For readers who travel to Europe, especially southern Europe (Spain, Italy and Greece), you may have heard rumbling that many of the locals of tourist destinations are less than enamored by the sheer number of tourists swarming their streets, destinations and rental accommodations.

Indeed, young locals who can no longer afford to live in their home towns have taken to carrying squirt guns and squirt tourists to demonstrate that they wish the tourists would go home. The water quickly evaporates and provides no evidence for local police to press charges.

The city of Venice has taken to charging a fee for cruise ship passengers to disembark and roam the sights. Ironically, many tourist destinations are finding themselves torn between a flood of income and an overwhelming flood of tourists that make locals pine for the good old days of manageable traffic, affordable housing and cafes with enough seating for locals and tourists alike.

Steamboat is already dealing with heavy foot, bike, car and jet traffic, a lack of affordable housing that is pushing locals to Oak Creek, Hayden, Milner and Craig, and restaurants and bars crowded with tourists.

How much is enough, and when do we start loving the region to death? Or is it already happening? Can we slow it down? Can we manage it? Can we have a few weeks in fall and spring when locals don’t feel buffeted, jostled and crowded out by tourists? It is one thing for the Chamber to educate and encourage visitors to be good visitors, quite another to try and get across town without grinding one’s teeth, contemplating minor road rage or getting a squirt gun.

We are caught up in a cycle of habit, greed and capitalism that knows few guardrails. Can we do better?

Brodie Farquhar
Hayden