Overtourism: 5 destinations to avoid and where to go instead
21.07.2023 - 08:46
/ roughguides.com
/ El Nido
The beautiful waterways of Venice, Dubrovnik's old town and Ko Phi Phi's beaches. These international travel attractions undoubtedly make for unforgettable experiences. But the sheer numbers of visitors arriving have made a significant impact on environments, structures and local communities. While governments and tourist boards are introducing various policies to tackle overtourism, we should consider ways in which we can help as responsible travellers, too.
Here, we've taken five destinations suffering from overtourism and recommended five sustainable alternatives instead. Your trip will be all the more rewarding for it.
Venice tops many travel lists, and with good reason. Its charming canals, pedestrian-friendly space and impressive art and architecture all add to its unique appeal. Yet with soaring visitor numbers, Venice overtourism is becoming an ever more important issue. In 2017 the local tourist board recently introduced '12 good rules for the responsible visitor' in a bid to promote sustainable tourism. Rules include not standing on the bridges, not leaving 'love padlocks' and trying to visit outside of high season. It's certainly a step in the right direction. But to really give Venice's structure (and locals) a break, consider a trip to Annecy, France, instead.
This small French town sits against a backdrop of the Alps, which peek over the roofs of colourful sixteenth-century houses lining the canals. Come summer, it's certainly busier, but there's still plenty of room to enjoy a coffee at La Barista Café, pause on the Point des Amours bridge and take in the former prison of Palais de I'Isle (don't worry, it's a museum now). The town hugs the banks of Lake Annecy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (a status that Venice is at risk of losing). You can hire a small boat and soak up the uninterrupted views, no elbow-jostling or tiptoe viewing required.
Annecy at dusk, France © Elenarts/Shutterstock
Since featuring in Danny Boyle's film The Beach back in 2000, Ko Phi Phi has welcomed up to 5,000 visitors a day, mostly from boat trips. The once beautiful Maya Bay has become the ultimate go-to spot on the island, but popularity has taken its toll. The effect on the ecosystem has become so damaging, that Thailand recently made the hard call to temporarily close the area. This allowed the littered beaches, coral reefs and other ecosystems to return to their natural states.
For a similar paradise island experience, head to El Nido, on the northernmost tip of Palawan Island in the Philippines, is the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago and home to the largest marine sanctuary in the country. Tours that explore the limestone-clad islands include an ecotourism development fee. This 'eco-tax' goes towards the