IN FOCUS: Countries around the world are battling overtourism. Could a hub like Singapore be next?

Any unruly customer attitude, however, mainly remains confined to Chinatown’s sightseeing roads, and Mr Yip acknowledged that few if any tourists would walk into public accommodation grounds to harm residents.

In different parts of the world, it’s a different tale. &nbsp,

Last month, people in Barcelona, Spain threw things and sprayed visitors with water cannons and canned coffee, while shouting at them to “go house”.

In an effort to close the establishments, protesters even attempted to use police-style barricades to block hotels and sidewalk cafes.

And in the historic&nbsp, Bukchon Hanok Village in city Seoul, &nbsp, tourists access may be restricted from October, in reply to&nbsp, visitors surpassed residents and escalating complaints about sound, littering and privacy issues over the years.

Overtourism, as CNA spoke to it, is a phenomenon that occurs when visitor demand exceeds what a destination or its residents can support, in both cases.

It can lead to the likes of overcrowding, a breach of public norms and local cultural sensitivities being impinged.

There are several more recent examples.

Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Italy’s Venice are among other cities worst-hit by overtourism. The Dutch capital’s solution has been to ban cruise ships by 2035, while Venice has announced a&nbsp, tourist entry fee.

Some businesses in Japan are considering using a dual pricing system to charge foreign visitors more than locals in comparison to those in Singapore.

This occurred after a significant barrier was built at a well-known photo location to obstruct Mount Fuji‘s view due to the large crowds of tourists who had poor manners.

Amid the slew of overtourism reports globally, Singapore, a hub in itself, would appear to stand far from the madding crowd.

According to experts and authorities, the millions of visitors to the tiny country have not had a significant negative impact on the quality of life for citizens because they place an emphasis on well-planned infrastructure and tourist spending above actual numbers.

Still, is there a risk of this worldwide phenomenon catching up to Singapore&nbsp, – and how prepared is it to deal with such a possibility?