By Blane Bachelor, CNN
(CNN) — Following several years of pandemic-induced downturn, the travel sector is not only back, it’s positively booming. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the industry is expected to bring in some $9.5 trillion in 2023 — which accounts for 95% of its pre-pandemic levels.
Nowhere is this growth more evident than in the world’s most popular tourist spots, many of which have seen record numbers of visitors over the past year.
These increases can affect local economies and the bottom line of hotel businesses, but they also come with notable disadvantages: increased noise, pollution, traffic, and pressure on public resources; a decrease in the quality of life of residents; and reduced guest experience, to name a few.
It is not unexpected that many resorts around the world, in addition to several European resorts, have created projects and restrictions to deal with the disorders of overtourism. These include: new or higher tourist taxes, campaigns to deter problematic visitors, and limits on attendance at popular attractions.
On the bright side, more and more travelers seem to be aware of the dangers of overtourism and how they can help mitigate the problem. In a 2022 survey conducted through booking site Booking. com, 64% of respondents said they would be willing to stay away. away from the busiest tourist spots to prevent traffic jams from getting worse. And 31% said they would even be willing to choose the destination they liked to avoid overcrowding.
On that front, here’s a look at some of the world’s top destinations whose overtourism challenges have made headlines in 2023, as well as what’s being done to meet the challenge and how travelers themselves can mitigate (or completely avoid) crowds in 2024.
The Dutch are historically known for their outspokenness, and in 2023, Amsterdam’s tourism officials didn’t shy away from lambasting a specific demographic (young Britons) as “nuisance tourists” who aren’t welcome in the Dutch capital, a city long associated with vice.
The initiative, announced in March 2023, specifically targeted young male Brits, telling them to “stay away” if they had plans to “go wild” in Amsterdam. Online searches in the UK for terms such as “pub crawl Amsterdam,” “stag party Amsterdam,” or “cheap hotel Amsterdam” generated a video ad warning about the consequences of overimbibing, drug use or acting too rowdy.
The campaign is part of the city’s comprehensive plan to reduce mass tourism, attract a different kind of demographic and make life more hospitable for residents, especially in De Wallen, also known as the Red Light District. In 2021, an ordinance called “Amsterdam Tourism in Balance” was implemented, establishing that when the number of overnight visitors hits 18 million, the city council is “obliged to intervene”.
The government has since banned smoking marijuana on the streets of De Wallen and passed a proposal that would ban cruise ships from entering the city.
Regardless of their smart or bad behavior, all visitors to Amsterdam in 2024 plan to pay the highest tourist taxes in Europe.
In September, the city announced that the rate for cruise visitors would increase from 8 to 11 euros ($8. 50 to $11. 60), while the rate incorporated into the hotel’s room price would increase to 12. 5% of the room price. Even with such projects underway, Amsterdam is expected to receive up to 23 million annual overnight visitors until 2025 (not counting another 24 to 25 million one-day visits).
How to avoid the crowds: January, February, and March are some of the least visited months in Amsterdam, but travelers should also be prepared for cold, rainy weather. June brings with it better weather but more crowds, though not as many as in late summer. as in many European countries there is still a school.
Travelers looking to experience Dutch culture but not the masses in Amsterdam can choose from plenty of worthwhile alternatives within an easy train ride.
The Hague, Utrecht and Rotterdam are perfect places for a city-centric getaway, while a variety of ancient cities invite for more relaxed exploration and typical Dutch charm. About an hour southwest of Amsterdam, Delft is described as a “mini Amsterdam,” thanks to its network of canals and Dutch architecture, attracts its percentage of tourists, but stays pleasantly away from the hustle and bustle and debauchery.
A scorching heat wave in Europe didn’t stop hordes of visitors from cramming into the Greek capital this summer.
In fact, the Acropolis, the country’s most visited archaeological site, was so packed that in September officials capped the number of visitors into the ancient landmark at 20,000 per day via an hourly slot system on a booking site. Starting in April 2024, the new booking system will also apply to more than 25 other archaeological sites and monuments across the country.
Crowds have also taken over Greece’s most popular islands, adding Santorini and Mykonos, a trend that will continue as Greece’s perennial appeal to travelers shows no signs of abating.
How to crowds: For the worst traffic jams in Athens, make a stopover outdoors in the peak months of July and August. April and May are sublime before the summer crowds arrive, and after they disperse, September and October await you with cooler temperatures and more space to enjoy the city’s museums and monuments.
Speaking of which: anyone who has the Acropolis on their bucket list possibly needs to book an afternoon or early evening slot, as most crowds, aside from cruise ship passengers, arrive in the morning.
Finally, anyone planning to tack an island visit onto an off-season Athens trip should note there are reduced ferry services and closures for restaurants and lodging, especially January through March.
After the breakthrough of Elizabeth Gilbert’s film, “Eat Pray Love,” Bali’s popularity skyrocketed far beyond the crowds of backpackers and beachgoers it historically attracted. But travelers in search of spirituality are just one component of the tourist tide that has still drowned the province of Indonesia for the past decade, from virtual nomads to rude tourists and anyone with a passport.
Lately, out-of-control visitors have become especially problematic – so much so that in spring 2023 provincial governor Wayan Koster required a do’s and don’ts list to be attached onto tourist passports. Among the rules: no swearing, touching sacred trees or climbing structures.
Bali-bound international tourists who visit from February 14, 2024, also will have to pay a new tax of 150,000 Indonesian rupiah, which is equivalent to about $10. And travelers who have already paid it aren’t exempt from paying it again if they return to Bali after visiting other destinations in Indonesia.
Government officials also have started sounding the alarm about the risks of overtourism on Indonesia’s flagship destination. Citing the problems of mass tourism in some European cities, Indonesia’s Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, stressed the need to shift to more sustainable tourism models, as well as attracting visitors who “stay longer and spend on the larger local economy.”
How to avoid the crowds: The rainy season generally falls from October to April, which means fewer tourists – with the exception of December and January, especially New Year’s, when beach parties at resorts across the island attract thousands of revelers. July and August are the busiest months with international visitors and Indonesia’s school holidays, so those months are also best avoided. On island, travelers who venture beyond Ubud, Bali’s cultural hub, can escape some of the crowds.
Barcelona was one of the first European cities to prohibit the creation of hotels in its urban center and limit the short-term rental of rooms. But local and regional elections in May and overtourism have become a political buzzword and, like other hotspots, the city has stepped up measures to curb the problem.
In October, Barcelona closed its northern port terminal to cruise ship traffic following an agreement with the local government to move ships further away from the city, a measure that will add about 340 cruise ship docks a year, according to information published by the port government.
From April 1, 2024, tourists (including cruise passengers) will have to pay a higher “urban surcharge” of €3. 25 (about $3. 50), up to €2. 75 (about $3) in 2023.
But for some Barcelonans, there are more wishes to be made. Throughout the year, evidence of collective frustration at so many visitors manifested itself in the form of abusive banners, slogans and graffiti urging tourists to “go home” on building facades.
How to avoid the crowds: Like many other European centres, Barcelona is very lively in the summer, especially in July and August. Shoulder seasons fall in spring and fall, with the notable exception of Easter, when crowds and costs are a little higher.
In a May 2023 release, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Miami-Dade County’s official destination marketing organization, released 2022 tourism figures. Among the record-setting numbers: 26.5 million visitors and an estimated $20.8 billion in spending, marking an 8% increase over 2021 — results it described as “a tourism home run.”
However, some citizens denounce the effect of the rampant and out-of-control crowds on affected citizens and neighborhoods.
In a 2021 op-ed in The Miami Herald, Richard Florida warned city officials about the negative effects of what he called “bolotto tourism: where other people go to a domain to party and get drunk, fueled by the city’s pent-up energy. “the pandemic and became imaginable through airfares and reasonable accommodations,” especially in neighborhoods like Miami Beach, where Florida, a city planner, lives part-time.
Citing overtourism problems plaguing cities such as Amsterdam, Venice and Rome, Florida urged Miami officials to implement similar initiatives as those destinations, including restrictions on alcohol consumption and curbing noise in the city’s entertainment district.
“Residents are concerned about emerging crime and disorder, and feel the city is becoming more harmful and less family-friendly,” Florida wrote. “People can vote and they vote with their feet. Families, especially those with young children, will move, as some already do, further weakening the social fabric of communities.
How to avoid crowds: Travelers who can withstand the sweltering heat and humidity of South Florida’s summers will face fewer crowds. From November to April, when temperatures are at their hottest, it’s the peak season in Miami, and in early December, art scenes invade Art Basel.
A favorite of forward-thinking travelers and culture seekers, the City of Light has attracted a new wave of visitors in recent years, thanks in part to the huge popularity of the Netflix hit “Emily in Paris” and the city’s role. host of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Anyone who has visited the French capital in recent years has probably felt the pressure. Major attractions, such as the Eiffel Tower, are packed with tourists, especially in spring and summer. In June 2022, the Louvre Museum announced that it would limit daily visits to 30,000. .
These measures are part of a broader plan announced by French Tourism Minister Olivia Grégoire in June 2023 to fight overtourism across the country. (Interestingly, one of the projects described concerned working with influencers, an organization that many blame for the challenge, to help raise awareness of the challenges caused by mass tourism. )
How to avoid the crowds: Paris is poised to get crowded in 2024, in the run-up to the Summer Olympics, which begin on July 26. However, outside of the Olympic periods, travelers can take advantage of the off-season. it runs from November to March (except for the wave of travellers around Christmas).
Beyond Paris, Francophiles have plenty of features to soak up this inimitable French vibe without having to brave the capital’s tourist crowds. Lyon, for example, has an adorable city in the center of the confluence of the Saône and Rhône rivers, a colorful work of art. scene, a gentle festival dating back to the mid-1850s and the largest urban park in France.
The Thai government didn’t lift Covid-19 regulations until October 2022, but beach-loving visitors soon returned in droves to Phuket, an island province off the mainland coast.
According to a study conducted by MoneyTransfers. com, Phuket has earned the most sensible spot as the world’s busiest destination in 2023, with 118 tourists for every local resident. The same study also found that Pattaya and Krabi, also in Thailand, remain in second and third place, respectively, with 98. 7 and 72. 2 travelers per capita, respectively.
On social media, many describe Phuket as one of the most stunning geographical locations they’ve ever seen, but they also know that it’s crowded and polluted due to mass tourism.
In an effort to move towards increased tourism, Thailand’s tourism authority has announced plans underway to target the most sought-after guest demographic, adding “health and wellness aficionados, families with children, active seniors, and remote/telecommuting workers. “
“This will strengthen our purpose for Thailand to achieve sustainable and high-value tourism growth,” Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said in a statement.
How to avoid the crowds: Thanks to its tropical monsoon climate, Phuket’s peak tourist season (typically November to April) coincides with less rainy weather. Travelers visiting the monsoon season, which typically runs from May to October, will likely enjoy fewer crowds and lower prices, but they deserve to be prepared for rainy weather.
Fluorescent green water in its Grand Canal, badly behaving tourists and bridges and squares bursting with people: While this ancient Italian city has grappled with crowd control for some time, overtourism seemed to make more headlines than ever in 2023.
Concrete plans to address these problems have been slow to develop. Several years ago, the government announced a plan to impose a tourist tax on day-trippers, but, after objections and setbacks, the payment schedule was recently published and will only come into effect in April 2024.
The plan provides for a payment of five euros (about $5. 45) for hikers over 15 years of age. It will apply to tourists who do not stay overnight and the payment will only be collected for 29 days in 202cuatro, maximum. of which will fall on weekends during the high season from April to July. Payment will be applied between 8:30 a. m. and 4 p. m. – considered the busiest component of the day in Venice – and short-term visitors outside those hours are exempt.
How much of an effect the tourist tax will have remains to be seen. But for now, Venice and its lagoon have escaped being added to UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger list — an omission that came as a surprise to many during a September meeting of the UN agency in Saudi Arabia. However, the World Heritage Committee maintained nonetheless that Venice still faces major challenges and urged Italy to continue to protect it.
How for the crowds: From November to March, temperatures are cool but manageable in Venice; but there are far fewer tourists (with the notable exception of the Venice Carnival, which runs from February 3 to 13, 2024). Avoid daytime hikers and enjoy more of the city to yourself in the evening and early in the morning overnight.
Tourists who want to do their part to sustain Venice can also consider other, less-crowded European destinations with their own waterways. Known as the “Venice of France,” Annecy, a lakeside town in the French Alps, looks like a fairy tale, with its cheerful houses situated along its network of canals. And about an hour from Berlin, the Spreewald is known as the “Venice of Germany” for its winding canals through verdant forests.
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