Tourism is experiencing unprecedented development, making vacationers a billion-dollar business for vacation spot international locations. Nonetheless, the destructive penalties of mass tourism are more and more coming to mild.
Fashionable journey locations are implementing new measures to fight overtourism. For instance, Venice has doubled its entrance charge, Hallstatt has constructed a wall to discourage selfies, Amsterdam has banned new resort constructions, and Barcelona plans to ban Airbnb leases beginning in 2028.
Some well-known worldwide locations have just lately launched or plan to undertake new measures towards mass tourism.
Italy: Venice Doubles the Entrance Charge
Italy has lengthy been a frontrunner in addressing the impacts of mass tourism, notably in Venice. The historic metropolis sees round 30 million vacationers every year. In 2024, Venice carried out an entrance charge of 5 euros for day guests for the primary time. This charge will enhance to 10 euros beginning April 18 for many who don’t register upfront.
Croatia: Tightening the Screws in Dubrovnik
Like many different in style locations, Dubrovnik has struggled with vacationer crowds for years. The town has restricted the variety of cruise ships allowed to dock and requests that guests chorus from strolling via the previous city in swimwear.
Final 12 months, the mayor proposed a whole ban on establishing new flats inside the metropolis. Though this complete ban was not legally doable, a restriction was carried out to ban furnishing new vacationer flats in current residence buildings.
Netherlands: Amsterdam Bans New Lodge Openings
Amsterdam has been working for years to curb pub crawls and the excesses related to occasion tourism. In 2024, the town authorities banned the development of recent accommodations.
In 2021, Amsterdam launched a singular restrict of 20 million guests yearly. This measure goals to make sure that the town stays livable for its residents.
Greece: Athens Limits Entry to the Acropolis
The Acropolis, a well-known architectural ensemble in Athens, symbolizes historic Greek excessive tradition. To guard this historic monument and guarantee a pleasing expertise for guests, authorities have restricted entry to twenty,000 individuals per day in 2023. Moreover, friends are required to e-book their go to upfront.
Austria: Hallstatt Develops a Wall towards Selfies
Lately, the variety of guests to Hallstatt has risen considerably. This UNESCO World Heritage Website gained fame because the inspiration for the unfaithful kingdom of Arendelle in Disney’s movie Frozen. Nonetheless, the inflow of vacationers taking selfies has turn into overwhelming for the native authorities. In response, the municipality has erected picket fences at a well-liked Instagram spot to dam the view of the lake.
Czech Republic: Prague Bans Disguises and Pub Crawls
The Czech capital, Prague, is actively working to its picture as a low-cost vacation spot for beer vacationers combating mass tourism. As a part of this effort, the authorities have banned guided pub crawls. Moreover, the town plans to impose a ban on occasion costumes. Sooner or later, Prague goals to draw extra “cultured” vacationers.
Japan: Climbing Mount Fuji Will Be Extra Costly
In 2024, Japan welcomed 37 million international guests, surpassing earlier numbers. To handle vacationer visitors successfully, the authorities are implementing varied worth measures.
Final 12 months, a charge of two,000 yen ($12) was launched for climbing Mount Fuji, with day by day customer numbers capped at 4,000. This summer time, the authorities plan to double the charge and apply it to extra routes.
Spain: Barcelona Plans Airbnb Ban
Barcelona is taking vital motion towards mass tourism, much like Amsterdam. Final 12 months, the town introduced a ban on short-term leases like Airbnb, which can take impact in 2028.
Ecuador: Galapagos Tax to Be Doubled
Extreme tourism threatens the distinctive wildlife of the Galapagos Islands, that are additionally a big income for the state of Ecuador. In 2024, Ecuador raised the admission tax for the nationwide park from $100 to $200.
Indonesia: Bali Fights Backpackers with Tax
The authorities in Bali discover their repute as a “low-cost island” problematic. Final 12 months, to handle the inflow of backpackers, they launched a charge of 150,000 rupiah, roughly US$9.
