As summer winds down and many of us return to our regular lives of jobs and school, we look back longingly at how we spent the summer, and dream about next year’s vacation. Something that may influence how we choose our vacation spots for next year is a topic that has featured recently with prominence in European news: Overtourism.
Overtourism is a completely new concept that has only come into existence over the last few years. The pandemic that saw many of us locked into our own countries and homes for such a long spate of time, made so many eager to travel and see new places. And, after two years of not tapping into the vacation budget, people have had money to do it up big.
In some cases, this has been a God-send for cities and countries that depend on tourism as a large part of their economy. However, larger than ever numbers of people all flocking to the same handful of popular cities and beaches has had a huge negative effect on locals. AirBnB and other short-term vacation rentals have created housing crises, pushing locals out of traditional neighborhoods and making it impossible for them to afford housing. Small, independent shop owners have had to shut their doors to make way for tchotchke shops that can pay higher rent. So too have restaurant prices skyrocketed, again closing independent restaurant doors and making it difficult for locals to afford a night out. With more people roaming them, streets are dirtier and less safe and transportation is overwhelmed. It’s little surprise then, how many protests against overtourism have erupted across Europe.
This problem is not likely to fade away naturally. And so now there is an increasing interest in what “responsible” tourism looks like. Suggested solutions include: spending a longer amount of time in one city instead of jumping around hot spots; shopping and eating at local places that aren’t vying for the tourist buck; staying in an established hotel and not at an AirBnb; or, exploring new places that are more off the beaten path.
Greece seems to have been a huge draw for Americans in 2024. However, with the country’s own economic difficulties, combined with the intense heatwaves it experienced this summer, Athens and the Greek Islands received far more international tourists than it could handle. So much so, that the major touristic island of Santorini is discussing putting a cap on how many people can visit! It may then not be an ideal destination next year. So, if you were thinking about traveling as far as Greece in 2025, we suggest you consider it's neighbor, Turkey!
Is Turkey not plagued by overtourism? To an extent, absolutely. Istanbul already has something on the order of 20 million people and Turks can no longer afford most of the beach resort areas due to overtourism. But! This is where the responsible tourism part comes into play!
One still very unexplored tourism gem is the Turkish wine industry.
Wine tourism is still a nascent industry in Turkey. However, because so many wineries are far from the big cities, they have built onsite restaurants and hotels to cater to visitors. Wine routes have formed in various places across the country to provide you with help planning your itineraries. The country’s largest wine producing region is the Aegean, meaning many wineries aren’t all that far from a beach. And, given the depth and breadth of history in Turkey, ancient ruins sites and museums are never far from anything!
Wine tourism allows visitors to combine traditional tourism, in which you might visit a local beach or see a lesser-visited but no less magnificent ruin like Sagalassos instead of overcrowded Ephesus, with exploring the food and fantastic wine the country has to offer.
Car rentals are relatively inexpensive and Google maps works pretty well. However, if you’re wary about driving around the country or making winery appointments on your own, there are several local and international travel companies that specialize in Turkish wine tourism that can handle the logistics for you.
And of course, that famous Turkish hospitality is always present across the country, it's lovely wineries and vineyards being no exception! So if you are interested, please reach out to us and we will help you get connected! And if you'd like a preview of some of the fantastic wines Turkey has to offer, come on down to the Fine Turkish Wine Bottle Shop + Tasting Room, located in Houston's Montrose District at 1909 Dunlavy Street.
Andrea Lemieux is an international wine expert with particular expertise in Turkish Wine. She is the author of The Essential Guide to Turkish Wine, the world's only comprehensive English language book on Turkish wine, and she is the founder of The Quirky Cork blog which is dedicated largely to Turkish wine.
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