Have you ever wondered what impact the crowds of tourists have on popular travel destinations? Of course, the first thing that springs to mind is a round sum they bring to the local budget. However, a lot of cities suffer rather than benefit from tourists. Local authorities don’t welcome tourist and already take certain measures, like tourism fees. Here is a list of destinations from vavadating that very soon might close their “doors” before travelers. If you plan to visit some of them, you’d better do it as soon as possible in order to share your memories with your grandchildren one day.
Venice, Italy
There are actually two reasons why Venice may cease to be a popular tourist destination. The first one is natural – Venice is slowly sinking, turning from the floating city into the city under the water. The other one is the figure of 80000 travelers a day. The locals haven’t limited the number of tourists yet, but this idea seems appealing to them. So far, the city copes with tourists imposing a tourism tax and increasing public transport fares. Pickpockets also do their part in deterring tourists.
Cinque Terre, Italy
“Five Lands” (this is how the name is translated) is one of the most popular Italian destinations among tourists. 2 years ago 2.5 million people visited these fishing villages. The cruise liners contributed to the flow of tourists. The infrastructure of the community is incapable of hosting so many guests, so it was decided to limit their number to 1.5 million visitors a year.
Bhutan
The small kingdom lost in the Himalayas beckons the tourists who are sick and tired of mainstream destinations. However, it’s not that easy to get there. Every traveler must pay $200 per each day of their stay in the country. The exception is made only by the citizens of India, Bangladesh, and Maldives. Apart from paying for your sojourn, you can’t travel around the country alone – only with a paid guide. The number of visas issued is also limited.
Lord Howe Island, Australia
This small volcanic island of the boomerang shape is located near the coast between Brisbane and Sydney. The island belongs to Australia, but there is local self-government. No more than 400 tourists are allowed on the island simultaneously. The only way to get there is by plane unless you have your own yacht. A hotel should be booked several months in advance.
Machu Picchu, Peru
The lost Inca city has already restricted the number of tourists to 2500 people per day. To get on its territory you must have a ticket. Due to a high demand, you need to buy the tickets beforehand, especially during a high season, that from July to August.
Iceland
Almost every person keen on traveling wants to visit this fairytale country. Over the last three years, the number of tourists has increased three times thanks to new low-cost airlines. However, nobody took into account the fact that the country with a population of 320,000 people can’t provide proper tourist services. Even the capital city is short of hotels and hostels.
Santorini, Greece
Santorini is a postcard island. Everything seems ideal in the pictures: white houses with blue shutters, taverns, empty streets… those who come here see a totally different picture: it’s overcrowded with tourists. The port authorities want to limit the number of tourists to 8,000 per day.
Koh Tachai Island, Thailand
Koh Tachai is part of the Similan National Park, popular with divers. The beauty of the island, idyllic location, sandy beaches, and clear waters attracted too many tourists and resulted in degradation of resources. So, since May 2016 it’s closed for visitors.
