Associate Dean and Political Science Program Coordinator Dr. Rosario Laratta has published a research paper in one of Japan’s major journals on public administration, 地方財務 (Chihou Zaimu). The journal covers topics related to the financial management and governance of prefectures, cities, towns, and villages across Japan.
Dr. Laratta’s paper, titled 観光立国へのシナリオ・オーバーツーリズムの対策等を探りながら（５）―各論③：ローマの対応にみるヨーロッパの持続可能な都市観光のための課題・教訓・戦略／ララッタ ロザリオ（翻訳・兼村 高文） (“Scenarios for Becoming a Tourism-Oriented Nation and Exploring Measures Against Overtourism (5) — Case Study (3): Challenges, Lessons, and Strategies for Sustainable Urban Tourism in Europe as Seen Through Rome’s Response” / Rosario Laratta (Translation: Takafumi Kanemura)) appears in the July 2025 issue of Chihou Zaimu. The paper is published in Japanese.
The paper examines the causes, impacts, and governance challenges of overtourism in Rome, drawing on original interviews with the Mayor of Rome and access to municipal policy documents. It analyzes how Rome’s unique cultural and institutional context shapes its strategies compared to other European cities, and highlights the city’s potential as a reference point for adaptive and sustainable urban tourism management.
Overtourism remains a major issue in popular destinations across Europe, with locals staging protests in countries such as Italy, Spain, and Portugal over rising housing costs, pollution, and overcrowding. The topic has also become a growing concern in Japan, which has experienced record-high numbers of foreign visitors in 2025, most of whom are concentrated in a handful of major cities including Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.
Reflecting on the significance of this topic, Dr. Laratta commented:
“Addressing overtourism is crucial not only for protecting cultural heritage but also for ensuring that the daily lives of local residents are not sacrificed to mass tourism. Rome offers us a vivid example of how cities can adapt, balance competing interests, and develop governance solutions that other cities, including those in Japan, may find inspiring”.