UK tourist spots take action to prevent chaotic crowds

In June 2020, as the UK’s first Covid-19 lockdown started to lift, a spell of perfect weather, including the hottest day of the year, saw crowds rush to the country’s beaches.

Within hours, Bournemouth, a coastal town in the south, declared a 'major incident' as it was overwhelmed with traffic, litter, and an unmanageable number of visitors.

Despite pleas for people to stay away, local authorities issued hundreds of parking fines and cleared up 33 tons of rubbish, blaming 'careless behavior and the actions of many.'

Peter Ryan, a local resident of Bournemouth who leads a team of 700 volunteers maintaining the area's beaches, described the scene: 'It was shocking. It wasn't just the beach, but also the streets, the town center, and the parks. It was left in a terrible state.'

As warmer weather approaches and a more vaccinated population is just weeks away from being released from the UK’s third national lockdown, concerns grow that these scenes may repeat.

If all goes to plan, England will permit outdoor gatherings of six or fewer people by the end of March. By April 12, the aim is to reopen restaurants, bars, museums, and theme parks. Private vacation rentals will be allowed to host guests from the same household.

By May 17, hotels, hostels, and B&Bs are expected to reopen and welcome guests.

With international travel likely to remain restricted until later in 2021, most Brits will likely vacation within the UK this year.

For the UK's tourist destinations, this brings mixed feelings—relief from months of closures, but also anxiety over how to handle sudden surges of visitors.

Ryan fears that the chaos witnessed last June could be repeated in Bournemouth, though the local council is stepping up efforts by adding more facilities and parking monitors to reduce the risk.

“Staycations are incredibly popular this summer, as we can’t all travel abroad,” he says. “For now, we need to learn to appreciate what’s right on our doorstep.”

“It’s a fantastic opportunity, one we should seize, enjoy, and fully embrace. But we must also be mindful of the environment and show respect for local communities.”

“We’re anticipating an absolute flood of visitors.”

The UK has long been a popular destination for both international tourists and domestic travelers.

The UK boasts vibrant cities such as London, Manchester, Liverpool, and Edinburgh, as well as miles of coastline, from the White Cliffs of Dover in the southeast to the sandy beaches of Scotland’s islands. It also features several stunning national parks, including the Lake District’s scenic peaks and the rugged Cairngorms in Scotland.

These destinations typically compete with popular European spots like Spain and Portugal for UK holidaymakers, but in 2020, with most international travel restricted, interest in staycations surged.

This trend is likely to continue in the summer of 2021, despite early government warnings that even domestic vacations might be off the table – a gloomy outlook now being overshadowed by vaccine-driven optimism.

Jane Reese-Baynes, chair of Visit Pembrokeshire, a southwest Welsh region famed for its rugged coastline and lush valleys, was surprised by the number of visitors that flocked there last year.

“We were genuinely concerned that no one would want to take a holiday,” she says. “So when everyone showed up, it became a case of: ‘Okay, we have to handle this – we didn’t expect these numbers.’”

For Visit Pembrokeshire, the focus for 2021 is to promote lesser-known locations and remind visitors to plan ahead and secure accommodation or campsites in advance.

Wales, like Scotland and Northern Ireland, has not yet outlined its roadmap for easing lockdown measures, but has hinted that self-catering accommodations could reopen around the Easter period, from late March to early April.

While some visitors will book as soon as they get the green light, Reese-Baynes expects many last-minute reservations and camping trips to emerge, leading to a surge in visitors.

“We’re bracing for a massive influx,” she says.

To prepare, the region is increasing its presence on the ground. This summer, rangers will patrol Pembrokeshire’s coastal paths and parks, engaging with local visitors, ensuring everything runs smoothly, and directing people to quieter spots.

Getting local businesses aligned with the message is also a top priority, according to Reese-Baynes.

“Last year, once we saw how busy things were, there was a real push to communicate with the industry: ‘Please, can you redirect your guests elsewhere?’”

Reese-Baynes also manages a hotel in Pembrokeshire, Elms Grove Country House. Last year, her team began advising visitors on less-explored destinations and plans to do the same this summer. They’ll continue to operate at reduced capacity, even if not mandatory, and will enforce social distancing measures.

“Although restrictions will be eased, I still think there will be lingering concerns,” says Reese-Baynes.

Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park, the UK’s largest, is also planning to deploy more rangers after a surge of visitors in summer 2020 overwhelmed services.

The park experienced increased littering, vandalism, antisocial behavior, and human waste. Overcrowded parking lots caused damage to woodlands. There were also several fires, likely caused by campfires, which are discouraged in many areas of the park.

For the first time, the Cairngorms National Park Authority decided to hire seasonal rangers and plans to continue this service into 2021, ensuring visitors respect the park and prevent overcrowding at key locations.

“We want people to enjoy their time at the national park, but we also want to ensure that everyone who visits after them can enjoy it just as much,” says Grant Moir, CEO of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, to Dinogo Travel.

Some of the most effective strategies were centered around managing traffic, Moir explains.

At Loch Muick, a popular spot for hikers and wild swimmers, access was controlled by barriers with a one-in, one-out system. At another location, Linn of Dee, an overflow parking lot was added, with visitors redirected when it reached capacity.

“The Cairngorms spans 4,500 square kilometers, offering plenty of places for people to walk, cycle, or even sit in a deck chair and enjoy the view,” Moir says.

Along with infrastructure investments, social media also plays a role in spreading visitors across the park. Highlighting lesser-known spots on platforms like Instagram and Facebook can help manage crowd distribution.

In the summer of 2020, a surge in demand for self-catered accommodation, combined with restrictions on hotel capacity and the perceived safety of outdoor activities during the pandemic, led to a boom in camping interest.

While wild camping is permitted in Scotland, it is largely prohibited in most parts of England, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

Stuart Burgess from Forestry England shared with Dinogo last year that a rise in illegal camping had led to significant damage to the nation's forests. This year, the group is taking proactive steps to be ready.

"We are applying what we learned last year to better support visitors this year," says Burgess. "We anticipate a very busy spring and summer season."

Preparation involves ensuring that woodland trails, public restrooms, and parking areas are well-equipped for high traffic. Burgess emphasizes that providing people with the right information and encouraging them to "make responsible choices" is crucial.

"A lot of people genuinely want to do the right thing, and sometimes it's as simple as remembering to bring a bag for your trash," Burgess explains.

Despite the challenges posed by large crowds, Burgess finds the growing interest in camping and exploring England's forests ultimately heartening.

"It has served as a reminder to both long-time visitors and the many newcomers of just how essential the nation's forests and green spaces are for our physical and mental health," he says. "Simply spending time outdoors and reconnecting with nature has provided relief for many people."

A new challenge in the face of overtourism

Many of the strategies being applied in the UK mirror those that have been used in cities or countries that were once notorious for overtourism before the pandemic.

In 2018 and 2019, cities like Venice, Iceland, and Barcelona were focused on managing crowds, encouraging visitors to explore less crowded areas, promoting sustainable travel practices, and directing spending to benefit the local economy.

For any destination, managing a sudden surge of tourists requires balancing continued promotion of the area with the need to ensure that visitors respect the local environment and do not disrupt the lives of residents.

In the UK, this challenge has become even more complicated by the country's recent departure from the EU, which could potentially deter European visitors. Negative press could exacerbate the situation further.

In Kent, a southeastern county, tourism officials are eager to highlight the benefits of Covid-safe practices in local restaurants and country houses. However, they are also wary of the potential traffic jams caused by Brexit and the spread of the highly contagious Kent variant of the coronavirus at its major port of Dover.

"As a destination, we need to put in a lot of effort," says Deirdre Wells, CEO of Visit Kent, the region's tourism authority.

Wells acknowledges that the UK’s domestic tourism market is highly competitive, but she believes that her region’s vast vineyards, historic castles, and iconic coastline will be sufficient to overcome any long-term challenges and fuel a summer tourism surge.

"We’re aiming for a major revival in June to bring back the visitors our businesses have been missing," she shares.

Tourism authorities across the UK are hopeful that the surge of domestic visitors will be more than just a temporary phenomenon, with the hope that people who discover the charms of local destinations will continue exploring the UK even after international travel resumes.

Moreover, investments in tourism infrastructure are expected to pay long-term dividends when international travelers begin to return to the UK.

For Moir, the excitement surrounding the Cairngorms and other local destinations is an encouraging sign of things to come.

He’s looking forward to seeing the region flourish once again this summer, as people from all over the UK rediscover its charm.

"It’s easy to focus on isolated incidents, like someone cutting down a tree or starting a fire in the wrong spot. But what often goes unnoticed are the countless others who respect the environment and are simply there to enjoy the beauty around them."