Impacts of Overtourism on the Protected Natural Area Jeseníky (PLA) in the Moravian-Silesian Region

Overtourism represents an increasingly pressing issue in numerous destinations worldwide, including protected natural areas. This article focuses on investigating the impacts of overtourism in the Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area (PLA) located in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. The aim of the study is to examine the current level and trends of tourist visitation in the Jeseníky PLA, to assess selected economic benefits of tourism in the region—particularly its impact on local businesses and public finances—and to identify the environmental and sociocultural negative effects of overtourism in the area. Furthermore, the article proposes measures for regulating visitor flows and promoting the sustainable development of tourism. The analysis draws on secondary data from the final report “Analysis of Visitation and the Impacts of Tourism in National Parks and Selected Protected Landscape Areas” (2024), as well as statistical data provided by the Czech Tourism agency. The dataset includes figures on the number of domestic and international tourists, length of stay, number of day visitors, and visitation rates of key tourist attractions. The applied methodology comprises analysis and synthesis of the available data, interpretation of the findings, and comparison with similar destinations. The article concludes by highlighting both the advantages and drawbacks of the overtourism phenomenon and proposes specific strategies to mitigate its negative impacts.