When considering overtourism, our minds often drift to mainland Europe and destinations such as Barcelona or Venice. Yet overtourism can strike anywhere.

Tourism provides an excellent opportunity for local economies to receive a financial injection, and visitor spending can help revitalise an area. Overtourism emerges when the advantages of tourism are eclipsed by its drawbacks; one such issue is simply excessive crowding, leaving residents feeling unable to conduct their everyday lives without interference.

This is a problem now reportedly affecting the Cotswolds village of Bourton-on-the-Water, which has grown weary of the masses and coaches bringing visitors to the locale.

The village has a population of just 4,000, yet some locals have suggested between 5,000 to 10,000 visitors descend upon the village during peak periods. These tourists arrive to sit beside the river, unwind and enjoy picnics.

None of these activities are unlawful, but the sheer volume of visitors, combined with the purported lack of spending, is now creating difficulties for the local community.

Speaking to the Independent, Charlotte Joynes, chair of Bourton Residents Voice, explained how they wish to share Bourton, but are witnessing the deterioration of their village.

Giving it a new nickname, she added: “We want to share it, but at the moment, the hordes of people that are coming means we are just being destroyed by it. It’s no longer the beautiful village that people think it is – it’s more ‘Blackpool-on-the-Water’.”

Charlotte, who has resided in the village for more than 30 years, also touched on how Bourton isn’t necessarily reaping the financial rewards of tourism, with little noticeable boost to the local economy.

She said: “They are coming with their own picnics, and all they’re buying is an ice cream.

“It’s the ‘picnic-and-paddlers’, as I call them, that aren’t bringing anything to the economy. We now have tourists moaning about tourists in Bourton.”

Bourton is far from the only destination in the UK to have examined its complicated relationship with visitors. Earlier this month, the Scottish capital Edinburgh introduced a tourist tax featuring a five per cent levy on overnight stays.

The charge, which applies to self-catered accommodation, hotels, and bed and breakfasts, came into effect on July 24. Following its announcement, the City of Edinburgh Council stated it could generate up to £50m annually, with funds reinvested back into the city for the benefit of both residents and visitors alike.

Speaking to the BBC on the subject, council leader Jane Meagher expressed her hopes that it would deliver significant advantages.

She said: “Visitor numbers in Edinburgh, as anyone who lives here will tell you, have risen, not just confined to summer. It inevitably costs us more to maintain the city to the high standards needed and it didn’t seem fair that residents had to pay for that, so it seems fair that visitors should contribute.”