Like every year, Fodor's Travel publishes his guide to destinations to avoid due to mass tourism.
At the top of the list, Bali. It's no surprise, the island of the gods has suffered from overcrowded tourists for many years. In 2023, 5.2 million visitors flocked there, compared to 2.2 in 2022 according to figures from the Indonesian government.
“Overtourism affects the very essence of Balinese life. Traditional practices like the subak irrigation system, which has supported rice fields for centuries, are now under strain as water is diverted to tourist areas” explains Kristin Winkaffe, sustainable travel expert specializing in Southeast Asia, to Fodor.
Kuta beach, among the most famous on the island, suffers in particular from this overcrowding and is littered with waste.
Europe is not spared. The guide lists towns where “the locals don't want you”: this is particularly the case in Barcelonawhere tensions took place between residents and tourists, but also Majorca and the Canary Islands. Protests also took place in Venice, Italy.
After an aggressive policy of these cities encouraging tourism, “exponential growth in tourism has proven to be a short-sighted strategy” note Fodor.
-The guide also places Lisbon, Portugalin his classification: “An estimated 60% of Lisbon's accommodation is now holiday accommodation, reducing the number of long-term rental accommodations and driving up prices. The city, which recently ranked as the third least financially viable place in the world, has lost around 30% of its population since 2013.” explain Fodor.
In Asia, Mount Everest is also affected, where adventure tourism is wreaking havoc. The guide deplores “Houses that were once small agricultural farms are now teahouses and hotels, even at 5,300 meters above sea level at base camp. The influx of services and equipment represents an unimaginable amount of waste; It is estimated that around 30 tonnes of waste and an immeasurable amount of human excrement are found on the slopes of Everest and even more on the trail leading up to it.“
In Thailand, it is the island of Koh Samui who suffers. And the upcoming broadcast of the hit series The White Lotus, which was filmed there, risks causing a new peak in attendance, notes Fodor.
“We always face the problem of waste management, whether it comes from the community, hotels or tourists“, Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, president of the Thai Environment Institute, a non-profit organization that focuses on sustainable development issues, tells Fodor's.Koh Samui generates between 180 and 200 tonnes of waste per day. But we still can't find a good solution.”
