Global trends in tourism scale change in the 21st century

This study aims to identify the settlements most significantly impacted by tourism globally and analyze the underlying reasons behind these trends. By examining 255 locations worldwide, the research provides insights into the territorial distribution of tourism activities and their evolution over time. Given the rapid transformations in global travel patterns due to economic, environmental, and technological changes, understanding these dynamics is crucial for sustainable tourism planning and destination management. The analysis employs advanced statistical techniques, including Variable Clustering (VARCLUS), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Factor Analysis of Mixed Data (FAMD), to evaluate the rankings and sub-indicators of the studied locations. These methods allow for a detailed examination of regional and typological patterns, integrating continuous and categorical data to create a comprehensive map of tourism-affected areas. The findings reveal significant regional and typological patterns in global tourism. European coastal and heritage sites are predominantly influenced by international tourism indicators, while North American and Asian urban areas exhibit a stronger reliance on domestic tourism indicators. The study highlights the dominance of certain factors shaping tourism dynamics and offers insights into the varying nature of tourism impacts across regions. The research provides actionable recommendations for policymakers and economic stakeholders to develop more effective regulatory and economic strategies. By addressing the distinct needs of different regions, the study contributes to a better understanding of tourism's evolving scale and offers a foundation for targeted policy interventions. The study separates the problems caused by domestic and international visitors, which is important for economic policy. In places like Venice and Dubrovnik in Europe, which are popular with tourists, higher prices and taxes could help to control tourism and fund efforts to protect the environment. In North America and Asia, planning for cities and managing infrastructure are important to balance tourism growth with the quality of life for locals.