Overtourism Perception Scale

What it measures

Measures resident perceptions of overtourism — where tourism volumes exceed the destination's capacity and negatively affect quality of life. Captures crowding, infrastructure strain, cultural disruption, and quality of life impacts. Overtourism has become a critical management challenge for popular destinations globally (Venice, Barcelona, Bali, Amsterdam, Queenstown).

Response format

Likert (1–5, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Scale items

Crowding Perception — perceived congestion and overcrowding (Likert 1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

• There are too many tourists in this destination.
• The destination feels overcrowded.
• The streets and attractions are too congested with tourists.
• Tourist numbers have exceeded the capacity of this destination.
• The level of tourist crowding is unacceptable.

Environmental Impact — perceived negative environmental consequences of tourism

• Tourism is damaging the natural environment of this destination.
• The growth of tourism is causing environmental degradation.
• Tourism is putting too much pressure on local natural resources.
• The environmental quality of this destination has declined due to tourism.
• Tourism is spoiling the natural beauty of this destination.

Socio-Cultural Impact — perceived negative effects on local culture and residents

• Tourism is changing the local culture in a negative way.
• Residents' quality of life has declined due to overtourism.
• Local residents are being priced out of the area because of tourism.
• Tourism is causing the loss of authentic local character.
• The traditional way of life is being eroded by excessive tourism.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Four subscale scores. Crowding & Congestion is typically the most salient dimension for urban destinations; Quality of Life is strongest in densely touristed residential areas. Associated with tourism phobia and anti-tourism movements.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Koens, K., Postma, A., & Papp, B. (2018). Is overtourism overused? Understanding the impact of tourism in a city context. Sustainability, 10(12), 4384.

Keywords