Overtourism is essentially the idea that more tourists visit any area. If left unchecked, excessive tourism can have economic, social and environmental impacts, impacting the longevity and sustainability of destinations. One of the main reasons for overtourism is the availability of cheap accommodation due to unlimited home rentals. Companies like Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABNB) offer a property owner the opportunity to rent out his property to tourists for pennies on the dollar, inadvertently making it easier for a destination to be crowded with tourists. This causes congestion. Tourists can also obtain informal lodging through Facebook groups, a subsidiary of Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ: META).
Check out the top 5 beautiful places in the world ruined by overtourism.
5. Santorini, Greece
Score: 8.6
The Greek island of Santorini is a popular destination for summer vacationers due to its beautiful scenery and white stone buildings. What is concerning is that the island hosted around 2 million tourists in 2019, despite having a population of around 15,000. Although the city of Santorini regulates the number of cruise passengers per day on the island, Santorini continues to suffer from overcrowding.
4. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Score: 8.8
The Ecuadorian archipelago is known for its incredible biodiversity and breathtaking lava plateaus. However, overtourism has become such a problem that in 2007 the Galapagos Islands were added to the United Nations list of World Heritage Sites considered to be in danger. Although the archipelago was deregistered in 2010, unchecked tourism continues to pose a threat to the region’s sustainability, with tourism taxes for visitors from most countries set to double in 2024.
3. Maya Bay, Thailand
Score: 9.9
Maya Bay was the filming location for Danny Boyle’s The Beach (2000), starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Since then, this beach has been visited every year by tourists who ignore the natural beauty of the island. In 2018, the beach was closed to tourists after it was estimated that nearly 50% of nearby coral was destroyed by boat anchors, significantly reducing the shark population. From 2022 onwards, beaches have been reopened with sustainable protocols in place.
2. Venice, Italy
Score: 10.6
The floating city of Venice is one of Europe’s most famous vacation spots. Due to the continued influx of tourists into the city, housing and living costs have soared, forcing many local residents to leave the city. All efforts to combat overtourism have so far been ineffective. In April 2024, the city introduced a temporary tourist fee of 5 euros for day-trippers. However, this was met with strong resistance from both local residents and tourists, leading to clashes between demonstrators and city riot police.
1. Machu Picchu, Peru
Score: 10.8
Ironically, this city, completely deserted just a century ago, is now one of the most beautiful places in the world, ravaged by overtourism. doing. Due to the threat of damage to the urban fabric by tourists, UNESCO has issued several warnings to the Peruvian government and even stated in 2016 that the city could be added to the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. The upper limit on the number of visitors is 4,500 per site. However, overcrowding remains a problem for the sustainability of Machu Picchu tourism.
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