Destinations Cracking Down on Overtourism
After a pause in tourism due to Covid restrictions, many tourist-dependent places were eager to attract holidaymakers once travel resumed. However, while tourism is important, there can be negative consequences when there are too many tourists.
Since the pandemic, some tourist hotspots have seen an increase in visitor numbers, surpassing the levels of 2019. This surge in tourism can disrupt the lives of residents, harm natural ecosystems, and contribute to pollution from transportation.
Unesco has raised concerns about potential damage to protected areas, and Fodor’s has included “suffering cultural hotspots” like Dubrovnik on its ‘No Travel List’ for 2023 due to strained infrastructure. In response, some destinations have taken action.
Italy has been leading the way in tackling overtourism during peak season. They have implemented measures such as banning cruise ships, restricting short-term holiday rentals like Airbnb, and capping visitor numbers. Other countries are following suit by promoting sustainable and low-impact tourism.
For example, Venice plans to introduce tourist entry fees and a ticketing system in its historic center starting in spring 2024. This move is in line with Unesco’s warnings about “irreversible damage” to Venice’s historic center. Day-tripping tourists will be charged €5, and a ticketing system will be put in place to manage the influx of visitors to the popular canal city, which currently receives 20 million tourists annually. In addition, cruise ships have been banned from the city center since 2019 after a cruise liner accident.
In Portofino, Italy, tourists who linger in popular Instagram spots to take selfies could face fines of €275 for creating dangerous situations. The town has established red zones or “no waiting” areas to prevent traffic jams and crowded sidewalks during the peak season from April to October. The mayor of Portofino, Matteo Viacava, explained that the intention is not to make the place exclusive but to ensure that everyone can enjoy its beauty without chaos.
Rome has also cracked down on out-of-line tourist behavior. Since 2019, men have been prohibited from going shirtless in public, attaching “love padlocks” to bridges is forbidden, and fines can be given to those caught eating messy foods near busy tourist attractions like the Trevi Fountain. Police patrols can issue warnings and fines to offenders.
In Sardinia, travelers are warned against wandering on the pink sands of Spiaggia Rosa and may face fines ranging from €500 to €3,500. This stricter enforcement is due to concerns about the impact of tourism on the pink micro-organisms that inhabit the shore. Visitor numbers have also been capped, and daily fees have been implemented to protect the island’s beaches from litter.
Florence banned the use of Airbnbs and short-term private holiday rentals in its historic city center to address the shortage of affordable housing for full-time residents. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has around 11,000 short-term rental properties.
New rules have been introduced in Trentino Alto Adige to limit the number of overnight guests and combat overtourism. Attractions like Alpe di Siusi now require pre-registration, and no new guest houses are allowed to open. The aim is to preserve the region’s natural beauty and prevent overcrowding.
In Athens, Greece, the number of visitors to the Acropolis has been capped at 20,000 per day since September 2023. Time slots must be booked in advance, and the caps change hourly to manage footfall. The Greek culture minister stated that this measure is meant to protect the monument and improve the visitor experience.
Hallstatt, Austria, known as the inspiration for Frozen’s Arendelle, has taken steps to deter tourists from visiting by constructing fences that obstruct views of the lakeside, a popular backdrop for selfies. To reduce the influx of visitors, the number of tour buses and cars allowed into the area has been limited.
In the Galapagos Islands, tourism is tightly controlled to protect the ecosystem. Strict regulations are enforced, such as walking only on marked trails, visiting protected areas with a guide, and not visiting natural beauty spots on privately owned yachts. All tourists must pay an entry tax to support conservation efforts.
Boracay, a popular tourist island in the Philippines, was closed for six months in 2018 due to sewage problems caused by hotels and restaurants. The closure aimed to restore the environment and prevent further damage. Similar measures were taken in Maya Bay, Thailand, which was closed to restore the natural landscape and coral reefs that had been overwhelmed by 5,000 daily visitors. While Maya Bay has reopened, swimming in the bay is still banned to protect the restored coral and shark population.
Penang, Malaysia, has banned short-term rental platforms like Airbnb in an effort to address the negative impact of international tourists on local residents. Only commercial properties can now host short-term guests, subject to registration and approval from other residents in the building.
Bali, Indonesia, has proposed a tourist tax and a handbook outlining acceptable behavior to discourage unruly tourists from visiting the “low-cost” island. The tax would be an additional fee on top of the existing nightly tourist tax paid to the region.
Okinawa, Japan, has introduced a limit on visitor numbers to protect the Iriomote cat, an endangered species of indigenous wild cat. The daily maximum of tourists to the Iriomote Island has been set at 1,200 to preserve the ecosystem and the quality of life for permanent residents.
In Amsterdam, authorities targeted internet users from the UK with a campaign urging them to “stay away” due to complaints of antisocial behavior during stag parties and pub crawls. They used targeted search engine advertising to reach potential visitors.
Barcelona, Spain, plans to increase its municipal tourist tax for guests staying in five-star hotels. The additional charge will go to Barcelona’s Generalitat and the City Council. This is in addition to the general nightly tourist tax imposed in the region.
These destinations are taking action to manage tourism and protect their cultural heritage, natural beauty, and residents. By implementing measures such as visitor caps, fines for inappropriate behavior, and restrictions on accommodation rentals, they aim to strike a balance between welcoming tourists and preserving the integrity and sustainability of their destinations.
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