When ‘secret spot’ goes viral: The tourism trap of too many views, too many visitors
The article explores how social media and AI-driven travel discovery are creating 'over-tourism' in popular destinations. It highlights the tension between the economic benefits of tourism growth in India and the physical strain on locations that go viral online.
Why it matters
It addresses the sustainability of the global tourism industry in the age of viral digital content and algorithmic travel recommendations.
Tourism brings people, places, and cultures closer. It creates opportunities for communities, supports livelihoods, and contributes significantly to economic development. Globally, travel and tourism contributed $10.9 trillion, or 10% of global GDP, in 2024, supporting 357 million jobs and generating $1.9 trillion in international visitor spending.But the way people decide where to go is changing - and increasingly, the journey begins before the journey, inside a phone.On World Tourism Day 2026, observed on September 27, the global tourism sector is discussing how digital technology and Artificial Intelligence can redesign tourism. India arrives at that conversation amid extraordinary growth: Domestic Tourist Visits reached 428.55 crore in 2025, up from 67.7 crore in 2021, while Foreign Tourist Visits rose from 0.1 crore to 2.53 crore.
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