From Japan to India, overtourism cries out for new success metrics

Can tourism be considered successful if arrivals increase, but the local communities – the very soul of the destination – feel strained and excluded? Too often, tourism success is measured in arrivals, occupancy and revenue. These numbers matter. But they tell only a fraction of the story.We must ask: who is this success really for? Traditional growth metrics are no longer sufficient to protect the residents who host the world or the workers who power the experience. To prevent cultural heritage from being reduced to mere photo spots, we must rethink what success means and prioritise people over spreadsheets.This tourism paradox has emerged as a challenge for major Asian economies, specifically Japan and India. The Japan-national-tourism-organisation" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="14815" data-entity-type="organization">Japan National Tourism Organisation reported a surge to 42.7 million international visitors to the country in 2025. Consider Kyoto, for example. In 2024, the city recorded 8.21 million foreign hotel guests, a historic high and a 53.2 per cent increase from the previous year. For the first time ever, foreign visitors outnumbered domestic travellers, with 8.09 million Japanese guests over the same period.