When it comes to travel phenomena, “overtourism” has dominated the conversation in recent years with reports of crowded streets, strained infrastructure, and residents pushed to the brink by the sheer number of visitors.
But there’s another side of the equation: undertourism. Below, experts break down what undertourism means and how travelers can embrace it responsibly.
What is undertourism?
“Undertourism refers to areas that are safe, culturally rich and worth exploring, but that don’t get as many visitors as other similar locations,” said Sarah Silbert, managing editor of Points Path. “This could be due to limited marketing, outdated perceptions or less developed tourism infrastructure.”
She gave the example of countries like Albania, Moldova and Laos, and lesser-known cities like Trieste, Italy, which she sees as overshadowed by hotspots like Rome and Florence. These destinations might have beautiful architecture, rich histories and vibrant food scenes, but because they’re not splashed across Instagram or on most people’s bucket lists, they end up attracting only a trickle of the visitors they could welcome.
