From Congestion to Climate Action: Istanbul’s Sustainable Tourism

While tourism generates many economic benefits for a country or city, such as improved infrastructure, economic enrichment, and job creation, overtourism has significant adverse effects.

Overtourism occurs when too many visitors flock to a destination, exceeding its capacity to manage them sustainably. This leads to negative consequences, including overcrowding, pollution, resource scarcity, environmental degradation, strained infrastructure, reduced quality of life for residents, and a diminished visitor experience.

Global destinations under pressure

According to The Independent, the following ten destinations are experiencing overtourism and are at risk of reaching a breaking point. These locations have a disproportionately high number of tourists compared with their local populations, ranked by the number of tourists per 1,000 residents:

1. Zante/Zakynthos – 149,886.95
2. Istria, Croatia – 133,466.93
3. Fuerteventura – 118,720.31
4. Lanzarote – 117,785.17
5. Dodecanese Islands – 113,790.45
6. Tiroler Oberland, Austria – 112,716.37
7. Pinzgau-Pongau, Austria (Salzburg Alps) – 109,009.7
8. Cyclades – 104,152.63
9. Kerkyra, Corfu – 100,079.59
10. Außerfern, Austria – 97,299.12

Caferağa: A neighbourhood struggling to find balance

Caferağa, a neighbourhood in Istanbul, is also facing similar challenges. Though it does not feature in the top ten list, it is experiencing high tourist pressure, which is affecting residents’ quality of life. The neighbourhood struggles to balance the economic benefits of tourism with its residents’ needs.

Additionally, Caferağa has a higher proportion of older residents than the national average and faces the effects of climate change, including rising temperatures and air pollution caused by increased vehicular traffic.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reports that Caferağa was recently designated as one of three pilot Low Emission Zones in Istanbul under the city’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, which aims to address congestion, air quality issues, and mobility challenges.

This pilot project, launched in September 2023, began in a single square block, Mehmet Ayvalıtaş Square. Temporary interventions included restricting vehicle access, planting water-based vegetation, adding greenery and modular street furniture, and reclaiming pedestrian spaces. Colourful crosswalks near a local school were also introduced to improve safety and visibility.

These changes transformed the square almost overnight, turning car-dominated streets into lively gathering spaces for residents and visitors alike. Although temporary, these measures provided a vision of what Caferağa could become.

Community collaboration and sustainable recommendations

Stakeholder collaboration in Caferağa produced five key recommendations to enhance quality of life and sustainability:

• Prioritise pedestrian spaces by creating wider pavements, accessible ramps, and visible raised crossings to ensure safety, particularly for people with disabilities.
• Encourage cycling and micro-mobility by expanding bike lanes and developing an e-bike sharing programme with designated parking. This supports Istanbul’s broader climate goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
• Introduce a local shuttle system, free for mothers and residents aged 65 and over, to improve local connectivity to metro, tram, and ferry lines.
• Rethink parking strategies, including limiting on-street parking in commercial areas, prioritising residents, and using visitor fees to fund infrastructure improvements.
• Optimise delivery systems by rescheduling deliveries to off-peak hours, creating loading zones, enforcing regulations, and encouraging electric or bike-based deliveries to reduce emissions.

A model for managing overtourism sustainably

While tourism continues to be a vital economic driver, managing overtourism remains essential to protecting residents’ well-being and environmental health. Caferağa’s initiatives, including Low Emission Zones and community-led recommendations, offer valuable insights for other tourist-heavy destinations seeking to balance sustainable urban living with tourism growth.