I've read a lot on here both last summer and this about the problems in tourist areas in the uk(I was already aware to a degree but lots of first hand accounts here) and how they are ghost towns in the winter, and that the communities are poorly served in terms of shops, facilities, schools, hospitals, public transport and local amenities. There is a lot of resentment (understandably) about excessive amounts of tourists, second homes holiday let's and air bnbs.
I realise I am part of the problem even as someone who would try to behave as courteously as possible that even as a polite visitor I'm contributing to the problem.i live in a very un- touristy area and we always self cater on holiday (cottages, caravans, camping or air bnb) I think I've been on 2 hotel holidays in my life.
I'm staying in a tourist area of the south coast and I'm noticing the amount of shops and units that are almost solely geared towards visitors - trinket shops, sweet shops, gift shops, arcades and amusements, boat trips, ice cream parlours etc - even the supermarket is tiny and overpriced. There is few shops that would be useful on a day to day basis for residents. I've seen evidence of homelessness and drug addiction - problems I think are common in seaside towns.
So how can they change to benefit the local community more than visitors? In a tourist area a lot of businesses will rely on a certain amount of visitors to survive ....but that will inevitably be seasonal and low paid work, which is almost a viscous cycle. How would you, could you, make an area less attractive to visitors?
I know there are a lot of MN who live in tourist areas and are affected first hand by all the problems that brings. Can areas be regenerated to make them less touristy ...? Is there an optimum level of visitors that you would like...? How/what would need to change?