Fodor’s No List 2025

Fifteen destinations to reconsider in 2025.

Every year, the Fodor’s No List aims to shine a light on destinations suffering from untenable popularity. These locations are popular for good reason—they are stunning, intriguing, and culturally significant. However, some of these highly coveted tourist spots are collapsing under the burden of their own prominence.

A key factor in these challenges is often the tendency of governments to prioritize visitor experiences over the well-being of local residents. This can lead to irreversible changes in these destinations, making them prohibitively expensive, homogenized, or even destroyed. And let’s face it: visiting such places rarely results in happy travelers. Navigating cities packed with tourists is frustrating; sightseeing in towns where locals resent your presence is upsetting; and wandering through nature littered with trash is depressing.

The destinations featured on the No List deserve the fame and adoration they receive. They are worthy of your time and money. Yet, the myriad challenges they face are both real and urgent. Fodor’s does not advocate for travel boycotts–they harm local economies and fail to bring about meaningful change. But we do believe that the first step to alleviating a problem is recognizing there is one. 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. That way, the world’s favorite destinations can stay that way for the next generation.

These spots keep getting called out, but things don’t seem to improve. And in many cases, they’re getting worse.

Bali, Indonesia

Rapid, unchecked development spurred by overtourism is encroaching on Bali’s natural habitats, eroding its environmental and cultural heritage, and creating a “plastic apocalypse.” 

Bali’s tourism industry and natural environment are locked in a fragile, circular relationship: Bali’s economy thrives on hospitality, which relies on the health of its natural landscapes. 

This impact is reflected in recent numbers: According to the Central Bureau of Statistics for Bali Province, the island recorded around 5.3 million international visitors in 2023, showing a strong recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels, though below the 6.3 million visitors in 2019. By the first seven months of 2024, foreign tourist numbers rose to approximately 3.5 million, marking a 22% increase over the same timeframe in 2023. 

This post-pandemic travel rebound has only intensified the strain on the island. While this influx has boosted the economy, it has also placed overwhelming pressure on Bali’s infrastructure. Once-pristine beaches like Kuta and Seminyak are now buried under piles of trash, with local waste management systems struggling to keep up.

The Bali Partnership, a coalition of academics and NGOs working to study and solve waste management issues, estimates the island generates 1.6 million tons of waste annually, with plastic waste comprising nearly 303,000 tons. Despite these substantial volumes, only 48% of all waste is responsibly managed, and a mere 7% of plastic waste is recycled. This shortfall results in 33,000 tons of plastic entering Bali’s rivers, beaches, and marine environments each year, posing a severe threat to the island’s ecosystems.

“Bali’s waste management is barely keeping up with the volume of trash, and that’s an understatement,” says Kristin Winkaffe, a sustainable travel expert focusing on Southeast Asia. 

Gary Bencheghib, the co-founder of Sungai Watch, a community-driven environmental group working to protect Bali’s rivers, calls the situation a “plastic apocalypse” and an uphill battle. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has been critical of Bali’s tourism boom for decades, issuing a report in 2007 that said, “Bali’s tourism development happened quickly and without proper planning or adhering to sustainable development rules. Therefore, tourism has caused some serious damage to the island’s environment.”

A WWF representative, who was not authorized to speak on the matter, tells Fodor’s that today, Bali’s “rapid expansion has had severe environmental consequences. Tourism here evolved with minimal foresight and investment in sustainability, leaving Bali’s ecosystems extremely vulnerable. Without significant intervention, we risk seeing some of Bali’s most treasured natural areas disappear altogether.”

Additionally, Indonesia’s coastal water quality is under stress from pollutants. A report by the Asian Development Bank says “excessive nutrients, organic compounds, and heavy metals from domestic wastewater, industry, mining, agriculture, and aquaculture represent the most significant sources of pollution.” This reflects a larger trend impacting all coastal cities in Indonesia, where “only 59% of the population has access to improved sanitation, increasing the anthropogenic pressure on the local natural water system.”

Marta Soligo, assistant professor at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, says these issues “explain why an increasing number of tourism scholars studying destinations like Bali criticize the ‘economic growth imperative’—often proposed by corporations and tour operators headquartered in Western countries.” This emphasizes economic growth and prioritizes short-term profits over long-term sustainability. 

“It is also essential to reflect on the quality of residents’ everyday lives since it often leads to issues like increased cost of living, noise pollution, and traffic congestion, which is already happening in Bali,” Soligo says. “Moreover, overtourism can exacerbate a conflictual relationship between tourists and residents due to visitors’ lack of respect for the local community and locals feeling overwhelmed by the crowds.”

Winkaffe agrees, saying, “Overtourism affects the very core of Balinese life. Traditional practices like the subak irrigation system, which has supported rice paddies for centuries, are now under strain as water is diverted to tourist areas.” She adds, “Without change, we’re risking more than just beautiful scenery—we’re at risk of losing cultural identity itself.”

Bali was previously on the No List in 2020.

European Destinations Where Locals Don’t Want You

Tourists can’t get enough of Europe, but disgruntled residents of many European destinations no longer wish to host them–at least not in such extreme numbers.

It’s been a record-breaking year for international travel to Europe. According to the European Travel Commission, the number of visitors in the first quarter of 2024 alone was 7.2% higher than before the pandemic. This influx isn’t just clogging neighborhoods with excessive foot traffic, it’s altering the very fabric of society: raising the cost of living, straining infrastructure and natural resources, and homogenizing the culture of Europe’s most popular places. Faced with what now feels like an existential threat, locals are turning their ire towards the tourist crowds. 

This summer, tensions boiled over as protests erupted across the continent. In Spain, Barcelona locals sprayed unsuspecting visitors with water pistols while tens of thousands gathered on beaches in Mallorca and the Canary Islands holding signs that read: “Your luxury, our misery,” and “The Canaries have a limit.” In Venice, crowds gathered at the Piazzale Roma to protest the futility (as they see it) of a new day-trippers entry fee. 

It’s a jarring change; many of these destinations have been aggressively marketing to visitors for years and have reaped the economic advantages. The Canary Islands, where the tourism industry makes up 35% of the GDP, generated €16.9 billion ($17.8 billion) in 2023. That same year, Barcelona tourists spent €9.6 billion ($10.2 billion) in the city, an increase of 26.1% compared with 2022. However, exponentially growing tourism has proven to be shortsighted. 

1. Barcelona, Spain, June 15, 2024: graffiti on a closed shop shutter that reads “Tourists go home”.Jon LC/Shutterstock; 2. Barcelona, Spain, July 31, 2024: crowds at Bogatell Beach in Barcelona.Jordi Boixareu/Alamy Life News

In virtually all of Europe’s most popular destinations, the cost of housing–and therefore the cost of living in general–has become untenable for locals. It’s estimated that 60% of dwellings in Lisbon are now vacation accommodations, reducing the inventory of long-term rental units and driving up costs. The city, which recently ranked as the third least financially viable place to live globally, has lost approximately 30% of its population since 2013.

Meanwhile, Barcelona currently has over 10,000 licensed vacation rentals on platforms like Airbnb, and the average home now rents for 68% more than a decade ago. The local government there has pledged to revoke all short-term rental licenses by 2028 and crack down on illegal tourist apartments throughout the city–a timeline Daniel Pardo Rivacoba, a member of the Barcelona activist group Assembly of Neighborhoods for Tourism Degrowth, calls extremely insufficient. “The problem is now, [and has been ongoing for] at least 15 years,” he says. “Nothing proves they will do that. Once again it is much more about pretending to do than about doing.”

Pardo Rivacoba’s frustrations are common among residents of No List repeat offenders. After all, a good tourism management strategy should make immediate improvements to the lives of locals, not focus solely on future goals. One place that did a better job this year is Amsterdam. The city banned ocean cruises from docking and vowed to halve river cruises to 1,150 voyages by 2028. It also reduced the number of vacation rentals by 30% and banned the construction of new hotels, effective immediately (albeit excluding the 26 hotels currently in the pipeline). Whether these steps are enough remains to be seen. 

Barcelona was previously on the No List in 2020 and 2023; Mallorca in 2019; and Venice in 2018, 2023, and 2024.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Koh Samui has long suffered from overtourism, but when the new season of the “The White Lotus” premieres in 2025, many fear for what will become of the island.

The seemingly pristine, 95-square-mile, mountainous island of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand has attracted visitors to its ultra-luxury resorts and villas for decades. The destination has already returned to pre-pandemic tourism levels—3.4 million tourists arrived last year, and numbers are expected to increase 10-20% for 2024. With the new season premiere of HBO’s popular series The White Lotus looming, some wonder just how much these numbers will balloon in the next few years.

Experts worry the increased traffic will exacerbate existing problems on the island. There are currently 200,000 tons of waste sitting at a landfill beyond the sightline of tourist sites and luxurious villas, as well as rapid, often unregulated, new development on the mountainside. 

“Right now we’re still facing the problem of waste management—from the community, from the hotels, from tourists,” Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, president of the Thailand Environment Institute, a non-profit that focuses on sustainable development issues, tells Fodor’s. “Koh Samui has 180-200 tons of waste added per day. But we still cannot find a good solution.” Dr. Simachaya says the island has an incinerator, but it’s infrequently used and lacks proper operation and maintenance. 

While tens of thousands of tons of trash have already been transported to the mainland, Dr. Simachaya emphasizes there needs to be a long-term, sustainable plan for the island. While the Thai government moves 60 tons of waste per day, it’s insufficient to combat the 200,000-ton backlog and the daily accumulation from residents and visitors.

“The local authorities of Koh Samui have to plan for the long term with how they can deal with the waste management,” says Dr. Simachaya. “Not only just solid waste management but wastewater also.”

Most luxury resorts have private water shipped in, and there’s a pipeline connection from the mainland to send fresh water to the island, but Dr. Simachaya says that local authorities have to seriously consider that problem, as well. “We have a wastewater facility,” he says. But local authorities don’t open it “because they have to pay for the cost of electricity. The city of Koh Samui has to look at how they can reduce and recycle water after it comes to the island.” Rather than open the water treatment facilities, he says the city will “just discharge the water into the sea.” 

Unregulated overdevelopment has also exacerbated these problems. Kannapa Pongponrat Chieochan, an assistant professor at Thammasat University who researches sustainable development on the island, told Channel News Asia that there’s “a lot of illegal construction” of private villas and resorts, and that “law enforcement is very weak because of political interference.” The exponential growth of the tourism industry has also led to higher demands for workers to “cater to visitors and construct new developments,” resulting in an acceleration of domestic migration. All that new development on the mountainside also increases risks for landslides, especially given the felling of trees within the naturally verdant, fragile landscape, as well as posing a harmful impact on marine and wildlife. 

Should The White Lotus effect impact Koh Samui as it did with Sicily–interest in the towns in which the second season was filmed spiked by 50%–the strain could prove unmanageable. 

Dr. Simachaya says the government authorities, locals, and tourists have to work together in order to preserve Koh Samui. “We have to look for the whole plan of the island. Right now we have 700 hotels on Koh Samui and 25,000 rooms and accommodations available. Only in the high season [are we] facing the problem of so many people wanting to go there, but we have to think about the plan of managing [all those] tourists,” he says. Essentially, it’s about making an eco-friendly, long-term plan. “The plans aren’t in place to make it a sustainably green island.”

Koh Samui was previously on the No List in 2024.

Mount Everest

Everest, known locally as Sagarmatha, Chomolungma, or Qomolangma, is a sacred mountain to the Sherpa community, but overtourism is adversely affecting local communities. It’s also degrading the environment and ruining travelers’ experiences. 

Adventure tourism in Nepal has come a long way in the last 76 years since Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary raised their flags on Mount Everest’s 29,032-foot peak. Back then, skill was the barrier to entry into the great outdoors. Today, the barrier is money. Tourists without mountain experience can pay a local worker to carry their supplies, enabling an adventure that is otherwise out of reach for most. It’s a huge safety concern as local workers are at a higher risk of injury or death when their clients are inexperienced. 

“I had a client for Everest who had never seen snow before, and it was my job to get him to the top,” says Badal, a Nepali mountain guide.

With a lower barrier to access, more and more people are flocking to Sagarmatha National Park, the Nepalese national park that contains the superlative Mount Everest, and they all contribute to overcrowding. In the last 25 years, visitors have more than doubled, and today, around 58,000 people visit annually. As a result, villages along the Everest Base Camp Trek (the most popular in the area and Nepal) have drastically changed. 

Houses that were once small agricultural farms are now teahouses and hotels, even at Basecamp’s 17,598 feet. The influx of service and amenities amounts to unimaginable amounts of trash; around 30 tons of garbage and an immeasurable amount of human poop are estimated to sit on Everest’s slopes and even more on the trail to get there. Overall, visitors and workers generate 1,742 pounds of waste daily during the high season.

“The environment in the Everest region is too fragile and cannot handle that many people, especially not without proper infrastructure,” says Tara Datt Joshi, manager of KEEP, an NGO working with sustainable tourism, environmental education, and tourist workers’ rights. “Eroding, trash, and human poop are already huge issues. The government needs to limit tourist numbers to protect this area and its people and promote other areas that need tourism. Quality over quantity.” 

“The crowds, trash, and cultural dilution in the Everest region put me off guiding,” says Amit Khadka, a former Everest Base Camp guide who is now engaged with KEEP. “I couldn’t offer my clients a good experience with all that trash and crowds. I felt guilty for being there, contributing to overtourism.” 

Although tourism has brought unprecedented employment opportunities and, in many ways, a better quality of life, most local workers who have spoken with Fodor’s agree that the number of visitors needs to be limited. 

“Locals are trying to keep the area clean, but it’s hard when there is nowhere to put the trash,” says Tommy Gustafsson from Sagarmatha Next, an organization working to reduce waste in the area. “Everything in this region must be physically carried in and out, and most of it ends up in landfills.” Helicopters, trash, and human waste pollute water sources, making it harder for local communities to live. 

Yet, there are no signs of tourism slowing down. In 2023, the Nepali government issued a record 487 permits for climbing Everest, a number that has been increasing steadily over the years (even though they decreased slightly in 2024). There are no limits to trekking or climbing numbers; therefore, they are expected to keep growing. 

Despite the piles of trash, disappearing wildlife, and crowded trails, the Department of Tourism does not consider the area overcrowded. On the contrary–Rakesh Gurung, director of mountaineering at the Department of Tourism, says, “We would like to welcome more people to this area.” 

Mount Everest was previously on the No List in 2018.

While these destinations may not have garnered widespread media attention highlighting their dire situations, industry insiders have started expressing concerns based on their observations and experiences. We urge officials and communities to take proactive measures to address looming threats before it becomes too late.

Agrigento, Sicily, Italy

The city is preparing to be the Italian Capital of Culture in 2025, which will likely mean an increase in the number of visitors. However, the area is facing a severe water crisis that could be further aggravated by increased tourism, and could irrevocably harm its most precious cultural treasures and punish its permanent residents. 

Residents of Agrigento, an ancient hilltop city on the southwest coast of Sicily, are no strangers to water shortages–reserves are regularly stored in cisterns and deliveries arrive in tankers. Stresses on water supply have existed for decades. But climate change and a prolonged drought are pushing the situation to a critical point. 

The water crisis is being blamed on several factors. Agrigento’s water supply is captured by an underground aqueduct system which is reportedly aging and leaky. Some locals attribute the water shortage to ineffective governance and poor management. Authorities have been discussing an upgrade of the water network since 2011 but little work has been undertaken. In May, the Italian government earmarked €20 million ($21.7 million) to purchase water tankers and dig new wells in Sicily. In July, around 17% of the planned works had been completed. 

Agrigento’s historical and cultural sites are also at risk. The outstanding archaeological heritage at the city’s famed Valley of the Temples is “immersed in a splendid agricultural landscape that the ongoing drought and water emergency could compromise and transform over time,” Giuseppe Abbate, professor of urban planning at the University of Palermo, tells Fodor’s.  

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. Hotels purchase water from the mainland, but smaller establishments lack storage capacity or simply cannot afford the expense.

“I had to install two tanks, because with just one I could no longer meet the water needs,” Angelo Agosto, the owner of the short-term rental Il Giardino Antico, told a local news site in June. “Unfortunately the situation is complicated. If it continues like this I fear that in two months I will be forced to close and cancel the reservations I have already received.” Other hoteliers say they have installed tap aerators to reduce the water flow in showers and sinks. 

According to Abbate, regional authorities have laid out a series of short- and long-term strategies, including the reactivation of disused wells, extraordinary maintenance of existing dams, and the construction of new desalination plants. They also plan to drill into vast underground water deposits that recent geological studies have located in the subsoil. 

But the area has also been suffering a relentless drought–the worst in 30 years, and it’s impacting almost a million people. Sicily received less than a quarter of its usual winter rainfall this year, which has forced roughly 20% of underground aquifers into a state of “water scarcity,” according to the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA). The drought has been exacerbated by soaring temperatures during summer. 

In February, officials declared a “state of crisis and water emergency” for irrigation and drinking in Agrigento, which will stay in place until at least the end of the year. Rationing was brought in over the summer with some residents having to reduce water consumption by 45%. In August, frustrated residents protested against the measures. 

“The local population, exhausted by the continuous lack of water and the inefficient management of water resources, has decided to take to the streets to make its voice heard and ask for urgent interventions by the competent authorities,” the Cartello Sociale di Agrigento, a local organization of unions and church authorities, said in a statement. “The water situation in the capital and the province has become unsustainable, with frequent service interruptions and unsustainable distribution shifts.”

Agrigento’s economy relies heavily on tourism so it doesn’t want to discourage visitors. But an increase in tourist numbers means greater pressure on a weak water network. 

“If the period of drought and water emergency were to continue, it is clear that it could represent a serious problem for an event such as Agrigento Capital of Culture 2025 which will attract significant flows of Italian and foreign visitors and tourists,” says Abbate. 

British Virgin Islands

The emphasis on cruise tourism is keeping tourist dollars out of resident’s hands, and the 13-year wait for a comprehensive tourism plan has left locals skeptical that improvements in development and infrastructure are on the horizon. 

While tourism remains one of the “two pillars” of the British Virgin Islands’ economy–the other being financial services–there are growing concerns that the current trajectory may not entirely be in the best interests of the environment or the people who call the islands home.

One key issue is the overwhelming focus on cruise tourism. In the first half of 2024, the BVI saw a record number of visitors, driven largely by a post-pandemic surge in cruise ship passengers. The first six months of 2024 set a new tourism record, with over 683,000 visitors, a 17% increase from the same period in 2023. Cruise ship passengers now account for about 72% of total tourist arrivals. In contrast, overnight visitor numbers remain nearly 24% below their 2017 peak of 243,000. This shift is raising red flags, particularly as cruise tourists tend to spend less money locally compared to resort guests, who have historically brought in the bulk of tourism revenue.

Allington “Gumption” Creque, who owns a glass-bottom boat tour company, Sea It Clear Tours, has witnessed large groups of cruise passengers overwhelming local resources. He tells Fodor’s that these tourists “aren’t spending that much money” during their short visits. This trend has led many, including opposition lawmaker Myron Walwyn, to argue that cruise tourism isn’t providing the economic benefits people might expect. Walwyn recently argued in the House of Assembly that “the sort of trickle-down you are looking for on land to the local restaurants and the car rental agencies—you are not getting that.” 

Kye Rymer, the minister of communications and works, told the Assembly that the BVI will “not be able to accommodate” mass tourism, though no cap on arrivals has been proposed. 

The former director of the BVI tourism bureau, Sharon Flax-Brutus, has also warned that the existing infrastructure will not be able to handle the growing tourist numbers. “One of the major challenges that we have in tourism, and we’ve had it for a lot of years, is that we don’t plan enough,” she told Speak Out BVI. “We don’t consider all the factors. We tend to look at the pros but forget the cons.”

Adding to frustrations is the often slow pace of infrastructure planning and repairs, as well as unrealistic timelines provided by the government. A wastewater treatment plant damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017 finally reopened earlier this year after numerous delays; while it was inoperable, raw sewage ran directly into the ocean.

The premier of the British overseas territory, Dr. Natalio Wheatley, recently announced the procurement of a $100 million loan for upgrades, though the number is far short of the $700 million initially projected for improvements.

This strain isn’t just on land. The BVI’s coral reefs, already vulnerable due to climate change, are facing additional stressors. While some protections are in place, including the establishment of a Climate Change Trust Fund Board, much remains unregulated. Lax rules on anchoring, coastal development, and reef-safe sunscreen are contributing to a major coral die-off.

Shannon Gore, a member of the Climate Change Trust Fund Board and managing director of the BVI Association of Reef Keepers, highlights the fact that although the government levies an environmental fee of $10 on tourists to fund the Climate Change Board and the National Parks Trust, the funds–worth $12.3 million–are still tied up, their distribution hampered by political foot-dragging.

Part of the problem is the government is working without a tourism plan–and has been since 2011. Gore says, “Successive governments keep promising a plan, but the strategy keeps changing.” 

The premier, Dr. Wheatley–who is also the minister of finance, the minister of tourism, culture, and sustainable development, and recently also became the minister of financial services and trade–said in January a plan would be available this year. However, Dr. Wheatley now tells Fodor’s that a “policy will be released by the 30th of June 2025” and the “National Tourism Strategic Plan” will be introduced sometime within “the second third of 2025 into 2026.” 

When asked about the difference between the policy and the plan, Dr. Wheatley says, “The policy will set direction, and the plan will be the implementation roadmap.” 

Dr. Wheatley further acknowledges the BVIs are operating with “no current overarching policy in place” for tourism except for “policies related to the growth and expansion.” Which is exactly why we’re concerned.

Kerala, India

The surge in tourism has exacerbated the impact of natural disasters, particularly in areas where development has obstructed natural water flows and increased landslide risks. And development is largely unregulated, unsustainable, and harmful to the communities and ecosystems of the Indian coastal state.  

Kerala, often dubbed “God’s Own Country,” has long been a symbol of India’s tropical charm, with its palm-fringed beaches and glistening backwaters drawing travelers from around the globe. In 2023, the state 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 is undoubtedly a boon for Kerala’s economy (tourism currently contributes 10% to the state’s GDP), it has also started to take a toll on this once-pristine southern Indian state. 

Environmentalist Sridhar Radhakrishnan tells Fodor’s that the local governments have adopted a wide, confusing mixture of tourism strategies. “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.”

This lack of oversight has resulted in deadly consequences. In July, massive landslides struck the villages of Mundakkai and Chooralmala, claiming over 400 lives. The disaster occurred in a region suffering environmental degradation due to overdevelopment. Numerous government reports have warned of these dangers over the past decade, but have often been ignored. 

Nearly 60% of India’s 3,782 landslides between 2015 and 2022 have occurred in Kerala, with the state becoming increasingly disaster-prone. 

“Mundakkai and neighboring villages saw rapid tourism expansion in the last five years under the guise of eco-tourism, with adventure initiatives, glass bridges, homestays, and other resort ventures,” says Radhakrishnan. “This expansion has happened in a place that is a landslide susceptible zone, and an Ecologically Sensitive Area. There is clearly overtourism here coupled with almost no regulation of construction in sensitive zones. This has worsened the risk of landslides, especially aggravated by the intensity of human intervention in such sensitive regions.”

Just three weeks before the latest disaster, Kerala’s tourism minister, P. A. Mohammed Riyas, admitted that the regions in Kerala were “dealing with an influx of more people than it can handle, a classic example of a place facing the problem of overtourism.” 

“Tourism has triggered a local infrastructure boom, but with no controls, it is harming not only the environment but has started affecting the quality of life for residents who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods,” Radhakrishnan says. “Farmers find no big advantage with this kind of tourism expansion.” 

Meanwhile, another key attraction, Vembanad Lake–the backbone of Kerala’s backwater tourism–is shrinking due to floods, illegal constructions, and increased and unchecked tourism. Designated as a Ramsar Site (an internationally important wetlands) and one of India’s largest wetland ecosystems, the lake’s health is further threatened by the proliferation of houseboats and resorts. Radhakrishnan points out that, “Houseboats, once an eco-friendly concept rooted in rice barges, have now expanded into a large commercial industry, with unchecked growth leading to environmental degradation.” 

Wastewater and sewage from most houseboats are discharged directly into the lake, exacerbating pollution levels, and harming aquatic life. Fish species have declined, and the health of the aquatic ecosystem has deteriorated. Despite a mandate requiring houseboats to use bio-toilets, enforcement has been inadequate, resulting in continued pollution from improperly maintained boats and leaks from engines; the very sustainability of backwater tourism on Kerala’s scenic waterways is in question. 

A detailed study by the Centre for Aquatic Resource Management and Conservation under Kerala’s University for Fisheries and Ocean Studies has also revealed that the continuing destruction of Vembanad is adversely affecting the lives and livelihoods of over 8 million people. 

In light of growing environmental concerns, Kerala has launched several initiatives, including the “Green Tourism Destinations,” part of the “Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam” (Garbage-Free New Kerala) campaign. This project aims to promote eco-friendly practices in 25 tourist spots, with the broader goal of creating a cleaner, healthier state by March 30, 2025, in collaboration with tourism and forest departments. However, the potential of these measures to effectively reverse the environmental damage caused by over-tourism and unchecked development is yet to be determined. 

Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan

The term “Kankō kōgai,” or “tourism pollution,” has emerged in the Japanese media, capturing the growing unease over the flood of foreign tourists—known as gaijin—pouring into Japan. The naming of the phenomenon elevates the level of urgency and irritation about overcrowding, rising costs, lack of services, and local customs being ignored. 

Despite popular destinations like Kyoto installing congestion cameras at popular sites, setting up a baggage delivery system so tourist’s luggage doesn’t crowd buses and trains, testing having separate bus stops for locals and tourists, and also erecting signs warning against hassling geiko, entering private streets, and prohibiting photography, this has not quelled the city’s overtourism problem. The non-profit English-language Japanese publication Nippon.com suggests that these strategies are not working because more “radical” solutions are needed, and also because tourists don’t tend to know the rules in advance.

@gogotrain51718293628190 #kyoto #gaijininjapan ♬ オリジナル楽曲 – ちょっとひねってる

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 travelers. Foreign visitors exceeded 3 million in March, April, May, and June as well. The weakened yen, which slid to a low not seen since the early ‘90s, has contributed to a “the time is now” mentality to secure bargains in Japan.

“In addition to major cities like Kyoto and Tokyo, overtourism has become a serious issue even in places near Tokyo such as Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture, known for its railway crossing, a pilgrimage site for fans of the basketball manga ‘Slam Dunk,’” says Rei Kobayashi, the CEO of IGLOOO Inc, who works with local governments and destination marketing organizations throughout Japan. 

“The influx of tourists has also led to domestic travel prices to rise,” he adds, citing numbers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Communications’ Consumer Price Index, showing a 25% jump in accommodation prices from pre-pandemic levels.

Throughout the country, businesses and local governments are toying with raising prices to make tourism more unattainable. The cost of the foreigners-only Shinkansen rail pass shot up by as much as 77% last year, and the mayor of Himeji recently proposed that foreign tourists should pay four times more than Japanese people for admission to the city’s famous castle. Visitor caps and fees are now also in place at busy locations like the Mount Fuji trails. After a toll was introduced, the number of peak-day hikers on Mount Fuji’s busiest trail dropped by 17% the following year, highlighting some success of these overtourism measures.

Simultaneously, many sectors, including the hospitality industry, are facing severe labor shortages. According to IGLOOO Inc.’s Kobayashi, three of the worst-hit sectors are nursing care, food service, and construction. “While the nursing care industry receives a lot of attention due to Japan’s aging population, addressing the shortage in the food service industry is also critical, especially as Japan becomes a more popular tourist destination,” he stresses.

Locals, who feel the effects of the country’s notoriety in various aspects of their daily lives, at times appear to be a secondary consideration. Wanping Aw, managing director of tour agency TokudAw Inc., states that Japanese professionals are reportedly facing challenges booking economical hotels in Tokyo. “Tourists are residing in the business hotels usually meant for Japanese locals on business trips, and the hotels are taking the opportunity to hike their prices.” She says that Kyoto must-sees like Arashiyama, Kiyomizudera, and Fushimi Inari are so congested that there isn’t enough space to walk comfortably. “Instead of being able to enjoy the spot for what it is, we are overwhelmed by the crowds and by the large number of souvenir and snack stores.”

Aw laments that sought-after food markets are prioritizing the needs of tourists and are subsequently losing their local flavor. “Tsukiji Market [in Tokyo], Nishiki Market [in Kyoto], and Omicho Market [in Kanazawa] used to be very reasonably priced so locals could go down to purchase fresh produce. But now they are tourism hotspots so the prices are way up and the food sold also caters to what the tourists like.”

At Nishiki Market—one of Kyoto’s top attractions—representatives from the Touristship initiative hold court, inviting tourists to learn the rules of the market with a pop quiz. This Kyoto-based organization strives to educate travelers about local customs in an approachable way and prevent bad actors from sullying the experience for others. Their very presence at the 400-year-old market speaks to a perceived level of urgency and irritation about local customs being ignored like not walking and eating within the market. “Nobody is obeying the rules,” Aw says.

While not everywhere in Japan is overrun—tourism is actually helping to revive some dying villages—hoards of travelers are rushing to see the same major destinations with detrimental effects on the local population. “Japan is a beautiful place, and there is so much more to it than Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima,” says Aw.

A statement from JNTO notes that the tourism board “has been focused on attracting high-quality, luxury travel to destinations beyond the country’s most perennially popular cities and destinations and is promoting … lesser-visited destinations throughout the country” including Eastern Hokkaido, Hachimantai, and Yamagata. “Local authorities are working hard to balance visitor expectations, protecting the environment, and meeting the needs of the local communities.”

Oaxaca, Mexico

Overtourism often reveals itself with growing resentment from residents toward tourists, and protests and slogans have been cropping up across the state. Oaxacans complain that their culture and customs are being commercialized, leading to large wealth gaps and environmental degradation. 

As Mexico was one of a few countries in the vicinity with open borders, many North Americans fled there during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, there has been a 77% increase in tourism in Oaxaca, creating skyrocketing rents and displacing long-time residents from central areas. 

As foreigners move in en masse, English is now replacing Spanish as a dominant language and buildings that were previously workshops or homes have turned into shops, gourmet restaurants, and tourist-focused lodgings. As of last year, official figures showed there were 4,800 Airbnb rentals in the city. An apartment in the city center can go for $70 a night, a figure that’s out of reach for many locals as the average working-class Oaxacan makes about $12 a day. A report by the Center for Social Studies and Public Opinion of the Congress of Oaxaca stated that as a result of the Airbnb phenomenon, “a form of collective displacement never seen before has been generated,” and the worst affected are young people, single women, immigrants, and precarious workers.

“Oaxaca has depended on tourism for decades, with a huge emphasis occurring in the 1990s just as NAFTA was taking place and small-scale farming became difficult,” says Dr. Ramona Pérez, the director of the Center for Latin American Studies at San Diego State University. She explains that many residents now feel their exploitation is necessary for their survival. 

“What I mean by exploitation is the way in which communities vie for inclusion in tourist literature and with the Secretary of Tourism and the way in which tourists are given precedence over community needs,” Dr. Pérez says.

As tourism has burgeoned, many Oaxacans feel that their cultural emblems—like mezcal consumption and the Guelaguetza festival—are facing a Disneyland-style commercialization. Guelaguetza, a celebration of Indigenous music and dance, is said to be the principal reason that 58% of travelers visit the city, and its “touristification” began in the ‘70s when the government built an 11,000-person amphitheater to accommodate spectators. The festival became a highly staged ticketed event which locals were priced out of attending. Many locals feel they have faded into the background of an event that no longer belongs to them. Dr. Pérez points to a 2022 group trip in Oaxaca for Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) when she witnessed tourists walking over graves, disturbing flowers and food offerings, and essentially disrupting families trying to honor their deceased at cemeteries. 

“Before this became a huge tourist attraction, I would say even five years ago, tourists were taken to communities that had a cemetery that was no longer being used by the community; the plots were cleaned, decorated, and made ready for the tourists.” As per Dr. Pérez, the separation of public and private cemeteries has disappeared now that communities have tapped lucrative income from tourists. 

The pressure on capital city Oaxaca de Juárez’s public services—including water supply, sanitation, and garbage collection—is worsening. Residents of Oaxaca City neighborhoods like La Cascada and Lindavista took to the streets late last year to protest not having a water supply for as many as 40 days. Local activist Carlos Alberto Morales told La Vanguardia that water arrives every 50 days in some residential areas while tanker trucks unload water into houses rented by foreigners every 10 minutes. There are also fears that the recently opened highway (that was 15 years in the making) connecting Oaxaca to the surf town of Puerto Escondido will worsen matters by ferrying in even more people and subsequently aggravate pollution problems and lead to accommodation price hikes.

Dr. Pérez reiterates why the communities rely on tourism despite its negative effects. “[Oaxaca’s] mountainous terrain, which comprises approximately 70% of the total land mass of the state, has also restricted development and kept communities isolated,” she says. Without tourism, there isn’t any real industry in Oaxaca: small-scale farming, working for the government, or out-migration. 

But Oaxacans are pushing back against gentrification and displacement caused by the influx of tourists and long-term foreign visitors. With graffiti and signs saying “odio al gringo” (I hate gringos), “out gringos,” and “Oaxaca is not merchandise” during protests in January, hundreds let their feelings be known about tourism in the drought-prone state, which is one of Mexico’s poorest. 

Tourism might be the most lucrative industry in Oaxaca, but for tourists visiting, the writing is literally on the wall. 

Scotland North Coast 500

What happens when a road trip route becomes too popular, threatening the natural environment and becoming a nuisance to the communities living alongside it? The residents of Scotland’s most scenic road trip route, known as the North Coast 500 (NC500), know only too well. 

The NC500, which was “established” in 2015, forms a coastal loop passing through the North Highlands. Originally operated and promoted by North Highland Initiative, a non-profit set up by King Charles III, it was acquired in 2018 by NC500 LTD., a private company owned by Dutch billionaire (and Scotland’s largest landowner) Anders Holch Povlsen. 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 (approximately $29 million) to the local economy in 2018 and added 180 full-time jobs. But this newfound surge in popularity comes with significant downsides, from the inconvenient to the downright disgusting. 

Roads are congested with traffic, increasing the frequency of accidents and causing significant delays for locals. Ed and June Hall, who have lived in Wester Ross for the past 20 years, say the drive to their nearest hospital, 80 miles away, doubled to three hours as tourism has surged. For Joyce Armour, a dispensing secretary juggling part-time jobs at several medical practices, the additional commute time is leading to reduced earnings. “We have seriously considered moving further south but realize we leave positions very few people can fill in an aged community,” she says. 

Camping in tents or motorhomes is one of the most popular ways for tourists to experience the NC500, but a shortfall of adequate facilities including campsites, toilets, and designated chemical waste areas is causing issues along the route. “Wild camping” on beaches, in laybys, and even on private property is common, and residents report finding campfire scorch marks, trash, disposable grills, and even human feces in their wake. 

For its part, the NC500 LTD. (which did not respond to Fodor’s request for comment) seems to be focusing on tourist education, emphasizing the Scottish Outdoor Access code as part of an upcoming “visitor pledge” marketing campaign. Meanwhile, Visit Scotland is trying to encourage year-round tourism across a broader swathe of the country, easing the pressure on communities situated along the route. It also works with local partners to make improvements, says a spokesperson for the organization: “​​Through the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund, we have distributed £20 million in Scottish Government funding to 75 projects across Scotland to help reduce the impact of visitors on local infrastructure and communities. This includes providing parking, public toilets, and motorhome facilities on the NC500.”

Residents are understandably skeptical about schemes that rely on tourists policing their own behavior. Many locals who have spoken with Fodor’s are in favor of expanding the Access Rangers program–a small team hired by the Highland Council to patrol the route, monitoring incidents and engaging with visitors face-to-face. Some locals, like Phil Jones, who has lived in the area for 16 years, believe they should increase the number of rangers and give them greater powers of enforcement. “Give [Access Rangers] the powers to hand out on the spot fines in the hundreds of pounds instead of having a quiet word with the worst offenders,” he says. 

As is the case with many of Scotland’s European neighbors, overtourism is also driving up the cost of living in the Highlands, pricing out locals and steadily changing the region’s culture. In a bid for self-preservation, the scenic peninsula of Applecross is said to be considering withdrawing from the official route. The NC500 LTD. and Highland Council should take substantial steps to combat the issues posed by overtourism before more towns follow its lead.

Contributors to the 2025 Fodor’s No List: Rosie Bell, Esme Benjamin, Poonam Binayak, Sara Frenning, Rebecca Ann Hughes, Rachael Levitt, Olivia Liveng, Eva Morreale, Claire Shefchik, Amber C. Snider, Jeremy Tarr, and Nikki Vargas.