Son of the legendary Gilbert Trigano, and founder of the Mama Shelter group , Serge Trigano published in France’s Journal du Dimanche a very bold rostrum on the much criticized mass tourism.
“ The pandemic, in addition to dramas and suffering, changed everyone’s life and work. Let’s get out of the big cities, favor telecommuting, try to leave a better world for our children. These and other trends are commitments we can only applaud. But at the same time negative ideas about mass tourism arrived. It would wipe out landscapes, destroy the environment, harm local populations and threaten tourism jobs.”
Serge Trigano recalled that in the 1960s, elites made fun of American tourists visiting Europe on the run, arriving in London on Monday, passing through Paris on Wednesday, Rome on Friday and returning on Saturday to the United States. But the new generation has already learned to enjoy their travels and explore the beauty of their chosen destinations. Why should the sole clients of the Gritti, Danieli or Cipriani palaces be given the exclusivity of the beauties of Venice and the magic of the Serenissima, discriminating against popular groups? It should not be forgotten that these visitors, belonging to the emerging classes from all over the world, also have every right to take selfies with the doves in Praça São Marcos.
It is clear, according to Sergio, that the negative consequences of the excesses of “overtourism” must be fought, and results have already been achieved in this regard. Airbus is working on the clean airplane of the future. Cruise lines – following the lead of Compagnie du Ponant – are drastically reducing their impact on the environment. The big tourist destinations are getting organized – from Venice to Paris and Amsterdam, passing through Barcelona or Phuket – to limit the exaggerations of a few moments of revelry.
Long live tourism, then, which offers the opportunity to visit the other without dominating him, without trying to invade or subdue him. Tourism is the opposite of war, and for that reason it deserves to be protected. Long live tourism then, including the most elitist – why not? -, but also long live popular tourism, what is called in a derogatory way mass tourism. Long live these millions of tourists and happy vacationers who peacefully parade through our cities, cell phones in hand to take pictures.