A councillor from Bourton-on-the-Water, a picturesque village in the Cotswolds, has accused 'TikTok tourists' of damaging the community. These visitors, according to Cotswold district councillor Jon Wareing, exploit the village's charm for social media content rather than appreciating its heritage.
Wareing described such tourists as 'hit-and-run' visitors who cause problems including verbal and physical harassment of residents, traffic congestion, and litter accumulation, particularly on the village green. Bourton-on-the-Water, home to around 4,000 people, attracts approximately 30,000 tourists annually.
The councillor highlighted that the issue stems from 'over-tourism' and 'fast tourism', where people flock to popular spots solely for content creation. In May 2024, a motion to acknowledge tourism's negative impact was defeated by six votes to four.
Social media users have echoed these concerns, with one stating: 'Couldn't pay me to go there in the summer, it's bad enough the rest of the year but in the summer madness.' Another commented: 'I will never go back, used to be quiet, but horrible parking issues, expensive, overrated.'
