Some of the best Christmas moments captured through a lens
Tourism is bigger than ever before. In recent years, the number of travelers has increased exponentially across the globe, and many cities and attractions are completely overrun by tourists. This might fuel the economy, but when locals begin to suffer, it's time to reevaluate and adopt measures to curb the influx of visitors.
From tourist taxes to bans and restrictions, in this gallery, you'll get to know how popular destinations are fighting overtourism. Click through to get started.
The capital of the Czech Republic is following in the footsteps of other European cities by tackling worries related to the impact of heavy tourist traffic on the quality of life of its residents. Recently, city officials introduced a new rule prohibiting late-night pub crawls in response to complaints from locals. This measure will only apply to tours organized by agencies, leaving independent groups free to plan their own outings. Over the past two decades, mainly fueled by the growth of budget airlines, Prague has emerged as a favored destination for bachelor and bachelorette celebrations, particularly among visitors from the UK.
In 2023, Amsterdam launched an ad campaign discouraging rowdy tourists from visiting the Dutch city.
Limits were also imposed on bar crawls as well as a ban on smoking cannabis in the famous red-light district. Visitors can also expect to pay a tourist tax too, which in 2024 is 12.5% of an overnight rate.
Carrying wheeled luggage through the streets of Dubrovnik city center is not allowed. In an attempt to stop the noise in the old city’s cobbled streets, tourists must leave their luggage in lockers.
To curb overtourism, the government introduced a tourist tax in 2024. Now, every person entering the island will have to pay IDR 150,000 (approximately US$10).
Bali also plans to ban tourists from renting motorbikes.
The town of Fujikawaguchiko in Japan is located at the base of Mount Fuji and offers stunning views of the country's most famous natural wonder. Naturally, the town is overrun with tourists who come for the views and to start their treks up the mountain. At the beginning of 2024, it was announced that an entry fee for the popular Yoshida trail would be implemented starting in July.
In May 2024, authorities in the resort town built a barrier at a popular viewpoint: the Lawson convenience store. The location offers breathtaking views of Mount Fuji, but locals complain that tourists overcrowd the pavements, litter, and ignore traffic regulations. Three months later, city officials took the net down temporarily due to strong winds in the area, leaving police officers to patrol the block, but said the measurement was effective in driving tourists away.
While many approved this measure and hoped it will reduce overtourism as well as protect the local fauna and flora, others believed it was a step too far. Japan is famous for its gracious and hospitable spirit, but the country at large has been struggling with the high number of tourists it receives for some time. In March, tourists were banned from entering the Geisha district in Kyoto due to "out of control behavior."
Japan’s plan to tackle overtourism includes strengthening the country’s infrastructure by increasing the number of taxis and buses (including bus services specifically for tourists).
Another measure includes diverting tourists from cities such as Tokyo by promoting other less-known tourist destinations in the country.
The 5th-century Inca citadel is Peru’s top attraction. To avoid overcrowding, tourists can only enter during one of two time slots throughout the day. In addition, a maximum of 10 people is allowed per tourist guide.
The number of visitors per day is also capped. As of 2024, the maximum allowed is 4,500 people per day. However, on some special days, up to 5,600 daily visitors may be allowed.
Italy is one of the most-visited countries in Europe. As such, measures to control crowds have been imposed in major cities, including the capital, Rome. For example, in 2023 a €5 (US$5.36) fee was introduced to those visiting the Pantheon.
Venice has banned large cruise ships from entering its historic lagoon, but the city is still overcrowded with tourists. A tourist tax was proposed for 2023, but it will only come into effect in 2025.
The number of visitors is capped at the city’s historical Acropolis. The maximum allowed per day is 20,000, all in pre-booked designated hour slots. In 2024, the new booking system will also apply to other attractions across the country.
Barcelona has been struggling with overtourism for many years. In 2022 the Catalan capital limited the size of tour groups and introduced noise restrictions.
New hotels in the city center have also been restricted and so have short-term room rentals.
The city also closed its northern port terminal to cruises and introduced a “city surcharge,” which increased in 2024 to €3.25 (US$3.48).
More recently, the route of bus number 116 was removed from map apps. The bus route was used by many tourists to visit Park Güell, one of Barcelona's main attractions. This obviously had an impact on resident's lives, who welcomed the measure.
Picturesque Santorini is one of the most iconic Greek islands. Every year, around two million people visit the island and in 2019 some measures were taken to control overtourism.
One measure was to limit cruise passengers visiting the island to 8,000 a day.
And another one, perhaps the most bizarre, was that overweight tourists (anyone over 100 kg/220 lbs) were banned from riding donkeys.
From the French Riviera to Paris, the European nation is one of the most visited in the world. As a result, numerous measures have been taken over the years to control overtourism. For instance, since 2022, the Louvre in Paris has limited entries to 30,000 visitors per day.
The government announced the launch of a €1 million campaign in 2024 to encourage tourists (both domestic and foreign) "to adapt their destination choices and schedules." The idea is to promote "year-round" and off-the-beaten-track tourism.
The European nation has implemented a number of measures to keep tourism under control, including tourist taxes.
Other measures include bans and restrictions such as playing loud music at the beach, which is punished with fines.
When one thinks about tourist spots in the UK, London usually comes to mind, but it turns out, Cornwall is suffering from overcrowding too. In response, a registration scheme for short-term vacation lets was proposed by Cornwall Council, and so was a tourist tax.
The Amalfi Coast is probably Italy’s most visited stretch of coastline. To curb mass tourism authorities introduced an alternate license plate system. This means that rental cars with number plates ending in an odd number can drive through it on one day, while cars with number plates ending in an even number can only circulate on the following day.
Santiago de Compostela is a popular attraction and pilgrimage destination visited by thousands of people each year. Local authorities are planning to introduce a tourist tax and control access to the city’s historic center.
Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. Numerous measures have been implemented over the years to fight overtourism. One example is the ban on boats in Maya Bay, on the Phi Phi islands.
In 2023, Phuket had 118 visitors for every local resident, making it one of the most overcrowded destinations in the country. Phuket is popular with backpackers, but local authorities want to attract other types of visitors, including “wealth and wellness aficionados, families with kids, active seniors, and remote workers/ teleworkers.”
“We believe this will heighten our goal for Thailand to achieve high value and sustainable tourism growth,” said Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
The Kingdom of Bhutan introduced a Sustainable Development Fee to curb mass tourism. If you want to visit this gorgeous Himalayan nation, expect to pay a daily tourist visa of US$100 (which is actually half of what it used to cost before 2023).
Sources: (CNN) (Time Out) (The Guardian) (Forbes) (The Japan Times)
See also: Overrated tourist spots you should avoid
How popular destinations are fighting overtourism
Taxes, bans, restrictions, and more
TRAVEL Mass tourism
Tourism is bigger than ever before. In recent years, the number of travelers has increased exponentially across the globe, and many cities and attractions are completely overrun by tourists. This might fuel the economy, but when locals begin to suffer, it's time to reevaluate and adopt measures to curb the influx of visitors.
From tourist taxes to bans and restrictions, in this gallery, you'll get to know how popular destinations are fighting overtourism. Click through to get started.