Managing tourist congestion: insights from Chinese package tours to the UK and Ireland

The UNWTO notes that the successful management of tourist congestion is highly dependent on controlling travel demand. It surprising, therefore, demand has been largely overlooked in tourism literature, as have roles both tour operators and package tours contributing to or overtourism. Tour wield considerable power ‘channelling’ customers certain destinations consequently play a major role unsustainable mass congestion. This research visualizes spatial patterns People’s Republic China itineraries at peak season UK, which then confirmed by statistical tests. study confirms important distributing tourists UK confirming accentuating its ‘hotspots’. highlights relationships dynamism formation makes recommendations for managing post-pandemic world elsewhere, related encouraging agencies diversify their product offerings.