Tourism Free areas.

JohnnyFlash · 13-09-2019 03:23PM #1

I’m down in Galway for the weekend. The place is still overrun with tourists (and crusties, but that’s for another thread). It got me thinking - should we create tourist free zones in cities?

The Italian government have admitted that Rome, Venice, and Florence have reached bursting point due to mass tourism. Dublin is becoming a city of hotels, and we have had to implement controls on short term apartment lets. Galleries and public spaces are inundated with hoards of Asian tourists bumping into people as they follow a person waving a flag. The whole thing has become a bit of a rat race to be honest.

Would local only pubs, streets, areas be a good idea? I can see the merit to be honest.

mathie · 13-09-2019 03:25PM

I’m down in Galway for the weekend. The place is still overrun with tourists

Who ordered the pint of Irony?

13-09-2019 03:26PM

Galway for the weekend...peasant.

JohnnyFlash · 13-09-2019 03:26PM

mathie wrote: »

Who ordered the pint of Irony?

I’m a proud Galwegian, Mattie. As local as Warty Nora drinking buck fast down the Spanish Arch and fighting Knacker Dwarf in Supermacs afterwards.

Hector Savage · 13-09-2019 03:27PM

It's a joke alright, I find that though if you walk a bit in a scenic area you will soon leave all the fat morons (usually American) that need to follow someone waving a flag - behind.

I was down in Wexford last week and had a marvellous time, we rented a car and went to Hook head lighthouse.
Took a walk along the coast there and met zero tourists - gorgeous weather and scenery too.

Stopped by the tourist shop at the end out of curiosity and it was full of coach loads of old english people, all queing at the "restaurant" where for €12.50 you could get a crappy sandwich and a cup of coffee.

They are really pushing this "Irelands ancient east" bollocks.
It's a cod, there is another park they are charging €30 entry for - wonder when they'll start charging that for St Annes in Dublin tbh.

I am scared to go to the South West .

Del2005 · 13-09-2019 03:27PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I’m down in Galway for the weekend. The place is still overrun with tourists (and crusties, but that’s for another thread). It got me thinking - should we create tourist free zones in cities?

The Italian government have admitted that Rome, Venice, and Florence have reached bursting point due to mass tourism. Dublin is becoming a city of hotels, and we have had to implement controls on short term apartment lets. Galleries and public spaces are inundated with hoards of Asian tourists bumping into people as they follow a person waving a flag. The whole thing has become a bit of a rat race to be honest.

Would local only pubs, streets, areas be a good idea? I can see the merit to be honest.

Read up our discrimination law and see how that will work.

EmmetSpiceland · 13-09-2019 03:30PM

Hector Savage wrote: »

It's a joke alright, I find that though if you walk a bit in a scenic area you will soon leave all the fat morons (usually American) that need to follow someone waving a flag behind.

The Americans can get very loud in those “scenic” spots too, H. Proclaiming loudly how it’s “SO QUIET!!!” at some serene monastic type site.

Hector Savage · 13-09-2019 03:36PM

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

The Americans can get very loud in those “scenic” spots too, H. Proclaiming loudly how it’s “SO QUIET!!!” at some serene monastic type site.

Trust me Emmet, walk a little, anything that requires a little exercise usually has the yanks staying well back.

begsbyOnaTrain · 13-09-2019 03:36PM

On the one hand, freedom of movement is one of the most important things we have from the EU. The Brits are mad for wanting rid of it.

On the other, carbon emissions are destroying our planet and anyone who files is literally digging our children's grave.

On yet another hand though, going on city min-breaks all over Europe makes us culturally superior to stupid yanks who barely leave their own (continent spanning) country. I feel so educated after a beer-up in Prague with the lads.

But yet one more hand informs that tourism is destroying local communities and should be stopped completely.

But the final hand says that flooding those local communities with non-tourist foreigners is the pinnacle of goodness...

2+2 = 5, I suppose.

whiskeyman · 13-09-2019 03:36PM

I thought this was a thread about Leitrim.

biko · 13-09-2019 03:46PM

There are tourism free areas in Galway city, but I'm not telling anyone where they are

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 13-09-2019 03:51PM

Mass tourism is becoming a problem. I’d have no problem with controls being imposed on tourist numbers even if it meant I have to wait a while to go somewhere I want to visit. Tourism is important to the economy of many countries but there needs to be a balance. If it starts severely impacting the people who live there, something needs to be done. I was in Lisbon a few summers ago and the tourist crowds were overwhelming. And, yes, I’m very aware that I was part of the problem. That holiday really changed my view of tourism. Since then, I feel less entitled or something. I don’t think I should be able to go anywhere at the drop of a hat. I read that in the historic part of Dubrovnik, there are now only 1,000 full-time residents. It’s basically a theme park now.

Since the advent of Instagram, US national parks have become completely overwhelmed with the increase in volume of tourists. It’s a logistical nightmare.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/20/national-parks-america-overcrowding-crisis-tourism-visitation-solutions

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 13-09-2019 03:53PM

Why's it called "Tourist Season" when ya can' t shoot them?!, as a wise an once said.

TuringBot47 · 13-09-2019 03:56PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I’m a proud Galwegian, Mattie.

They said "irony", not "iron-bru".

TuringBot47 · 13-09-2019 03:59PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

The Italian government have admitted that Rome, Venice, and Florence have reached bursting point due to mass tourism.

So they have reached maximum fleecing of the tourists then?
Tourism is an industry, I'd love to see the link where they don't welcome it.

I know they have to put some serious punative local laws in Venice... but they must be raking in the cash in those cities.

Galway is only tolerable in the Summer, so go in the depths of Winter, when a walk along Salthill will require 3 layers of clothes.
At the moment, the cheapies are going on holiday, the first week that kids are back to school and prices dropped last week.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 13-09-2019 04:09PM

TuringBot47 wrote: »

So they have reached maximum fleecing of the tourists then?
Tourism is an industry, I'd love to see the link where they don't welcome it.

I know they have to put some serious punative local laws in Venice... but they must be raking in the cash in those cities.

Galway is only tolerable in the Summer, so go in the depths of Winter, when a walk along Salthill will require 3 layers of clothes.
At the moment, the cheapies are going on holiday, the first week that kids are back to school and prices dropped last week.

I think we have finally reached the nadir of “Have you a link for that?” inanity.

Hector Savage · 13-09-2019 04:10PM

Iceland Ruined.
Namibia Ruined.
Barcelona Ruined.
West of Ireland Ruined.
Lisbon Ruined.
Dubrovnik Ruined.
US national parks Ruined.
.
.
.
.

Humans are cancer

the dark phantom · 13-09-2019 04:41PM

Its worse the moaning is getting.

TuringBot47 · 13-09-2019 04:53PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

I think we have finally reached the nadir of “Have you a link for that?” inanity.

Well, I normally hate that sort of post.

But in the case, like here, where it seems like Turkeys voting for Christmas, it seems justified. Rome, Venice etc... thrive on tourism. So the idea that they are publicly criticizing it seems self defeating.

c.p.w.g.w · 13-09-2019 05:04PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Galleries and public spaces are inundated with hoards of Asian tourists bumping into people as they follow a person waving a flag. The whole thing has become a bit of a rat race to be honest.

Was in Paris last year, the amount of Asians in lourve literally walking around with their face in their phones recording everything. Or else watching the world through their camera on the phone.

ArnoldJRimmer · 13-09-2019 05:05PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I’m a proud Galwegian, Mattie. As local as Warty Nora drinking buck fast down the Spanish Arch and fighting Knacker Dwarf in Supermacs afterwards.

Jesus, are they both still around? Left Galway over fifteen years ago, and they were part of the furniture back then. Poor auld Una is long passed though

Yurt2 · 13-09-2019 05:09PM

Last time I was in Dublin the volume of tourists on the footpath was really getting on my wick.

Part of that is the extremely poor public domain of Dublin, where it should be a world-class compact walking city instead of having to cross the road 59 times in about 100 meters. Part of it is high-volume / low-value tourism that adversely affects quality of life.

Italy is absolutely ridiculous in the summer. Particularly since the Chinese got a taste for the place.

TuringBot47 · 13-09-2019 05:56PM

Yurt! wrote: »

Last time I was in Dublin the volume of tourists on the footpath was really getting on my wick.

Part of that is the extremely poor public domain of Dublin, where it should be a world-class compact walking city instead of having to cross the road 59 times in about 100 meters. Part of it is high-volume / low-value tourism that adversely affects quality of life.

?

It is a compact city and an old city.
It wasn't designed 200 years ago for the high volume of motor traffic or trams.
You can't have it both ways, unless the entire centre of the city is pedestrianized.

Compare Dublin to Washington DC, where it's so spread out you need a car to go between points. There's a certain charm about Dublin being so crammed in that you can walk around it with ease.

So I don't know where your high volume/low volume idea comes from?
Hotels, restaurants and pubs certainly value tourists...

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 13-09-2019 11:02PM

begsbyOnaTrain wrote: »

On the one hand, freedom of movement is one of the most important things we have from the EU. The Brits are mad for wanting rid of it.

On the other, carbon emissions are destroying our planet and anyone who files is literally digging our children's grave.

On yet another hand though, going on city min-breaks all over Europe makes us culturally superior to stupid yanks who barely leave their own (continent spanning) country. I feel so educated after a beer-up in Prague with the lads.

But yet one more hand informs that tourism is destroying local communities and should be stopped completely.

But the final hand says that flooding those local communities with non-tourist foreigners is the pinnacle of goodness...

2+2 = 5, I suppose.

The answer to pretty much all your points is: moderation

Your Face · 13-09-2019 11:26PM

Is there a taxi strike on?

wakka12 · 13-09-2019 11:48PM

And how do you stop tourists from getting into one specific area? A check point on all roads in where they look at your passport? Yes it would be nice though, tourism ****ing sucks

Wompa1 · 14-09-2019 12:14AM

I like having the tourists around. They tend to be happy and positive. It also makes me feel like where I live is pretty special to attract so much interest for such a small town....

Yurt2 · 14-09-2019 06:44AM

TuringBot47 wrote: »

?

It is a compact city and an old city.
It wasn't designed 200 years ago for the high volume of motor traffic or trams.
You can't have it both ways, unless the entire centre of the city is pedestrianized.

Compare Dublin to Washington DC, where it's so spread out you need a car to go between points. There's a certain charm about Dublin being so crammed in that you can walk around it with ease.

So I don't know where your high volume/low volume idea comes from?
Hotels, restaurants and pubs certainly value tourists...

Yes, thats the point. Vast swathes of the city centre should be pedestrianised and privileging cars should be done away with. You can't walk around Dublin at ease - that's also the point. It's not like a Dutch / Danish / Polish city where you aren't stopping at pedestrian crossings every 10 meters.

Low-value Ryanair tourism that stay in AirBnBs, drink pints in Temple Bar, shop in Carroll's gift shops I couldn't give a hoot about. And like Barcelona we could do with far less of it. They clog up the thoroughfares, take away from housing stock, eat drink and visit in limited places, and probably spend less than you'd think.

Wildsurfer · 14-09-2019 06:53AM

So people on this thread are complaining they can't visit nice places because there are too many tourists there... which gets me wondering what the average IQ on AH is...

handlemaster · 14-09-2019 06:56AM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I’m down in Galway for the weekend. The place is still overrun with tourists (and crusties, but that’s for another thread). It got me thinking - should we create tourist free zones in cities?

The Italian government have admitted that Rome, Venice, and Florence have reached bursting point due to mass tourism. Dublin is becoming a city of hotels, and we have had to implement controls on short term apartment lets. Galleries and public spaces are inundated with hoards of Asian tourists bumping into people as they follow a person waving a flag. The whole thing has become a bit of a rat race to be honest.

Would local only pubs, streets, areas be a good idea? I can see the merit to be honest.

The stupidity of this made me nearly not want to reply. But I relented. This is just such a dumb idea

Yurt2 · 14-09-2019 07:04AM

Wildsurfer wrote: »

So people on this thread are complaining they can't visit nice places because there are too many tourists there... which gets me wondering what the average IQ on AH is...

That's not what's being said btw. They're making the argument (which is being made in many cities across Europe), that a certain type of low-value tourism decreases quality of life instead of improving it.

What's your IQ btw? Are you troubling Mensa or your remedial teacher?

Tourism Free areas.

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