We’re looking at destinations around the world that have been and will increasingly be negatively impacted by the overwhelming. number of travelers they receive. Each year.
10 Angkor Wat Cambodia
There’s nothing quite like a roughly 900 year old temple to attract a crowd surrounded by lush greenery. Angkor Wat is truly stunning to behold and is a testament to the architectural skill of the Camare Empire. As such, it’s unsurprising that anchor, what is the most popular destination? In Cambodia, attracting visitors from around the globe to Marvel at Her Majesty’s the problem is the UNESCO World Heritage Site is showing significant signs of wear due to the dramatic influx of tourists over the last three decades. From its steps to the bar relief, the stone itself is being worn down. Worse yet, the tourist centric business like hotels that have popped up around Angkor Wat have caused significant issues of water scarcity. For locals.
9 Isle of Skye Scotland
Worst Places for Over Tourism in 2022 Photo Gallery
If you’re a traveler whose wanderlust is driven by breathtaking landscapes. The Isle of Skye likely features prominently on your bucket list. Unless you’re OK with traffic clogging up those picturesque, winding country roads. However, you may want to look elsewhere. Greater attention via social media has made the Isle of Skye’s major attractions uncomfortably crowded, and unfortunately, those crowds bring with them a higher risk of disrespectful visitors who disrupt local life and damage the iconic features that make the landscape so picturesque. Like the rock walls of fairy Glen, the once Quiet Island doesn’t have enough accommodations for the number of people who want to visit. And daily visitors arriving on cruise ships only exacerbate the issues of congestion at the popular sites.
8 Amsterdam
Netherlands with vibrant nightlife, the capital city of the Netherlands has become a major party destination. The thing is, Amsterdam is also an incredibly beautiful city that’s rich in culture and this dual appeal means that the city is almost continuously overrun. It’s estimated that by 2025 the city will be playing host to 23 million travelers annually, and when a sizable portion of them have come to party. That significantly detracts from the inherent charms and cultural appeal of the city. It’s gotten so bad that tourism officials in the Netherlands are actively trying to diminish its reputation as a party city and encourage travel elsewhere in the country.
7 Hanoi Train St Vietnam
You’ll likely recognize this iconic and distinct looking street from the countless photos you’ve seen of it on Instagram. This narrow passageway would be indistinguishable from the countless other residential streets of Hanoi old quarter were it not for the fact that it is a train track. Runs along it with trains passing twice a day. This oddity has made the Hanoi train St A a must have photo for many travelers. Unfortunately, the sheer number of tourists has grown so that it’s become dangerous in an attempt to curb crowds on the street. The government has closed down all the tourist centric cafes that sprung up alongside the tracks and visitors are now highly discouraged from taking photos of the train when it passes.
6 Iceland Over The Last Decade
Iceland has undergone one of the most dramatic and highly publicized tourist booms. In recent memory by 2018, the total number of annual visitors had skyrocketed to approximately 2.3 million. Now, if Iceland was a nation of major cities and substantial infrastructure, that would be fine, but the entire population of the nation is just about 362,000, and that’s a steep tourist to resident ratio. Worse, the major draw to Iceland is its natural beauty, which is now threatened by heavy foot traffic. Plus, the crowds completely undermine what once made it so appealing dramatic spaces in which one. Can find peace, quiet and solitude.
5 Big Sur United States
There are few scenic drives that can compete with California’s coastal Hwy. 1. It’s long appeared on the bucket list of many a road trip enthusiast and those lucky enough to have already cruised along. It will confirm that the Big Sur section is a highlight. The problem is there are now way too many people wanting to experience it first hand following the success of the HBO series Big Little Lies which used the iconic Bixby Bridge in its opening credits. The Big Sur section of the highway is often inundated with tourists and clogged with traffic, and that’s taking away from what makes Big Sur special. The area is sparsely populated. It’s rugged natural beauty and lack of infrastructure is part of its appeal, and with so many visitors it’s not just the ambiance that suffers, but the environment as well.
4 Bali Indonesia
For many the word Bali conjures up images of paradise on Earth with the Instagram influences that don’t show you; however, are the shorelines covered in garbage? Or the looks on the faces of locals when visitors wear beach attire to their sacred sites. While this island getaway is cheap and utterly breathtaking, tourist focused businesses, including luxury accommodations, create issues of scarcity for locals. The litter problem has prompted the island to put a ban on single use plastics, and there’s been talks of a tourist tax of $10 in order to offset the inherent infrastructure and environmental cost of hosting travelers. A concerted effort is clearly being made to write the course, but in the eyes of many. Bali has been fundamentally affected by over tourism already.
3 Galapagos Islands Ecuador
With its unique wildlife and utterly inspiring natural beauty. The famed Galapagos Islands feel like the ultimate exotic getaway and yet, as tourists have increasingly moved towards experienced, focused travel in recent years, the Galapagos Islands has found itself dealing with more attention than it wants. The annual number of tourists remains in the hundreds of thousands, not millions. But given the fragile ecosystems found there. And the limited space those seemingly modest numbers can still have a significant impact. In order to curb the tide of tourists, Galapagos National Park is considering significantly upping its entry fee, which, as of 2019, was $100 in order for future generations to appreciate the many wonders of the Galapagos. Some of us might need to skip this destination. In the meantime.
2 Barcelona Spain
The residents of the city are not shy about letting tourists know how they really feel, though there are others. Areas of Spain which are happy to welcome the money that comes from the tourism industry. Barcelona has simply been suffering from over tourism for too long. This is a city that has been pushed to a breaking point in 1990, only 115,000 visitors came by boat by 2019 that figure had jumped to 2.7 million. And that’s just the cruise ships with over 30 million visitors per year. Barcelona’s identity is being washed away by the never ending barrage of tourists. It’s gotten so bad that the citizens have literally taken to the streets. And put up signs telling tourists to go home.
1 Venice İtaly
There’s perhaps no greater tragedy of over tourism than Venice. It’s a truly one of a kind city, a destination that in an ideal world everybody would get the opportunity to experience at least once in their lifetime. Sadly, that’s simply impossible, known for its picturesque canals, stunning architecture, and captivating history. Venice is on paper synonymous with romance, but so many come seeking this experience each and every year. But it’s becoming more painfully overcrowded. Everyday there are well over 30 million annual visitors, compared to fewer than 60,000 residents in the historic district. And as over tourism worsens, the city is becoming downright unlivable for a sinking city in an already precarious situation. In terms of infrastructure, the situation has gotten so untenable that Venice is having to contemplate drastic measures in 2020.
