Why I started asking questions about overtourism?

The calm that keeps calling me back - is there overtourism?

There’s something about Austria that always grounds me.

The rhythm of the mountains, the stillness of alpine lakes, the feeling that nature here still speaks louder than we do.

Maybe that’s why I keep returning — not just as a traveller, but as someone who wants to understand how a country so famous for its beauty manages to keep its calm.

Because most of the time, Austria does it beautifully. Villages stay tidy, trails are well-marked, public transport runs like a quiet promise. It’s a place that seems to have found balance — between visitors and locals, nature and comfort, order and warmth.

When overtourism turns perfection into pressure

And yet, there’s one little place that keeps breaking that balance: Hallstatt.

You’ve probably seen it even if you’ve never been — a mirror-perfect lakeside village framed by mountains, like a fairytale frozen in time.

But behind that postcard, Hallstatt has been struggling with something real: the weight of its own fame.

Overtourism isn’t just about numbers or statistics — it’s about people and perception.

Here in this tiny lakeside valley, it feels close and personal.

Too many buses for too few streets. Too many cameras for too small a square.

And yet, so much love from travelers who just want to see it once in their life.

What overtourism looks like in Hallstatt

I’ve seen it with my own eyes — people crowding along the narrow streets where locals simply try to get where they started, with all their patience and kindness.

But it’s still a town where families live and children should play.

The old town sometimes feels like it’s been turned into an open-air museum — but it’s not a museum.

It’s people’s home.

And it’s not okay to step into a private garden for a sweet photo, or press a camera against a window to capture the inside of a house.

That’s crazy, really.

How do we tourists dare do such a thing?

That moment — seeing that fine line between curiosity and intrusion — was when I knew this topic mattered.

Because overtourism isn’t just about overcrowding; it’s about awareness, empathy, and boundaries we often forget exist.

Studying overtourism and communication in my university thesis

And this is what moves me in my university thesis:how can we communicate a sustainable, liveable form of tourism that works both for travelers and for locals?

Of course, it’s not an easy task — and it won’t be solved overnight.

But somewhere between research, empathy, and common sense, we might start finding more balanced ways to share beautiful places without breaking them.

That’s why I created two small surveys — not for experts, just for travelers like you and me. To explore how we think about overtourism and sustainability when we travel.

If you’ve ever felt torn between wanting to explore and wanting to protect, I’d truly value your perspective.

It’s anonymous, takes only a few minutes, and helps me understand not just Hallstatt — but how we can all travel a little more gently.

👉 Take the general traveller survey here

👉 Take the sustainable traveller survey here

Because Austria’s wildness, stillness, and harmony — and every place like it — are worth preserving, not just admiring. 🌿