A travel company which represents nearly 2,000 holiday properties in the UK is to limit its number of places to stay in the Lake District due to “over-tourism”.
Sawday’s has identified 14 heavily impacted destinations in the UK and Europe, including the Lake District. The strategy will involve limiting the number of properties listed by these three brands, Sawday’s, Canopy & Stars and Paws & Stay.
The Lake District has been flagged as a rural area where over-tourism is impacting communities through traffic, parking issues, pollution, and litter, as well as a rise in second home holiday lets.
Understanding over-tourism
Tourism is an important source of revenue for many places, but the number of visitors needs to be managed responsibly, Sawday’s said. Too many can mean a strain on infrastructure and overwhelm local services, while second-home ownership and unregulated rentals can mean unaffordable housing for residents.
With the current approach having no limits, overcrowded landmarks and seasonal overpopulation of towns and villages means damage to local ecosystems and pressure on the environment and utilities.
“As the global travel industry reopens post-pandemic, we believe now is the time to introduce sustainable changes to help guests genuinely travel better — better for them as travellers, better for the communities and landscapes they visit,” said Mike Bevens, managing director of Sawday’s.
While cities have taken steps to tackle overcrowding, Sawday’s says it will be the first accommodation provider to limit its places to stay. The company recognises the part that the travel and tourism industry plays in the problem and hopes that by taking this small action it can set an example to other companies and travellers to play their part in tackling over-tourism.
Responsible destination management
“The constant desire for insatiable growth by some holiday operators, accommodation platforms and large rental companies is unsustainable,” said Mike Bevens.
“Communities need viable visitor numbers in areas affected by over-tourism – a more targeted approach that has a lighter impact and yields higher income is better for everyone. The industry can’t keep gorging itself on the generosity of local infrastructure, communities and the environment without considering the longer-term effects.
“We know we are a small company, and that our actions alone won’t solve over-tourism, but we are conscious not to add to the challenges tourism can bring. We hope that our policy sends an important message that encourages other organisations to be more considerate of the bigger picture. We believe in putting communities before maximising profit and we encourage slower and more responsible ways to travel. It’s time for the travel industry to take a lead.”
The number of properties offered in the Lake District will be capped at 40 by Sawday’s, 20 at Canopy & Stars and 10 at Paws & Stay.
