Introduction
Global tourism’s post-pandemic rebound has brought back not only crowds but also the familiar strains of over-tourism. In response, several destinations are pivoting: instead of maximising visitor numbers, they are targeting higher-spending visitors to promote a more sustainable way of tourism. Hong Kong and Thailand have recently joined this trend, alongside examples like Bhutan and Venice. The goal is clear—more revenue, fewer tourists, less pressure on the local population and environment. But this strategy prompts an important question: Who gets left behind?
The rise of “premium” tourism strategies
In Hong Kong, officials noted that while visitor numbers have risen lately, many tourists contribute relatively little to the economy, with some reportedly sleeping in 24-hour fast food restaurants to avoid hotel costs. The city’s new Tourism Blueprint focuses on attracting family visitors who tend to spend more, aiming to create a more sustainable and profitable future for the city’s tourism industry. Thailand’s Tourism Authority has echoed this shift. Its “Grand Tourism & Sports Year” campaign focuses on long-stay, high-spending visitors and new source markets like Saudi Arabia and South America. Bhutan, meanwhile, has long followed a “high-value, low-volume” strategy. In 2022, it reinstated its Sustainable Development Fee— $200 per night, recently reduced to $100 for longer stays. While this funds environmental and cultural preservation, it also limits access for less affluent travellers. Still, Bhutan has introduced seasonal discounts and local partnerships to balance exclusivity with inclusivity. Venice took a more targeted approach. Since 2024, day-trippers must pay a €5 entry fee on high-traffic days. Paired with cruise ship restrictions and rental regulations, the policy is designed not to exclude, but to better manage tourist flows and preserve the city’s heritage.
All of these destinations follow the same general trend of targeting the wealthier segments of the population to create long-term economic sustainability and increase profits without increasing the number of visitors. This trend raises concerns regarding the future of tourism and whether it will remain inclusive to broad segments of the population or become an exclusive domain for the rich.
Travel tech enabling inclusivity and sustainability
Over the past two decades, travel tech has helped open up the world. Digital platforms have enabled students, low-income families, and young professionals to book and plan affordable travel more easily than ever before. They often travel off-season, stay in short-term rentals, and pursue local, authentic experiences. These behaviours benefit local economies and reduce pressure on popular sites. Yet if destinations focus only on high-income tourists in pursuit of financial sustainability, these groups risk being left behind.
Rather than limiting who can travel, destinations should focus on how and where tourism happens. Travel tech can help strike this balance. Digital tools like smart itinerary planning, real-time crowd alerts, and the romotion of lesser-known destinations can spread tourism across geography and time. Platforms can also support evidence-based policies by sharing anonymised data with public authorities. These innovations show that sustainability and inclusivity can, and must, go hand in hand.
The path forward
Premium strategies may protect destinations and improve experiences, but if they marginalise budget travellers, they risk reversing the gains made in broadening access to travel. The people most affected may be those who only recently entered the world of tourism—students, young families, and first-time travellers. Sustainable tourism cannot only be done at the expense of less wealthy people. It shall not be either sustainable tourism or inclusive tourism. It has to be both.
By embracing smarter tools and inclusive planning, destinations can preserve what makes them unique while ensuring that more people, not fewer, have the opportunity to experience it. Travel tech has already proven it can broaden access. Now, it can help build a model of tourism that’s both sustainable and inclusive.