15 travel destinations so overrun with tourists that you may not want to visit, according to travel guide Fodor’s
International tourist arrivals in 2024 have nearly reached pre-pandemic levels.
Concerns about overtourism and poor management are growing in historic cities and beach locales.
Fodor’s 2025 “No List” highlights destinations under unsustainable tourism pressures.
People around the world are traveling more than ever, with international tourist arrivals in the first half of 2024 just about reaching pre-pandemic levels — and destinations around the world are feeling the pinch.
From tiny, historic, European cities that welcome thousands more people than they were built to hold to picturesque beach locales littered with plastic, concerns about overtourism and poor tourism management are increasingly widespread.
Fodor’s, a longstanding travel-guide company, compiles an annual list of destinations where the pressures of tourism are being felt most. The company’s 2025 “No List” includes destinations that have long had problems managing tourism levels, as well as newer ones or places where the situation is expected to worsen.
“The No List serves to highlight destinations where tourism is placing unsustainable pressures on the land and local communities. And these stresses need to be addressed,” Fodor’s said.
The company said it does not advocate for travel boycotts against these locations, but that it believed the problems needed to be called out so that they could be addressed.
Overtourism experts previously told Business Insider that one of the primary challenges locations like this face is that tourists tend to visit the exact same places at the same time. For busy destinations, they instead recommended trying to visit on the off or shoulder seasons. They also stressed the importance of being responsible tourists and respecting all local laws.
Bali, Indonesia
Tourists walk among plastic trash and discarded wood on the shore of Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia.Johannes P. Christo/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Bali draws millions of visitors each year but the high levels of tourism have taken a toll on Bali’s natural landscapes and contributed to plastic pollution. There have also been concerns about poor behavior from tourists, with authorities now handing out a “dos and don’ts” list to visitors. In September Indonesia announced it was putting a pause on the construction of new hotels in Bali to address overtourism.
Barcelona, Spain
An activist in Barcelona, Spain, shows a sign with the phrase ”Tourists go home.”Jorge Mantilla/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Tourism levels in Barcelona have contributed to high housing prices and costs of living, with thousands of locals holding protests against tourism on several occasions this year. Some demonstrators this summer even shot water guns at tourists. Officials in Barcelona placed some limits on short-term rentals in 2021 and have said they plan to ban all of them by 2028.
Mallorca, Spain
People sunbathe at Playa de Muro in Mallorca.Clara Margais/picture alliance/Getty Images
Thousands of people in Mallorca, Spain, have also protested against overtourism this year, saying many locals can no longer afford to live on the island and demanding more tourism limits.
Canary Islands, Spain
Thousands protest tourism management in the Canary Islands.Andres Gutierrez/Anadolu/Getty Images
The anti-tourism protests that swept Spain have also played out in the Canary Islands, where authorities this year said they planned to add new regulations and limits on short-term rentals.
Venice, Italy
Venice has taken measures to address overtourism.Stefano Mazzola/Getty Images
Venice, Italy, has also take measures to address overtourism, which has filled its tiny, historic streets with huge crowds and made the city barely livable according to locals. Last year Venice announced it would charge day-trip visitors about $5 to enter the city center on certain days. This year officials announced they were limiting tourist groups to 25 people and banning the use of loudspeakers on tours.
Lisbon, Portugal
People walk along one of the streets in the Baixa district in Lisbon, PortugalJorge Mantilla/NurPhoto/Getty Images
In addition to the locations in Spain and Venice, Fodor’s said Lisbon, Portugal, was among the European cities where locals have expressed not wanting tourists to visit. An estimated 60% of units in the city are used for vacationers, according to the outlet, as housing prices have soared.
Koh Samui, Thailand
Tourists sunbathe in Koh Samui, Thailand.Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images
Koh Samui, Thailand, has already experienced negative impacts from overtourism. The area is struggling to deal with high amounts of garbage and wastewater from tourism developments. But Fodor’s said the island’s tourism problems are expected to worsen after the 2025 release of the new season of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” which was partially filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui.
Mount Everest
Nepalese sherpa climbers posing after collecting garbage from an Everest clean-up expedition.NAMGYAL SHERPA/AFP/Getty Images
Despite being among the most difficult places to reach on Earth, Mount Everest is not immune to the negative impacts of tourism. The highest mountain on Earth has been littered with frozen garbage and experienced long lines on the path to the summit. The last living member of the first team to reach Mount Everest’s summit in 1953 said earlier this year the large crowds have resulted in a concerning amount of garbage.
Agrigento, Sicily, Italy
Tourists at the bottom of a limestone cliff near Agrigento, Sicily, Italy.Andia/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
Agrigento, a coastal town in Sicily, is dealing with a water crisis on top of tourism concerns. While local homes and businesses scramble to conserve water, the city if also bracing for a boost of tourism that is expected next year when it will be named the Italian Capital of Culture in 2025. Though the city’s economy relies on tourism, an increase in visitors could worsen its water shortages.
British Virgin Islands
View over the capital city Road Town and horseshoe-shaped Road Harbour on the island Tortola, British Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea.Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
Tourism is crucial to the economy of the British Virgin Islands, but locals have expressed frustration over a lack of a comprehensive plan to address tourism levels, especially from cruise ships, according to Fodor’s. Some locals say high numbers of visitors are overwhelming local resources but that some visitors aren’t staying long enough to significantly contribute to the economy.
Kerala, India
An influx of tourists to Kerala, India, has fueled development that’s worsened natural disasters.Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images
Kerala, India, known for its beaches and backwaters, is struggling with pollution, waste, and deforestation in part driven by tourism. A surge in unregulated developments in order to keep up with tourism demand is also exacerbating natural disasters, like landslides, Fodor’s said.
Kyoto, Japan
Tourists at the Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, Japan.Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance/Getty Images
Officials in Kyoto have taken several measures to combat overcrowding and bad behavior from tourists. Kyoto banned tourists from visiting some streets in Gion, the city’s Geisha district, in response to tourists harassing the geishas.
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, JapanSebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images
Rising visitor numbers have contributed to overcrowding and a strain on resources in Tokyo, Japan’s largest city. Japan is currently dealing with a boom in tourism in part due to the weak yen, which is making visits seem more affordable to foreigners.
Oaxaca, Mexico
Tourists visit petrified waterfalls in Oaxaca, Mexico.Carlos Santiago/Eyepix Group/Future Publishing/Getty Images
Oaxaca, Mexico, has experienced a 77% increase in tourism since 2020, according to Fodor’s. Local residents, who are increasingly being displaced from their homes, have protested against tourism levels, which are contributing to high housing costs and gentrification.
Scotland North Coast 500
Tourists visit Scotland’s North Coast 500 route.Paul Campbell/Getty Images
Scotland‘s North Coast 500 is an iconic scenic driving route that’s dealt with a major influx of visitors over the past several years. The higher levels of tourism have led to congested roads and a problem with “wild camping,” where visitors camp in areas without proper facilities and often leave behind garbage, scorched earth from campfires, and even feces. Local officials have focused on tourist education to address the issues, encouraging them to sign a Visitor Pledge.
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