Ross: A creative solution for the world’s overtourism crisis

It’s called “overtourism” – crowds packing the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa; 20 million visitors a year flocking to Venice. As I understand it, overtourism is when no one wants to visit a tourist attraction, because it’s too crowded.

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Just like nobody wants to eat at a crowded restaurant.

Or like saying your transit system is a failure, because the trains and buses are always packed.

Everybody is upset with the people who got there first.

And so, places like Venice are scrambling for solutions, like charging a tourist tax, or even requiring entry permits. But what amazes me is that no one is talking about the obvious solution, which of course is to build another one.

If Venice is over-crowded, don’t punish the tourists — build another Venice to accommodate them!

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With today’s technology, you could build an exact replica of Venice that’s better than the original, with-state-of-the art bathrooms, and maybe even with proper streets so you can get around without those boats.

Best of all, you could staff it with specially-trained professional natives who are happy to see the tourists and willing to speak whatever language they do.

I bet that more people will pack the fake Venice than that the real one, thereby leaving plenty of room in the real one so tourists can enjoy it again.

Problem solved.

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