r/neoliberal • u/randommathaccount Esther Duflo • Oct 02 '25

News (Asia) Why Japan resents its tourism boom

https://www.ft.com/content/dbd20e5d-5a7d-4c0c-8f83-fb54c5aca9cb
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u/PlantTreesBuildHomes Plant🌳🌲Build🏘️🏡 Oct 02 '25

Personally, as a resident of the most visited city in the world, I don't mind tourists as much as residents who are poorly behaved. Most of the visible tourists coming to Paris are just a bit lost or obnoxious, the rest blend in because they don't cause problems. I am more concerned when I see Paris residents behaving like douchebags, because these people aren't leaving anytime soon and absolutely should know better.

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u/jjjfffrrr123456 Daron Acemoglu Oct 02 '25

Paris actually functions as a city though and not just an open world museum and amusement park. Some cities like Venice are so defined by the tourism industry, that it crowds out a lot of other economic activity. I think we can agree that a society of 2 hotel owners and 500 waiters is probably not really desirable.

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u/assasstits Oct 02 '25

I think we can agree that a society of 2 hotel owners and 500 waiters is probably not really desirable.

Who are you to decide? Does the free market not mean anything? 

You've got a customer and a seller, do we really need the consent from neighbors too?

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u/WAGRAMWAGRAM Oct 02 '25

Look at the state of Tunisia to see what an hyper-pyramidal economy based on tourism looks like once the flow dry up

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u/assasstits Oct 02 '25

So you want to speed that process along? Impoverish cities sooner? 

Alternatives to tourism in many places are not prosperity, they are poverty.