Around the world, you find certain places that are so amazingly beautiful and special that you want to tell the whole world about them. Even if we only have the best intentions, this can sometimes have alarming consequences.
Sadly, certain great places now face huge problems due to the scourge of overtourism. Here are some wonderfully gorgeous places faring miserably at handling the crowds and some advice on what to do about it.
1. Paris, France
The 2024 Summer Olympics. Need we say more? Paris usually attracts huge crowds year-round regardless, but this summer promises to be exceptionally busy for this famed “City of Light.” If you want to see Paris, don’t plan on visiting until after the Olympics (unless you already have event tickets). In the meantime, consider trekking to cities like Lyon, Bayonne, and Tours for an equally exquisite yet far less grueling French getaway.
2. Venice, Italy
In April 2024, Venice finally began implementing its long-awaited tourist entry fee of five euros (or US $5.40). Though visitors staying in town overnight are exempt from this fee, they must also register with local authorities and pay an occupancy tax.
Ironically, this entry fee came about after local complaints of overtourism, yet it debuted to raucous protests, with angry locals complaining about Venice imposing theme park-like admission fees instead of providing more affordable housing for locals. Whether or not the new entry fee helps Venice manage the crowds remains to be seen.
3. Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Hot on the heels of Venice launching its tourist entry fee, the Swiss Alpine village of Lauterbrunnen may follow suit. Set in a valley in the famously beautiful Bernese Oberland region, Lauterbrunnen has long struggled to balance the needs of its 800 permanent residents with the wants of the many thousands of tourists who regularly flood into the village’s streets and trails.
As of Spring 2024, Lauterbrunnen’s municipal government is considering an entry fee between five and ten Swiss francs (or about US $5.50 to $10.99) that can be paid through a smartphone app.
4. Bali, Indonesia
Bali has long drawn in daring backpackers and spiritual seekers looking for tropical serenity. But with its feature in the 2010 film Eat Pray Love and the growth of a raucous party scene that continually rocks this otherwise idyllic island, Bali locals and officials are increasingly getting fed up.
After spending years promoting tourism to Bali, Indonesia’s government is attempting new strategies to counter overtourism. Among such measures are a new tax of 150,000 Indonesian rupiah (or about US $10) and a warning notice for international tourists at customs entry stations.
5. Machu Picchu, Peru
For decades, Peru’s most famous monument has endured massive crowds of tourists, and this overtourism has taken its toll on this majestic Incan archaeological site. Peruvian authorities have attempted to rein it in with a ticket system alongside a $43.7 million preservation plan, but their plan faced disruption early this year with an eruption of protests over the apparent failure to share profits with local indigenous communities.
If you’d rather not worry about future conflicts over Machu Picchu, try locally run tours in and around the wonderful city of Cusco.
6. Big Major Cay, Bahamas
Over the years, travelers in the Bahamas have bought excursion packages featuring boat rides to Big Major Cay, or the famous island with the swimming pigs. As cute and cuddly as this sounds, the harsh reality is that these pigs often go hungry, undergo extreme sunburn, and face additional challenges living in a coastal environment that’s not ideal for them.
Even worse, the throngs of tourists who sail here to see the pigs don’t always treat them respectfully. For your own sake and the pigs’, just skip this inhumane travesty entirely and instead opt for sustainable wildlife experiences guided by trained professionals.
7. Miami, Florida, USA
At the end of 2022, Miami local officials celebrated the 26.5 million visitors and roughly $20.8 billion in tourist revenue that the city collected that year. Around the same time, locals got more vocal in their complaints that the city’s getting overrun by rowdy revelers, so much so that famed urbanist scholar Dr. Richard Florida penned an op-ed for The Miami Herald begging local authorities to stop promoting “blotto tourism.”
Though Florida has a host of popular tourism hubs, it may be possible to find some solace in less crowded cities, such as Tampa and Sarasota on the Gulf Coast.
8. Bhutan
The tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan has long amazed travelers with spectacular mountain scenery and storybook-like villages. But as tourists keep making their way here, authorities face increasing pressure to deal with their burgeoning overtourism problem.
In 2022, Bhutan began to charge a $200 per person per day sustainable development fee, though they later lowered it to $100 for adults and $50 for kids. Yet, as of May 2024, Bhutan’s government has confirmed they’re considering raising this tourism fee again.
9. Phuket, Thailand
As soon as Thailand lifted its remaining COVID-era travel restrictions in October 2022, tourists began to crowd into Phuket’s famed beaches, hotels, and bars again. Even as visitors praise Phuket’s stunning natural beauty, they increasingly complain about huge crowds and nasty pollution. If you’d rather not brave the crowds, try beach towns like Ko Wai and Bang Saphan Yai for a more relaxing experience.
10. Amsterdam, Netherlands
For years, Amsterdam has struggled to manage the maddening crowds who descend upon their city to “go wild” and partake in various adult vices. In recent years, Amsterdam has even tried to warn party-oriented tourists to “stay away,” change the aesthetics of the city’s famous Red Light District, ban cannabis smoking on city streets, and ban cruise ship entry into their port.
Yet even as Amsterdam tries all of this alongside raising tourism taxes, the city is forecast to host some 23 million annual overnight visitors and 24 million daytrippers by 2025.
11. Athens, Greece
Despite the scorching summer heat, Athens also broke records with huge tourist crowds in 2023, so much so that the city began to cap the number of visitors to the Acropolis at 20,000 per day last September.
This year, Greece is expanding an online booking system and mandatory visitor caps to at least 25 more archaeological sites and monuments throughout the city and country. If you’re looking to ditch the crowds, consider a shoulder season visit to Athens after summer or spend more time in cities and islands that don’t draw such huge crowds.
12. Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona has wowed visitors for decades with its stunning beauty, rich culture, and tasty cuisine. But as visitors keep flocking into this city, it’s become harder and harder for local authorities to keep up with tourist demands and local needs.
Barcelona has also begun to restrict cruise ship entry, while also raising tourist-oriented taxes. If you want a Spanish summer holiday, consider heading south to cities like Valencia and Málaga. If you insist on Barcelona, try visiting during the off-season.
13. Boracay, Philippines
At times, the tourist crowds pouring into Boracay have become so unruly that authorities have completely closed the island to tourists. Though Boracay now welcomes visitors again, you can help locals keep this island paradise beautiful by cleaning up after yourself and being respectful of everyone else at the beach. If you’re still concerned about the crowds getting too big, try heading to less hectic spots like Palawan.
14. Cinque Terre, Italy
Once upon a time, the fairytale-like Cinque Terre (or “five lands”) coastal villages in northwestern Italy dazzled a select few knowledgeable travelers with their charming townscapes and spectacular beaches. Yet, as more and more tourists have come here, the Cinque Terre has begun to feel less like a fairy tale and more like a Disney World attraction.
If you insist on coming, try a spring or fall visit rather than the peak summer season. For less crowded alternatives, try the nearby city of Genoa instead.
15. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA
Even before 2020, the Grand Canyon had an overtourism problem. But with the onset of COVID-19 and a slew of travel restrictions, Americans with wanderlust began pouring into the national parks, including this most famous one.
If you want to visit the Grand Canyon, avoid peak summer crowds and try an off-season visit. You can also try riding into the park via the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams instead of driving in to bypass the road traffic and parking fees.