediterranean and Golden Week in China, as well as during peak holiday periods and notable events like the Olympics [6].These temporary situations exert immense pressure on local infrastructure and services, leading to overcrowding and a diminished sense of place.
Planning for temporal overtourism, particularly when driven externally and guided by global tourism supply chains, poses significant challenges.
The current discussions on these matters draw heavily from various disciplines, such as human geography, urban planning, and innovation studies, offering valuable insights that can unlock new avenues of research and provide frameworks to address the challenges posed by overtourism.By incorporating perspectives and approaches from these domains, researchers can explore innovative solutions and strategies to effectively tackle overtourism and its associated issues.
Previous studies have emphasized the importance of the urban context and the integration of tourism within urban planning [7].However, the findings of Ko Kens et al.'s research (2018) indicate that the challenges associated with overtourism can also stem from broader societal trends, such as evolving lifestyles and seemingly unrelated factors like the proliferation of online shopping and social media [1].This suggests that overtourism should no longer be viewed solely as a problem specific to the tourism industry or urban areas but rather as a social issue deeply embedded within the fabric of cities.
While overtourism has played a significant role in shaping sustainable tourism discourse, its popularity has waned in recent years as other concepts related to sustainable tourism have gained prominence.These concepts, such as Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC), Visitor Impact Management (VIM), Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP), and Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS), have become dominant in discussions on tourism management and its impacts [8].These alternative frameworks prioritize the sustainable management of tourism and emphasize the need to balance visitor experiences with the protection of resources.As a result, overtourism has taken a backseat in contemporary discussions on tourism impact management.

TOURISM CARRYING CAPACITY
In recent years, there has been a significant discourse surrounding sustainability and the carrying capacity of tourism destinations, primarily driven by the continuous growth of the tourism industry [3][9].However, it is crucial to avoid an exclusive focus on the industry in research and policy-making endeavors.Instead, a comprehensive approach should be adopted, considering the multifaceted social, economic, and environmental factors that shape these destinations.
Within academic circles, a longstanding debate has centered on the applicability of the carrying capacity concept to the realm of tourism.The central question revolves around determining the maximum number of tourists that can be accommodated without compromising the environmental integrity of the destination and ensuring visitor satisfaction [3][10] [11][12][9] [13].
The United World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) defines carrying capacity as the maximum number of individuals that can visit a tourist destination simultaneously without causing harm to the physical, economic, socio-cultural environment and without significantly reducing visitor satisfaction [14].For example, physical carrying capacity is often estimated to be around 1 square meter per person.The formula is "PCC per day = area (in square meters) x visitors per square meter x daily duration" [15].
According to Saveriades (2000), all definitions of recreational carrying capacity encompass two fundamental aspects.Firstly, the biophysical component pertains to the integrity of the resource base, implying a threshold or tolerance level beyond which further exploitation or utilization may exert strains on the natural ecosystem.Secondly, the behavioral component reflects the quality of the recreational experience [11].
However, there is still no universally accepted definition or standardized systematic procedure for assessing carrying capacity in the context of tourism.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
The urgent need to investigate the carrying capacity of tourism arises from a growing set of sustainability challenges observed in recent years, including environmental pollution, landscape degradation, ecological imbalances, and decreasing satisfaction among tourists and residents [10].Sustainable tourism should also encompass considerations for environmental conservation, social equity, quality of life, cultural diversity, and a thriving economy that provides employment and prosperity for all stakeholders [16].
Consequently, conducting research on tourism carrying capacity is imperative to effectively address these pressing issues.Managers within the international tourism industry, operating at various levels, have developed planning processes with the objective of defining sustainable tourism models that are diverse, of high quality, and viable in the medium and long term [17].To ensure the effective design, monitoring, and control of tourism policies, the utilization of appropriate analytical tools becomes essential in assessing the current state and evolution of destinations, considering their strengths and weaknesses.These tools play a crucial role in redirecting development processes as needed.
The environmental aspect of tourism assumes a fundamental role in achieving sustainable development in tourism activities and destinations.While tourism development can bring significant economic benefits to destinations, it simultaneously exerts significant pressure on public resources, cultural ambiance, and the ecological environment, thereby posing a threat to destination sustainability [10].
Internationally recognized as a suitable option for evaluating progress towards more sustainable conditions in tourism destinations, sustainable tourism indicators exemplify their significance [17] [18].
According to Blancas & Lozano-Oyola (2022), sustainable tourism is a complex concept that encompasses social, economic, and environmental dimensions, necessitating the use of indicators from each of these areas for a comprehensive evaluation [17].However, the collection of these indicators within an information system often presents challenges in obtaining a holistic assessment of the analyzed territory.
Despite efforts, limited progress has been made in achieving sustainability goals, and the utilization of diverse indicator frameworks has resulted in overlapping practices.
Regarding the travel industry, as widely recognized, carbon emissions significantly contribute to the adverse environmental effects, particularly those caused by the transportation sector.A report by the US Environmental Protection Agency [19] highlights that in the United States alone, the transportation sector accounts for 28% of all greenhouse gas emissions.This sector encompasses the transportation of people and goods via various modes such as cars, trucks, trains, ships, airplanes, and other vehicles.The primary source of greenhouse gas emissions in transportation is carbon dioxide (CO2) resulting from the combustion of petroleum-based products, including gasoline and diesel fuel, in internal combustion engines [19].
Transport emissions make up approximately 20% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which can be categorized into road, aviation, shipping, and rail sectors.The accessibility and affordability of air travel have significantly contributed to the shrinking of the world, as evidenced by a 40% increase in the number of flights since 2010.However, despite its higher carbon intensity compared to road travel, aviation only accounts for 11.6% of emissions in the passenger transportation sector.On the other hand, road transport is responsible for a substantial 74.5% of CO2 emissions in the overall transport industry.
In general, transportation-related emissions contribute to approximately 20% of the total global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.These emissions can be categorized into four main sectors: road transport, aviation, shipping, and rail transport [20] (Figure 1).

THE REC-OVERTOURISM METHODOLOGY
Various destinations around the world have had to close their doors due to overtourism and generally unsustainable practices.As previously mentioned, some consequences include overcrowding, erosion, isolation of local communities, pollution, water scarcity, and a cultural divide between locals.
Identifying this complex issue and recognizing the possibility of more locations needing to temporarily close their doors to tourism, we aim to explore an alternative solution based on conceptual, critical, and speculative design.Through the project we have developed, our goal is to make these places accessible and visitable in unconventional ways.

Conceptual Design
A conceptual project explores alternative possibilities within the realm of reality, as defined by Dunne and Raby (2013), conceptual design is primarily about "designing with ideas."Thus, the purpose of conceptual design is to provide alternative contexts for design outside the directives of market forces and create a space for experimenting with ideas and ideals [21].The separation from market-driven logic creates a parallel channel for design, free from pressures and available for the exploration of new ideas and questioning.
These ideas can encompass new possibilities for design itself, aesthetic possibilities for technology, social, cultural, and ethical implications for scientific and technological research, or large-scale social and political issues such as democracy, sustainability, and alternatives to our current capitalist model.
Therefore, the potential to use the language of design to ask questions, provoke, and inspire is the defining characteristic of conceptual design [21].

Objectives and Research
Building upon the framework of speculative practice, we pose the following question: What if it were possible to travel without leaving one's location and find sustainable and inclusive alternatives to avoid overtourism?
To address this question, we have developed an experience called REC-OVERtourism, which allows individuals to explore highly The purpose is to give the entire ecosystem time to recover.
Users will be able to explore these locations through live camera streams that cover the entire city, offering a chance to enjoy the beautiful views.However, the question remains: Will this alone be sufficient?
To begin our exploration, we conducted research on similar experiences and discovered highly relevant examples such as the Drive & Listen1 website and WindowSwap2 , which align with the proposal we are putting forward.
WindowSwap allows users to open a new window to a location somewhere in the world and provides access to videos showcasing various views from windows that have been uploaded by users.
The Drive & Listen website allows users to virtually through 50 cities around the world while simultaneously listening to local radio stations in each country, as well as ambient sounds of the streets.
These examples (Figure 2) serve as inspiration for our proposal and demonstrate how technology can provide immersive experiences that allow individuals to explore and connect with different places and cultures, even when physically unable to travel.

Ideation and Prototyping
We have created personas (Figure 3) that can represent different types of users who will interact with the website.
These personas help us better understand the needs, motivations, and preferences of our target audience.
To perform the user journeys (Figure 4) for the persona Isabel, we defined the task flow with the following goal: replace the travel experience to an art city through the digital experience of REC-OVERtourism.The task flow for the persona Ersilio has the following goal: distract himself from the busy daily routine and try a new traveling experience.The transposition of the travel experience into a digital one can be less stimulating or appealing to the user.For this reason, we have added a relevant concept, which is the waiting time.
The trend is for the number of tourists to increase, resulting in a waiting list for accessing certain locations.This measure aims to allow for better recovery from various types of damages, such as historical, environmental, and impacts on residents.
The waiting time has been calculated for each destination based on factors like tourism carrying capacity, number of residents, and annual tourist numbers.It indicates the number of days a person would have to wait before being able to access a location once containment policies are in place and a waiting list is generated for visiting the place.
To make this information more relatable, the waiting time has been converted into units of time that users can better comprehend.For example: "443 days of waiting time, enough time to walk twice the world's longest route and still have 69 days left."Users will encounter this statistic multiple times throughout the website.On the homepage, you can find three links: • Simulator: an interactive feature that calculates the impact your travel could have on a chosen location.It also suggests good practices to minimize the impact.• Camera streams: a collection of camera streams from various locations, including Boracay, Cinque Terre, Dubrovnik, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Maya Bay, Machu Picchu, Mallorca, and Santorini.These streams autoplay while displaying the waiting time for each location.• Single location: whenever a specific location is on the screen, a pop-up with a scrollable list displays the waiting time for each location.Another pop-up provides a brief explanation about the waiting time concept.• Interactive Map: the map that allows users to browse locations, understand the waiting time concept, and choose a camera stream.
In the following images, you can see the information architecture as well as some keyframes of the website prototype3 (Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8).In the simulator link can be calculated the impact that travel could have on a chosen location and explore a set of good practices to reduce the impact of travel.
Postma & Schmuecker [22] identified potential areas of conflict between residents and tourists and sought to understand the negative perception of impacts by local residents.Based on their research, literature review, and considerations by the researchers, we present the following set of good practices: respect local customs and traditions; support local businesses; minimize waste and litter; engage in sustainable transportation; conserve natural resources; learn about the local environment; and support community initiatives.
By implementing these good practices, travelers can help reduce the negative impacts of tourism on local communities and foster a more sustainable and harmonious relationship between residents and tourists.Determine if the user fully grasps the problem we are addressing after experiencing the website and e) Assess whether the user's mindset changes and if they will be more cautious.To measure these objectives, specific tasks were defined.The user was required to: A. Navigate to the map, explore its features, click on various locations, and then select one from the list on the side.B. Explore three different locations and watch the related live streams.C. Explore and compare the data from two different locations, read and understand the issues they face.D. Calculate the impact of your own travel on a specific location using the provided tool or feature.
We received some relevant insights and found that the concept of waiting time is not immediately clear to users.As a solution, we decided to introduce the concept on the landing page to provide clarity from the start.Another important insight was the potential for users to suggest new locations to add to the live streams.
Next, we applied the Single Ease Question method.The total number of participants was 7 (N=7), ranging in age from 25 to 40 years old, with an average age of M=32 years old (SD=5.62;range: 25 to 40).The following questions were asked: Q2: Was it easy to find the important information?Q3: Were the presented data impactful and easily readable?Q4: Is there anything that lacks sufficient affordance as an interactive element?Q5: Are you satisfied with the experience you just had?Q6: Do you find the transposition of the travel experience into a purely digital one relevant?Q7: Do you feel more aware of the problem after completing this experience?
Q8: Do you believe this experience might help you be more careful in your future trips and holidays?
To complete the test with the Likert Scale [23] each potential user marked their response in a spectrum of 7 degrees of agreement, from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree).
The following table presents the mean and standard deviation (STDEV) results of the responses obtained (Table 1).
Given these results, according to the "Single Ease Question" method, most markers have a mean greater than 5.5, representing a score within the average on the SEQ scale [24].This analysis shows that participants were able to easily interact with the skins and had a generally positive experience.
The standard deviation (STDEV), in general, demonstrates that most of the values that represent the responses in the Likert Scale of the test are very homogeneous, since they are smaller than 1.0.The question that may generate the most varied responses is Q3.In this project, we would also want to gather feedback from users regarding their emotional states when they are experiencing the website.
The subjectivity of emotional experience has always been an obstacle to the integration of emotion as a topic of scientific investigation, and it can be difficult to measure.The discrete approach considers that all human beings have an innate set of biologically determined basic emotions that can be identified by an individual's facial expression, the result of biological processes.In turn, dimensional models define human emotions in spaces situated in dimensions.An individual's emotional state can be described as a zone within a dimensional space.In this context, Russell (1980) presented a Circumplex Model of Affect [25], in which he proposes that all affective states result from only two fundamental neurophysiological systems.He defined the dimensions Valence (corresponding to a pleasure-displeasure continuum) and Arousal or Activation.In this model, emotions are distributed in a two-dimensional circular space, with Arousal represented on the vertical axis and Valence on the horizontal axis.
Our goal was to understand the emotions of users while navigating a stream on the website and for this purpose, we applied the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) test.
Participants were asked to rate the levels of pleasure and tranquility they experienced during the stream.The SAM test aimed to assess whether the prototype provided participants with feelings of happiness or unhappiness, excitement, or calmness.
Figure 9 displays the results of the SAM assessment, where each participant is represented by a colored circle.
Regarding Valence, most indicated a pleasant experience.On the Arousal scale, there is a clear tendency for calm.Thus, it can be inferred that the experience brought a considerable level of pleasure and curiosity, and a feeling of calm, which was expected.

LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE WORK
The main limitation of this work was the inability to use real-time streams that randomly accessed various cameras spread across different locations.This fact prevented the experience from being realized as initially envisioned.Our intention is to continue this work, not only by adding more locations but also by providing the full intended experience.We believe that the concept of waiting time can add value to this proposal compared to similar ones.
Furthermore, we plan to extend this concept into virtual reality, allowing users to have a more realistic and immersive experience.Additionally, we aim to incorporate natural sounds or customizable audio elements to enhance the user's experience.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the issues of overtourism, tourism carrying capacity, and sustainable tourism are all interconnected and require careful consideration to achieve long-term sustainable development in the tourism industry.Sustainable tourism practices offer a solution to address the challenges posed by overtourism and to achieve a balance between economic development, environmental protection, and social well-being.By adopting sustainable tourism principles, destinations can strive for a more responsible and resilient tourism industry.
This involves diversifying tourism offerings, promoting off-peak visitation, engaging local communities in decision-making processes, and implementing effective management strategies to preserve natural and cultural resources.
It is important for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and local communities to collaborate and develop comprehensive destination management plans that prioritize sustainable tourism practices.This includes investing in infrastructure, improving waste management systems, regulating visitor numbers, and implementing educational programs to promote responsible tourism behavior among visitors.Furthermore, the use of technology and data analytics can play a significant role in monitoring tourist flows and identifying potential risks of overtourism.
The pursuit of sustainable tourism should be a collective effort, driven by collaboration, innovation, and a long-term vision for the well-being of both present and future generations.REC-OVERtourism is a small contribution towards these objectives.It provides an opportunity to explore popular destinations that have had to close their doors due to overwhelming visitor numbers and unsustainable practices.
This allows the entire ecosystem to recover and restore its balance.Users can immerse themselves in the location's beauty through live camera streams and enjoy breathtaking views from various vantage points throughout the city.Most users reported a pleasant experience and a clear inclination towards calmness.
Ultimately, we believe that we can raise awareness among users to adopt more sustainable practices when planning their travels to other countries.

Figure 2 :
Figure 2: Benchmarking on relevant experiences for the development of the REC-OVERtourism Project

Figure 4 :Figure 5 :
Figure 4: The user flows of the personas

Figure 6 :
Figure 6: Homepage and webpage with a single camera stream

Figure 7 :
Figure 7: A single camera stream displaying the waiting time information and the map showcasing the locations that can be visited

Figure 8 :
Figure 8: Simulator and webpage with all camera streams

Table 1 :
Mean and Standard Deviation (STDEV) results of the responses(Likert Scale)