39 destinations cracking down on overtourism, from Bali to Italy
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From tourist taxes to caps, here are the holiday hotspots taking measures to bring down escalating visitor numbers. For destinations the world over, there’s a delicate balance to be struck. Following the pause of tourism during Covid restrictions, many places reliant on visitors were champing at the bit to lure back holidaymakers once travel opened up again. But there are tourists – and then there are too many tourists.
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Post-pandemic, the influx of millions of visitors to tourist-strewn towns has, in some cases, risen to levels above those seen in 2019. Too much tourism threatens to disrupt residents and natural ecosystems and contribute to transport pollution. Unesco has warned of potential damage to protected areas, and Fodor’s “No Travel List” recommended reconsidering a visit to “suffering cultural hotspots” with overstretched infrastructure, such as “plastic apocalypse” Bali, Barcelona and Koh Samui, Thailand, in 2025.
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Some destinations themselves have started taking a stand. Italy’s hardened approach to tackling the issue is leading the charge against overtourism in peak season, and countries looking to maintain tradition and encourage sustainability through redirection to low-impact tourism have followed suit.
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Bans on cruise ships and short-term holiday rentals such as Airbnb, and caps on visitor numbers are among the ways destinations are trying to get a handle on escalating tourism, alongside championing considerate behaviour. Here are the destinations cracking down on tourism, from Mallorca to the Galapagos Islands.
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