Cotswold Village Overwhelmed by Tourists Calls for Urgent Change

Overtourism is often associated with famous European cities like Barcelona or Venice, but it can affect smaller destinations too. While tourism boosts local economies by bringing in valuable revenue, when visitor numbers spiral out of control, the negative impacts start to outweigh the benefits.

This is the challenge confronting Bourton-on-the-Water, a picturesque village in the Cotswolds. Home to around 4,000 residents, the village reportedly welcomes between 5,000 and 10,000 visitors on its busiest days. These tourists flock to the village to relax by the river, enjoy picnics, and explore—but their sheer volume is overwhelming the community.

Local residents express concern that the influx is disrupting daily life and causing damage to the village’s character. Charlotte Joynes, chair of Bourton Residents Voice and a long-term resident of over 30 years, described how the village is being “destroyed” by the crowds. “We want to share it, but at the moment, the hordes of people that are coming means we are just being destroyed by it,” she said. “It’s no longer the beautiful village people imagine—it’s more like ‘Blackpool-on-the-Water’.”

Equally troubling for locals is the limited financial benefit from this tourism. Many visitors bring their own picnics, spending little money beyond an occasional ice cream, leading to what Charlotte calls the rise of “picnic-and-paddlers” who contribute minimally to the local economy. At the same time, some tourists have even started complaining about the large number of visitors themselves.

Bourton-on-the-Water’s situation is not unique in the UK. Edinburgh recently introduced a tourist tax, with a 5% levy on overnight stays across various accommodations. This tax, which began on July 24, aims to generate up to £50 million annually to maintain the city and fund improvements benefiting both locals and visitors. Council leader Jane Meagher explained the measure addresses the rising costs of maintaining the city amid increasing visitor numbers. “It didn’t seem fair that residents had to pay for that, so it seems fair that visitors should contribute,” she said.

As Bourton-on-the-Water grapples with the pressures of overtourism, its residents are calling for solutions that balance welcoming visitors with preserving the village’s charm and sustainability.