Cities being overrun by tourists

The great personal enrichment that comes from absorbing other people’s cultures around the world has no doubt led a huge number of individuals to be more tolerant, open-minded, and adventurous. The fact that such trips are so accessible is also something to be celebrated. But when it goes too far, real problems start to occur.

Click through this gallery to find out what happens when cities actually suffer from “overtourism.”

Bangkok

One of the most visited cities in the world, Bangkok sees a huge number of tourists each year. Unfortunately, since this became a “trendy” destination, certain places like the famous Khao San Road in Bangkok have become incredibly difficult to navigate.

Vienna

Vienna has seen a rise in tourism, and many residents are not happy with the overcrowded buses or the cruise ships. An initiative has been launched to try and persuade tourists to visit places outside the city center.

Berlin

Berlin has become a more popular destination in recent years for “long weekend” visitors, and this has caused some consternation from residents. Many noise complaints were raised, and the authorities have also cracked down on AirBnB rentals.

Reykjavík

One of the main complaints about overtourism in Iceland is that it remains a naturally unspoiled country, and therefore too many people visiting can cause significant damage to the ecosystem.

Barcelona

Barcelona has suffered severly from overtourism, to the extent that mass protests have been made by residents of the city. The city isn’t especially large, and cannot cope with the influx of tourists.

Venice

Venice is arguably the poster child for overtourism. Overcrowding on the small island city has become so bad that there is now a “tourist tax” for all visitors, and much lobbying to prevent cruise ships from docking.

Dublin

Dublin has become a very popular destination with tourists, with places like The Temple Bar and The Guinness Storehouse becoming particularly crowded. This has led to things like gentrification and "lack of affordable accommodation."

London

While London is a very big city, and is better equipped to deal with large numbers of tourists than most, a major toll is taken in terms of congestion on roads, public transport, and overcrowding in major central streets.

Copenhagen

Only in 2019 has the idea of overtourism in Copenhagen begun to be discussed, even if it was considered by some a problem for several years prior. Large cruise ships docking in the city cause a lot of problems, and there is a discussion about limiting the numbers.

Rome

Rome has had something of a crackdown on the bad behavior that can come from tourists, such as restricting alcohol sales after certain times, and banning people from climbing on or sitting in fountains.

Valletta

Valletta is a tiny capital of a tiny island, which is completely overrun with tourists. Year after year, the number of tourists increases, to the extent where approximately five times the country’s population will visit per year.

Dubrovnik

Tourists have descended on the Croatian city in droves as of late, largely due to the fact that Dubrovnik was featured heavily in the hugely popular TV show ‘Game of Thrones.’ This has been challenging for a city with a population of under 43,000.

Queenstown

Queenstown in New Zealand is no stranger to overtourism.  The beaches become overcrowded and the price of property has also been noticeably affected by this change in the rise in tourists.

Madrid

While not quite on the same scale as Barcelona, Madrid has also unfortunately noticed a great deal of overtourism. As a consequence of this, there have been stricter regulations imposed on people who are renting their properties on AirBnB.

Athens

Athens is another place where the rental market has seen great increases in price due to AirBnB rentals to tourists. The number of visitors to Athens has risen year by year, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Oxford

Oxford has become a town overflowing with tourists, especially in the summer. A lot of Oxford’s streets are also very narrow, which adds to the congestion and just makes the problem more annoying for residents.

Honolulu

Too many tourists are visiting Hawaii, and this is having a detrimental effect on the existing residents. Earlier in 2019, tourism management officials were asked to intervene and find a solution.