Last summer Stockholm had its highest number of tourists in ten years, and that's only counting June and July. According to Stockholms Handelskammare 72% of hotel rooms were booked throughout the summer. Now in some aspects this is great. Tourism gives cities great benefits when it comes to economical growth and cultural exchange. And of course there are many benefits for the tourist itself. Touring another country can offer relaxation, adventure, and educations on other cultures and lifestyles. For city governments and tourist the tourism culture is a wonder. Nonetheless, the aspects of tourism are mainly negative for many locals.

During the peak of summer seasons, tourists are everywhere, and for a regular Joe, they can be a huge bother. The subways fill up even more than any other season, trying to dine at a restaurant is impossible, sometimes just walking the streets can be tough, just because it's flooded with people. The locals everyday life doesn't stop just because the tourist season starts. They still have to get to work, they still have to go to the store, they still have to do their everyday tasks. The only difference is that the streets are flooded with people with cameras, and popular places are more crowded than ever. 

I notice quite clearly when the tourism seasons starts. At the station Rådhuset in Stockholm it's not too uncommon to see multiple tourists take shots of each other down in the subway. When I see it happen I get mostly uncomfortable, just because it's often that I realise that I can find myself in the background of these pictures. I obviously realise that the tourist only wish to take photos of themselves while visiting areas in Stockholm, but as a local myself, it can cause a small dent in my mood. This is mainly becuase I find that the tourists lack respect for those who inhabit the city and are just trying to get on with their day. However, I find myself at a crossroad, for I am also a tourist. Every time I visit another country or city, I am a tourist. I too take pictures in public areas, I too visit popular places. 

To get different perspectives on the question I asked two students outside of Anna Whitlocks Gymnasium in Stockholm how they thought that they were affected by the tourism culture:

"Sometimes it's kind of annoying when there's too many tourists around, but it can also be fun how they take interest in the city's culture", one student replied. I asked the second girl the same question:

"It can be difficult to tell citizens and tourists apart sometimes, but in some cases they're way too obvious. They can walk around with big cameras, and sometimes they point it your way without even asking. And that can get annoying, especially when you're just trying to get to school".

To conclude, tourism culture can be a huge bother for local residents. Crowded cities get even more crowded, and so do streets, restaurants, parks, landmarks etc. As a local in a popular tourist destination myself I can understand and relate to the locals' frustration when it comes to tourists. However, there are two sides to the same coin. Tourism helps boost a city's economy greatly, and there are several cities that rely mainly on tourism for their income. The culture exchange that tourism promotes is also important. The tourists bring some of our culture home with them and swedish culture and lifestyles become more known.