The trouble with tourism and how to protect our rural communities
Tourism can bring welcome economic benefits to rural communities but at what cost? From motorhome congestion to the Airbnb effect on housing, the pressure is building. This article explores how tourism is reshaping rural life and why a community first approach is urgently needed.
Conflicts between rural communities and tourism/tourists are neither new nor exclusive to Scotland. Research has highlighted issues of displacement and gentrification in rural areas across China, Sweden, Spain, and Italy. In Scotland, growing evidence points to increasing tensions between hosts and guests. The long-standing struggle of residents on the Isle of Skye to regulate motorhomes and tourist numbers dates back at least a decade. A 2017 Guardian article had already flagged concerns over affordable housing and other conflicts between visitors and locals on Skye. At that time, the Guardian reported 360 Airbnb lettings in the region; today, that number has risen significantly. While the influx of visitors provides economic benefits, it also exacerbates housing costs, displaces local families, and forces the closure of businesses catering to residents.
Tourism research indicates that communities overwhelmed by visitor numbers often struggle to retain businesses and services essential to local life. These include hairdressers, pet shops, nurseries, optometrists, and dentists. In this context, it is crucial to recognise three primary forms of displacement caused by tourism in rural areas:
- Direct displacement
- Exclusionary displacement,
- and pressured displacement.
What is direct, exclusionary and pressured displacement?
Direct displacement occurs when rising costs and the economic influence of external property developers or visitors force residents out of their communities. Exclusionary displacement prevents specific demographic groups – such as the children of local families – from affording homes in their own neighbourhoods due to gentrification. Pressured displacement results from changes in local services and community dynamics, making it difficult for long-term residents to stay.
A 2021 report by the John Muir Trust in Scotland highlighted several impacts of increasing visitor numbers on rural communities and natural spaces, including: Increased waste and littering; inappropriate roadside parking; irresponsible ‘wild’ camping; human waste and inadequate sanitation facilities; increased traffic and pressure on local roads; lack of awareness of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code; growing numbers of campervans and associated pressures; environmental degradation; anti-social behaviour from visitors; and a shortage of affordable housing due to the rise in short-term rentals.
These transformations contribute to the process of tourism gentrification, where visitors act both as consumers of the rural landscape and as forces reshaping it into a tourist-centric environment. In 2023, the Highlands hosted nearly 2.3 million overnight visits from international and domestic tourists, while the local population stood at just 238,000. This equates to nearly 10 overnight visitors per resident, compared to a national ratio of 3 overnight visitors per capita across Scotland’s 17 million overnight stays.
Given these mounting pressures, the work of organisations such as Scottish Community Tourism (SCOTO) becomes crucial. SCOTO shifts the focus from visitors to the well-being of the local community. Their vision – “For every community in Scotland to be able to secure added value from tourism” – emphasises that the most important stakeholders are local residents, even as the needs of tourists are acknowledged. According to SCOTO, communities must play a direct role in shaping and managing tourism offerings to ensure that economic, social, and environmental benefits remain within the local area.
This community-centred approach should be the path forward for Scotland’s rural areas. Strengthening local bonds, protecting residents’ rights, and fostering tourism that leaves a positive impact will allow communities to thrive – without bearing the burden of others’ leisure.
Looking at the report Rural Scotland – trajectories of young people and young adults that has been recently published by the Scottish Government, we can start to understand the potential role tourism can play in attracting new or returning residents. To achieve this, policymakers must consider the optimal cultural, social, and economic conditions surrounding tourism activities. This involves supporting local businesses, investing in infrastructure, and implementing regulations that mitigate direct, exclusionary, and pressured displacement.
The introduction of a Visitor Levy, which I expect to be implemented in many regions, alongside the new licensing regime for short-term lets, will keep shaping the future of rural communities in Scotland. Whether these measures will have a positive or detrimental impact depends on the unique characteristics of each community, the type of tourism they experience, and the profile of visitors they attract. But again, a community-centred approach should be the path forward for Scotland’s rural areas.
Professor Sandro Carnicelli, Professor of Tourism and Leisure Studies, University of the West of Scotland
This article originally appeared in ReSourcE spring/summer 2025.
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