Travel experts at Fodor’s Travel have revealed many destinations around the world that they will be avoiding in 2025 as they are suffering from “untenable popularity”.
“These locations are popular for good reason—they are stunning, intriguing, and culturally significant,” Fordor’s website said. “However, some of these highly coveted tourist spots are collapsing under the burden of their own prominence.”
They highlighted the trend of local governments to prioritise visitor experience over local people as a major issue: “This can lead to irreversible changes in these destinations, making them prohibitively expensive, homogenized, or even destroyed”.
However, instead of a full boycott, they advocated for tourists to be aware of the issues facing communities when choosing and booking a holiday, as well as acting appropriately. This includes avoiding Airbnb and not visiting chain restaurants.
Fodor’s takes into account a number of destinations widely known to be suffering from overtourism issues – including Bali and Majorca. However, they also looks at areas that, the experts believe, are starting to be impacted by the large influx of visitors they welcome, with officials and communities being urged to take proactive measures to address looming threats before it becomes too late.
Agrigento, Sicily, Italy
The city of Agrigento in Sicily is preparing to be the Italian Capital of Culture in 2025 and with that will come increased numbers of visitors.
However, the area is already suffering from a severe water crisis that could be further aggravated by increased tourism and runs the risk of causing irrevocable harm to its environment and punishing permanent residents. Stresses on water supply have existed for decades. But climate change and a prolonged drought are pushing the situation to a critical point.
Water shortages have forced some businesses to close, while hundreds of households store water in containers to use for washing and cooking. Small hotels and guest houses are struggling to provide consistent water supply to their guests. This summer, some accommodations limited bookings in August because they could not guarantee flushing toilets or functioning showers, Fodor’s reports.
British Virgin Islands
It is feared the emphasis on cruise tourism in the British Virgin Islands is keeping tourists’ money out of resident’s hands. Moreover, the 13-year wait for a comprehensive tourism plan has reportedly left locals sceptical that improvements in development and infrastructure will ever materialise.
In the British Virgin Islands, cruise ship passengers now account for about 72 percent of total tourist arrivals. The first six months of 2024 set a new tourism record, with over 683,000 visitors, a 17 percent increase from the same period in 2023.
Kerala, India
In 2023, the Indian state of Kerala welcomed a record-breaking 21.8 million domestic tourists and 649,057 international visitors–and projections for this year show even higher numbers. While this has brought benefits to the economy, it may also be having an impact on the local community and environment.
Environmentalist Sridhar Radhakrishnan claimed that the local governments have adopted a wide, confusing mixture of tourism strategies. He told Fodor’s: “The government seems to be on a blind promotional spree and does not seem to have any regulatory control over the growth in tourism. This is now a run-of-the-mill disastrous situation.”
Kyoto, Japan
In Kyoto, the term “Kankō kōgai,” or “tourism pollution,” has emerged in the Japanese media, capturing the growing unease over the flood of foreign tourists.
The iconic traditional Japanese city has already set up baggage delivery systems, tested separate bus stops for tourists and locals and erected warning signs to stop visitors from entering private streets.
However, official figures from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) highlight that inbound tourism is at unprecedented levels. At over 3.2 million, July 2024 had the highest-ever number of international travellers.
“The influx of tourists has also led to domestic travel prices to rise,” explained Rei Kobayashi, the CEO of IGLOOO Inc, citing numbers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Communications’ Consumer Price Index, showing a 25 percent jump in accommodation prices from pre-pandemic levels.
Oaxaca, Mexico
Overtourism often reveals itself with growing resentment from residents toward tourists, and protests and slogans have been cropping up across the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.
Many North Americans travelled to Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, there has been a 77 percent increase in tourism in Oaxaca, creating skyrocketing rents and displacing long-time residents from central areas.
English is now reportedly replacing Spanish as the dominant language and buildings that were once workshops or homes are now shops, gourmet restaurants and tourist lodgings.
As tourism has swelled, many Oaxacans feel that their cultural emblems – like mezcal consumption and the Guelaguetza festival – are facing a Disneyland-style commercialisation. Guelaguetza, a celebration of Indigenous music and dance, is said to be the principal reason that 58 percent of travellers visit the city. Now, the festival is a highly staged ticketed event which locals are priced out of attending.
Scotland North Coast 500
Finally, the NC500, which was “established” in 2015, forms a coastal loop passing through the North Highlands.
The goal was to promote economic growth in the region by showcasing its wild beauty and unique history, from dramatic cliffs and fairy-tale castles to tranquil lochs and sleepy fishing villages. The project succeeded – the NC500 reportedly contributed more than £22 million to the local economy in 2018 and added 180 full-time jobs.
However, the newfound popularity has also reportedly brought significant downsides – roads are congested with traffic, and there is an increased frequency of accidents causing significant delays for locals.
