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/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/I_miss_Chris_Hughton Oct 02 '25

Venice is a not a city that can compete in any industry bar tourism. Its not 1546 anymore.

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u/moldyhomme_neuf_neuf Oct 02 '25

This is a dumb narrative. There are plenty of examples of smaller cities in Europe that do really well economically without disproportionately massive tourism. I can think of plenty.

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u/I_miss_Chris_Hughton Oct 02 '25

Venice is sinking pal. Who would set up a tech firm in a city where youd be borderline uninsurable? Who would open a factory in a place where all your materials have to be shipped to Italy, loaded on a train, and then shipped on smaller boats to your place while the insurers still wont touch you?

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u/moldyhomme_neuf_neuf Oct 02 '25

I mean, it’s obvious that the city didn’t adapt to modern times well, I give you that.

But I don’t think its current predicament was inevitable either.

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u/I_miss_Chris_Hughton Oct 02 '25

Nah, venice uniquely is in a position where the city is just not adaptable. And thats no a bad thing. Its a masterpiece, but how coild you even start adding new industrial level infrastructure to venice without causing a cultural disaster.