Travel can do amazing things: broaden horizons, build relationships, and rejuvenate the soul. But often, those experiences come at a cost. 

Welcome back to Peak Travel from WHYY, the show that unpacks how travel shapes communities in hot-spots around the world. We’ll share the wonder that comes with exploring new places, as well as the harm that our worst travel habits can cause. And we’ll try to figure out how we can do it better.

Each episode transports you to a new destination. You’ll meet the people who call that place home, hear their stories, and come to understand how tourism has changed their everyday lives. Supported by rich, on-location sound from around the world, Peak Travel examines the $1.9 trillion travel industry and its impact on people and the planet.

Social media has turned Bali’s shrines and temples into a playground for disrespectful tourists, but residents are fighting to preserve the island’s integrity. 

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Nashville has become the bachelorette party capital of the United States, and residents worry the influx of loud, visible tourists threatens the city’s reputation as a music city. 

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The transition of Barcelona’s historic La Boqueria market from a place filled with fishmongers and specialty mushroom vendors to chain cafés and smoothie shops has made the city feel more and more like a theme park.

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A partnership between the Mexican government and Airbnb forces generations of families out of the most desirable neighborhoods in Mexico City.

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Because of inequities in passport and visa systems, Europeans and westerners can visit Africa with ease — but Africans themselves face hurdle after hurdle when trying to explore their own continent. 

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While other developed countries have invested in their rail systems, the U.S. has leaned into more individualistic ways of getting around. In this episode, we ride cross-country trains in America and China to feel the difference.

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Venice has long been considered the poster child for overtourism in Europe. As ever-growing waves of tourists aboard boats and cruise ships jeopardize the delicate city, residents hope a new entry fee will offer relief. 

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Peru’s tourism industry is best known for Machu Picchu, a wonder of the world, where adventurers go for a once-in-a-lifetime hike. But the porters who carry the industry on their backs are often abused and exploited. 

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The Olympics bring a burst of excitement to host cities, but in places like Rio de Janeiro, Sochi, and Atlanta, they often leave behind a legacy of displacement, worker exploitation, and blighted infrastructure. In Paris, will the 2024 games be any different?

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