How the Pandemic and Overtourism Reshaped Destinations and DMOs: A Retrospective

The Pandemic’s Disruption

The COVID-19 pandemic was the single most disruptive event in modern tourism history. Almost overnight, global travel ground to a halt. Destinations that had long enjoyed thriving visitor economies were suddenly devoid of tourists. The pandemic created an existential crisis for many DMOs, whose primary function had historically been to market their destinations and attract more visitors. With marketing budgets slashed, borders closed, and local communities struggling, DMOs were forced to confront their fundamental purpose.

In this void, many DMOs discovered a new, more community-focused role. Rather than serving as external-facing marketing machines, they began acting as internal communicators, conveners, and support organizations. Some provided public health information, others served as platforms for local business support, and many started focusing on how tourism could better serve residents—not just visitors. This pivot elevated the importance of destination stewardship, the idea that destinations must be managed, not just marketed.

The Reckoning of Overtourism

Simultaneously, the pandemic provided an eerie glimpse into a world without overtourism. In places across the country, the absence of visitors revealed both the toll of mass tourism and the opportunity for regeneration. Residents in many overtouristed destinations, who had long felt marginalized by the pressures of high visitation, experienced a sense of relief. Ecosystems rebounded, streets quieted, and the conversation about “how much tourism is too much” took on new urgency.

Overtourism had been a mounting concern pre-pandemic, driven by cheap air travel, social media-fueled travel aspirations, and the growth of the global middle class. The break in travel allowed destinations to rethink the volume-centric models that had prioritized growth over balance. For DMOs, it became clear that success could no longer be measured solely by visitor counts or hotel occupancy. Metrics like resident sentiment, environmental impact, and economic equity began gaining prominence.

A New Role for DMOs

The convergence of the pandemic and overtourism has reshaped the identity and role of many Destination Management Organizations (DMOs). Increasingly, DMOs are shifting from destination marketing organizations to destination management organizations. This shift is more than a semantic change—it represents a fundamental reorientation toward long-term, values-driven strategy over short-term promotional gains.

Modern DMOs are now more likely to engage in destination planning, stakeholder collaboration, workforce development, sustainability initiatives, and data-informed scenario modeling. Many have adopted frameworks integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into their core strategies. Community engagement—once an afterthought—is now at the center of the planning process. Residents are increasingly viewed as primary stakeholders, not collateral to visitor spending.

Regenerative and Responsible Tourism

One of the most meaningful shifts post-pandemic is the growing embrace of regenerative tourism. This approach extends beyond sustainability to explore how tourism can actively enhance the places it impacts—culturally, environmentally, and economically. DMOs are experimenting with new models of tourism that emphasize quality over quantity, local benefit over external profit, and depth of experience over breadth of reach.

In practice, this means investing in visitor education, dispersing tourism to lesser-known areas, developing community-led experiences, and limiting access to fragile natural or cultural sites. It also means building partnerships across sectors—health, housing, transportation, conservation—recognizing that tourism intersects with virtually every aspect of community life.

Looking Ahead

As the industry moves forward, the lessons from the pandemic and the pressures of over-tourism serve as catalysts for a more thoughtful and resilient tourism future. DMOs are no longer just cheerleaders for visitation; they need to be stewards of place. Their evolving role is one of balance—between visitors and residents, growth and preservation, experience and impact.

The pandemic didn't just pause tourism—it changed it. Destinations. and DMOs that embrace this change rather than resist it are those most likely to thrive in the years ahead.

Organizational Skills for the Long-term:

As DMOs adapt to the lasting impacts of the pandemic and overtourism, they’ll need to build a new skill set that goes well beyond traditional destination marketing. These emerging skills reflect the shift toward management, community alignment, and long-term sustainability.

1. Strategic Systems Thinking

DMOs must understand how tourism fits into broader community systems—housing, workforce, transportation, environment, and public health. That means thinking beyond silos and recognizing tourism as one part of a complex, interdependent ecosystem. Systems thinking enables DMOs to move from short-term campaigns to long-term strategies that align with community and regional goals.

 2. Destination Stewardship & Management

Promotion alone won’t cut it. DMOs need to manage visitor flow, protect community assets, and ensure tourism enhances rather than depletes the destination. Residents expect tourism to support their quality of life, not compromise it.

3. Community Engagement & Facilitation

Being a connector, listener, and facilitator is now a core skill. DMOs must actively engage residents, listen to concerns, and involve local voices in decision-making. The organization must have a strong community buy-in, which builds trust, resilience, and long-term relevance.

4. Data Fluency & Impact Measurement

Gone are the days when hotel occupancy and visitor spending were enough. DMOs must use data to measure resident sentiment, environmental pressures, visitor behavior, and broader economic impacts. Data drives smarter decisions, and metrics must reflect community benefit, not just visitor volume.

5. Sustainability & Regenerative Tourism Expertise

DMOs need knowledge in sustainability practices, carbon reduction, destination carrying capacity, and how to design tourism that restores rather than extracts. Climate change and resource pressure demand a proactive, values-based tourism model.

6. Cross-Sector Collaboration

Tourism touches everything—so DMOs must collaborate with sectors such as transportation, conservation, workforce development, the arts, and public services. An effective tourism strategy requires broad coalitions and a shared vision.

7. Policy & Advocacy Skills

DMOs are increasingly required to advocate for supportive policies, such as short-term rental regulation, infrastructure investment, and funding mechanisms. That requires understanding policy processes and building influence with decision-makers. Policy shapes the tourism environment, and DMOs must have a seat at the table.

8. Innovation and Product Development

As traveler expectations shift, DMOs must support the creation of new experiences, particularly those that align with local culture, values, and off-peak or off-the-beaten-path travel. The future is about depth, not just breadth—unique, meaningful, and place-based experiences.

9. Authentic Storytelling and Narrative Leadership

Marketing still matters—but it’s changing. Storytelling must reflect the destination’s values, community voice, and sense of place, not just attract visitors. Destination identity isn’t just a brand—it’s a shared story shaped by residents and visitors alike.

10. Emotional Intelligence & Adaptive Leadership

Leading through complexity, conflict, and change requires self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to adapt. DMOs are dealing with polarized communities, competing interests, and uncertain futures. Emotional intelligence builds trust and resilience, both internally and externally.

The post-pandemic, post-overtourism DMO is not just a marketer—it's a strategic, community-centered, multi-disciplinary organization. Success now depends on listening deeply, collaborating widely, and acting thoughtfully.

The future-ready DMO isn't just asking, "How do we get more visitors?"

Rather, it should be asking, “How does the DMO make tourism work better for everyone?”