The number of tourists who want to visit the most beautiful corners of the Earth continues to rise sharply. Why not, when thanks to globalization it is possible to get from one end of the world to the other in a very short time and relatively cheaply.
We present to you 10 popular destinations struggling with too many tourists.
Venice, Italy
Tourists traveling to Venice by car, plane or ship will have to pay an entrance fee to enter the city center. The price of the latter will be between 3 and 10 euros and will depend on the time of year. The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, wants to convince visitors to explore the surroundings of the city as part of day trips. The municipality will use the additional income for maintenance and cleaning.
Maya Bay, Thailand
Maya Bay is a bay on the Thai island of Phi Phi Leh, which became famous as a filming location for the movie The Beach (2000). In recent years, up to five thousand tourists visit the idyllic beach every day by boat. Authorities are working to revive the marine ecosystem, which is in poor condition due to overcrowding. During the low season (from June to September), the beach will therefore be closed to tourists.
Macchu Pichu, Peru
The ancient city of the Incas is famous as an extremely attractive destination for tourists, but it leaves behind disastrous consequences, such as damaged roads and accumulated garbage. In 2017, the authorities introduced a rule that allows visitors to buy half-day tickets (morning or afternoon), with a limited number of tickets.
Majorca, Spain
The Spanish city of Palma de Mallorca, which is visited by approximately 10 million people a year, has become the first city in Spain to ban renting out apartments to tourists. This does not apply to single-apartment private homes that are not located near the airport or in protected areas. At the same time, the authorities doubled the price of the tourist tax, which now amounts to €4 per person per day.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Almost 20 million tourists go to Amsterdam every year, and with their uncouth behavior they cause a lot of damage. The city therefore limited the rental of apartments through the Airbnb platform and prohibited the opening of new shops in the city center. At the same time, it wants to divert tourists from massively visited attractions to less populated places with the help of mobile applications.
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
The archipelago, consisting of 14 larger and 3 smaller islands, is attractive to visitors because of its unique plant and animal species. The authorities are careful when dealing with them, because even the smallest change in the environment can be reflected in their extinction. Tourists must follow 14 clearly defined rules, among which we also find the rule that a visit is only possible accompanied by a licensed guide.
Cinque Terre, Italy
The Cinque Terre landscape includes 5 beautiful towns built on a steep cliff coast. It welcomes more than 2 million tourists every year. They like to walk along the picturesque paths above the cities, which are becoming more and more dangerous due to erosion. It is for this reason that in 2012 the road between the cities of Riomaggiore and Manarola was closed, on which an avalanche injured a group of Australian tourists. A smartphone app has recently become available to people that lets them know if any of the routes are overcrowded at any given moment.
Jeju, South Korea
Almost 65,000 flights are made annually on the route between the South Korean capital Seoul and the island of Jeju, 90 kilometers away. The island is visited by 15 million tourists, who are mainly interested in the volcanic landscape, beautiful waterfalls and erotic amusement park. The growing number of tourists causes accumulation of garbage and traffic jams. The South Korean government is planning to build another airport in the northern part of the island, which means that Jeju can expect even more tourists in the future.
Santorini, Greece
The island of Santorini continues to be one of Greece's most popular holiday destinations. More than 30 million people visit it every year. Because of this, it has been dealing with the problem of water and electricity supply for many years. The authorities have decided to limit the number of passengers arriving on the island by ship to 8,000 per day. At the same time, measures should be taken in the future in favor of donkeys and mules (limitation of weight and working hours), which transport tourists around the island.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Game of Thrones has contributed to the increase in the number of tourists in Dubrovnik in recent years. Fans of the series, which will end this year, want to see its filming locations with interest. Those responsible fear that the increased traffic would damage the ancient buildings. In 2019, only two cruise ships, or a maximum of 5,000 passengers, will be accepted daily. Arrivals in the city will also be monitored via security cameras.
