Hidden gems & the traveler’s curse: To share or to gatekeep?

Imagine it: you’ve trekked for hours, followed a local’s cryptic directions, and stumbled upon a waterfall cascading into a turquoise pool, completely untouched and devoid of crowds. Or perhaps you’ve found a tiny, family-run trattoria down a forgotten alleyway, serving a generations-old pasta recipe that changes your life. The first instinct is a euphoric urge to shout it from the rooftops, to post that perfect picture and share your discovery with the world. But then, a shadow of doubt creeps in. What if your post goes viral? What if this serene paradise becomes the next overrun tourist trap? This is the traveler’s curse—the deeply personal and ethical dilemma of whether to share a hidden gem or to gatekeep it for its own protection.

The joy of discovery and the instinct to share

The human desire to share is a powerful and fundamentally positive instinct. When we discover something truly special, sharing it feels like an extension of the joy itself. It’s a way to connect with our community, offering them a piece of our incredible experience. In the digital age, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and travel blogs have become our global campfires, where we share stories and recommendations instantly. For the “hidden gem” itself, this exposure can be a lifeline. A single, heartfelt blog post can transform the fortunes of a struggling local restaurant or bring sustainable income to a small village offering unique homestays. Sharing, in this sense, is an act of support. It democratizes travel, allowing others to find the same joy you did and rewarding the deserving local people who make these places magical. It’s a beautiful, symbiotic relationship—until it isn’t.

The dark side of the spotlight: Overtourism and its victims

The very act of sharing that is meant to celebrate a place can become the catalyst for its ruin. This is the phenomenon of overtourism, where the sheer volume of visitors degrades the environment, strains local infrastructure, and erodes the authentic culture that made the location attractive in the first place. A pristine beach can become choked with plastic waste and sunscreen slicks. A quiet mountain trail can be eroded into a muddy trench by thousands of hiking boots. We’ve seen this happen time and again. Think of fragile ecosystems suddenly trampled by visitors seeking the perfect selfie, or historic European city centers where locals are priced out by a flood of vacation rentals. The magic evaporates, replaced by long lines, inflated prices, and a sense of manufactured authenticity. The victims are not just the travelers seeking a genuine experience, but the local communities and the environment itself, who pay the highest price for a spot’s newfound fame.

The ethics of gatekeeping: Selfishness or preservation?

Faced with the destructive potential of overtourism, many travelers are choosing to “gatekeep.” This means deliberately withholding specific location information, especially online. On the surface, it can seem selfish or elitist. Who are we to decide who gets to experience a beautiful place? Doesn’t everyone deserve the chance to see it? This is a valid critique. Gatekeeping can deny deserving local businesses much-needed income and can create an exclusive travel culture where only those “in the know” get access to the best spots.

However, proponents of gatekeeping see it not as an act of selfishness, but as an act of stewardship and respect. It’s a conscious decision to protect a place from the harm that viral fame can inflict. By not geotagging a fragile wildflower meadow or a sacred indigenous site, you are prioritizing the health of the location and the sanctity of its culture over your own desire for social media validation. It’s an acknowledgment that some places are not commodities to be consumed and broadcasted, but living ecosystems and communities that deserve to be preserved.

Finding the middle ground: The art of responsible sharing

The choice between broadcasting a location to the world and keeping it a complete secret is a false dichotomy. The real solution lies in a more nuanced and thoughtful approach: responsible sharing. This moves beyond simply posting a pretty picture and instead focuses on sharing with purpose and context. It’s about shifting our mindset from “look where I was” to “here’s how we can collectively protect this amazing place.” If you feel compelled to share, consider these methods:

• Share generally, not specifically: Instead of tagging the exact small beach, tag the larger region or town. This encourages others to explore the area and find their own gems, dispersing the impact rather than concentrating it on one vulnerable spot.
• Share the “how,” not just the “where”: Frame your post around sustainable practices. Talk about the importance of “Leave No Trace,” hiring local guides, respecting cultural norms, or supporting locally-owned businesses. This educates your audience and promotes positive travel habits.
• Share with context: Tell the story of the place. Explain why it’s special and why it’s fragile. A caption that reads, “This ancient forest is a delicate ecosystem, please stick to the marked trails if you visit the area,” is far more responsible than, “Found this secret forest! GPS coordinates in bio!”
• Share selectively: Perhaps the most powerful method is to share your most precious discoveries privately with trusted friends who you know will travel with the same respect and care that you do, rather than with thousands of anonymous followers.

Conclusion

The traveler’s curse is a modern burden born from good intentions. We have explored the deep-seated desire to share our joy, a drive that can bring vital support to local economies. However, we’ve also confronted the devastating impact of overtourism, where our digital enthusiasm can destroy the very places we love. Gatekeeping emerges as a protective, if ethically complex, response to this threat. Ultimately, the path forward is not found in the extremes of shouting from the rooftops or swearing ourselves to secrecy. It lies in cultivating an ethic of responsible sharing. By shifting our focus from showcasing to stewarding, we can transform the curse into a responsibility—a collective mission to protect the world’s beauty and ensure its hidden gems remain vibrant and whole for generations of travelers and locals to come.

Image by: Zachary DeBottis
https://www.pexels.com/@zachtheshoota