THE END OF TOURISM

"The tourist destroys what he seeks by the very act of seeking it." In November 2025, a quiet residential alley in Seoul's Bukchon Hanok Village was designated a "Red Zone," restricting tourist entry after 5 PM. This was not an isolated incident, but a signal of a global breaking point. From Venice charging entrance fees to Barcelona evicting Airbnbs and Japan capping climbers on Mount Fuji, the world’s most beloved destinations are issuing a collective cry: "No more." In THE END OF TOURISM, Amazon bestselling author SangChul Cho dissects the unprecedented crisis of a world where 1.5 billion people travel annually. He identifies the "Three Detonators"—low-cost airlines, short-term rentals, and social media—that transformed travel from a rare experience into a destructive performance of status. Cho uncovers the painful paradox that we are all simultaneously victims of overtourism in our own neighborhoods and perpetrators in someone else’s. This book is a manifesto for the rebirth of travel. Moving beyond the "Tragedy of the Commons," Cho proposes a new social contract based on the principle of "Residence First" and the model of "Regenerative Tourism." It is a call to shift from being a consumer of places to a contributor to their survival. If you love travel, you must change how you travel—because your next trip will determine the future of the world. Key Exploration ThemesThe Global Breaking Point: Why the planet reached its limit with 1.5 billion travelers flooding out after the pandemic. The Three Detonators: How LCCs, Airbnb, and Instagram created a perfect storm for overtourism. The Paradox of the Perpetrator: Why we continue to visit the very places our presence destroys. The Tragedy of the Commons: Analysis of why the most beautiful places on Earth are always the first to die. The New Social Contract: Prioritizing the "Right to Reside" over the "Right to Travel" and returning tourism revenue to local residents. Regenerative Tourism: Moving toward a model where travel actively improves the destination.