Is social media tourism ruining UK hotspots?

The rise of social media has led to growing crowds at some of the country's most photographed destinations and while some businesses have boomed as a result, locals aren't always impressed. Amelia Beckett reports

Scroll through Instagram or TikTok and there are thousands of videos of 'hidden gems', beautiful villages and stunning photo spots.

But in an age where so many of us want social media to become reality, these once-undiscovered places are now suddenly becoming overrun, in what is being described as 'overtourism'.

At best it leaves locals angry and frustrated, but at worst it can put lives at risk.

In Dorset, the iconic Durdle Door beach has been criticised for its “nightmare path”.

In Snowdonia, locals say they are sick of roads becoming gridlocked outside their homes and in the Cotswolds, the village of Castle Combe has become so popular, one resident described the influx of tourists as "far too intrusive".

Georgina Kingshott moved to the village eight years ago from Cambridge for a "quieter life". But since the end of lockdown, she says it is anything but.

"We've had people say 'I didn't think people lived here!'", she said.

"And I say of course people live here! I can't begrudge people wanting to take pictures but I don't really know what you can do to control it or police it."

She describes influencers visiting the village to fly drones over her garden, complete social media challenges or even host fashion shoots in the street.

But while many residents say it has got out of control, businesses are reaping the rewards.

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Caron Cooper is the owner of Fosse Farmhouse, a boutique B&B in the village. She has influencers stay and then promote the guest house online.

"Only last week I had an influencer from America who stayed here, and she was in the pink room," she said.

"Since it's been posted just a week ago I've had a huge amount of interest from people who've followed me on Instagram, looked at my website and made bookings."

But there can be a more dangerous side to these posts.

Mountain Rescue England and Wales say their job has changed dramatically in the past five years and they believe social media is playing a part in that.

While at least 50% of callouts used to be for people injured on mountains, they now say at least 70% are what they describe as "preventable".

Mike Park, CEO of Mountain Rescue England and Wales said: "In places like the Lake District the weather can change in an instant, it can suddenly go dark or people can find themselves stuck.

"We're seeing a lot more examples of people without the right kit or relying on their phones when there isn't any signal and our teams are now responding more and more to those types of callouts."

Phil Gerrard, chairman of the Lake District Mountain Rescue Association said: "We've had people camping on tops of mountains and their poles break, people taking selfies, falling off rocks, some more than 20 metres.

"In the past week we've have probably three or four callouts which you could contribute to that culture."

They urge people to always plan ahead, look up the correct kit and turn around if it doesn't feel safe.

But for many social media influencers, these posts are their livelihood.

Adell Baker is a travel influencer under the handle Adell Explores, making curated content of destinations across the UK.

She says she has seen the impact these videos can have on locations that cannot cope and therefore edits her content accordingly.

"If I think somewhere doesn't have the infrastructure to cope, I won't tag the location. But if it's a national park with clear signs and paths then I will.

"I am very aware of the responsibility I have when posting these places and think we need to be aware of the potential negative consequences it can have."

In countries across Europe, overtourism has led to protests, extra fees and selective visitor zones.

While parts of the UK aren't new to tourism, this social media boom is clearly becoming too much for certain attractions to cope with.

So is it only a matter of time before the same happens here?

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