It’s a cold Sunday afternoon and you’re browsing online for vacation ideas for the new year. You skip the usual collection of sales-pitch links, and then see an article entitled,
“Eight Places that Hate Tourists the Most” — The Independent
And later, another piece advises,
“Twelve Destinations that Want Tourists to Stay Home” —Time Out
Crowds in popular destinations are a part of travel, but the world seems to have reached a tipping point. So, how did overtourism get to be such a problem, and what can a discriminating traveler do to deal with mobs of holiday-makers?
The Problem
A report from the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company published an astounding statistic:
80% of travelers visit just 10% of the world’s tourist destinations!
With this concentration of people visiting such a small number of tourist sites, how can there NOT be problems? Mass tourism, whether cruise ships or tour buses, overwhelms towns and businesses, and thoroughly frustrates locals.
Whether the increase in travelers is a result of low-cost airfares, more leisure time, or even post-COVID revenge travel, cities like Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Venice are taking measures to limit excessive visitors. Also, the Washington Post reports that on the west coast of the United States “In some port towns it’s residents vs. cruises.” On our recent trip to Malta we experienced first hand what the surge of two mega-cruise ship crowds can do to an already busy city like the capital Valletta.
Normally, city governments love tourist dollars and all the advantages that they bring to local economies. But many places are now saying it’s too much of a good thing. Amsterdam is one of the most serious cities about limiting tourism. City officials have capped the number of cruise ships which can dock, restricted short-term rentals, halted approval of new hotels, initiated a “Stay Away” campaign targeting specific rowdy groups, and introduced a higher tourism tax.
And this is probably a good point for our position on Cruise Ships and Bus Tours. We are not anti-cruise ships or bus tours. Our personal preference is to make our own arrangements so we travel independently. But we encourage travel, and applaud anyone who is out there exploring – whatever method they choose. However, the reality is that cruise ships and group tours disembark a sea of people simultaneously, which puts a strain on facilities and besieges small cities and tourist attractions. So local residents who don’t necessarily gain any direct benefit from travelers might not be so understanding, and in fact, are becoming more vocal about their dissatisfaction.
The Solution
As the number of global travelers increases every year, the problem of crowds isn’t going away. In fact, it’s only going to get worse. So the issue for independent travelers becomes, What can you do to deal with the reality of a crush of people and still have a good experience?
- Re-evaluate Shoulder Season. As we’ve all heard before, the best advice on when to travel is to avoid high season and holidays. This is a no-brainer. And like everyone else, we recommend travel in the off-season: specifically the shoulder season. However, on our most recent trips we’ve found that what we normally consider shoulder season may no longer apply. It seems that high season has expanded to include part of what we would previously have called shoulder season, forcing us to push our schedule earlier in the spring or later in the autumn.
- Consider 2nd-Tier Cities. Instead of staying in a popular city that really doesn’t want you there, why not base yourself in a smaller, more hospitable 2nd-Tier city? In the Netherlands we opted to base ourselves in Utrecht, a smaller, more laid-back university town which is only 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam. We booked a pleasant, less expensive hotel 100 meters from the train station which made it incredibly convenient for day trips. There was no “You’re-Not-Welcome” BS in Utrecht.
- Blitz Popular Cities. If you really want to visit a city where throngs of Insta-snapping influencers are unavoidable, plan on an intense few days and then move on. Paris has lots of unique, world-renowned sights and the hordes to go with them. But when we stopped earlier this year we spent a couple of intense days there seeing our favorite parts of town, and then moved on.
- Do your Homework and Don’t be Disappointed. In a post-COVID world, crowd control means that most museums and many other attractions require a time-slot reservation and ticket. So the days of impromptu visits to popular sights are dwindling. If you’re particularly keen on certain activities, research beforehand and plan accordingly.
- Look for Hidden Gems. Many smaller towns are appealing, low-key, and will welcome you with open arms. You won’t be troubled by pushy mobs, snooty attitudes, or big-city complications in these off-the-beaten path locations. Whether it’s a lesser-known cathedral, surgical device museum, or a 19th-Century toy collection – if it excites you, it will be fun.
- Be Patient One other important thing to keep in mind when traveling is to be patient. Remember, regardless of the situation, when traveling you’re just another annoying tourist to some frustrated local, and it’s a bit hypocritical to stand in the middle of a group of tourists and complain about the crowd. If you simply MUST see Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa at The Louvre in Paris, expect to rub elbows with zillions of other folks.
If the present trend of overtourism continues, And why won’t it? you’ll eventually have to decide how you feel about visiting cities where you really aren’t welcome. You want to be a sensitive traveler, but at the same time a happy traveler. I hope this post helps achieve that.
Have any ideas on how you deal with tourist hordes? We’d love to hear.
Happy Trails,
James & Terri
Mekong Delta by Jack Young
“When you think of the Mekong Delta, you think of the incredible shots which show people floating down seemingly abandoned river ways, between high palm leaves and dense forrest. When we arrived at the Mekong Delta, we were expecting our experience to be that out of the Instagram shots. However, we were faced with the most chaotic waterway I had every seen. This shot shows the side to the Mekong Delta which doesn’t get shared on social media.”
Photo Credits: 1. Mattsjc 2. Asadal 5. Prateek Mahesh 6. LBM1948 11. Fernando Jorge 12. OttoKrueja 13. Yiwen 14. Jack Young
GALLIVANCE 
I live in a seaside town that gets very crowded during the summer months. During the high season I avoid certain areas during the busy times, but as a local I long for the end of the season and having the town back to normality. It is not just the overcrowding, but also all the rubbish that people leave everywhere, the traffic gets so bad and people park everywhere with no consideration for others. Tourism is a big part of the local economy, so it is something we have to accept. But I agree that local governments have to consider ways of improving the way things are handled and try to reduce the impact on the locals. As a tourist myself I apply many of your above suggestions, it is definitely a better experience to travel during the shoulder season. We love travelling with our motorhome and we are already busy planning our next getaway. But this January we will be renting an apartment in Malaga for 5 weeks, to enjoy some winter sunshine. Happy 2025 to you both 😀
Thanks for the comment Gilda. It’s always enlightening to hear an opinion from someone “in the trenches.” I must admit that I can understand and relate to both sides of this argument. As avid travelers, of course we’re part of the problem. However, we’ve lived in a couple of tourist towns (New Orleans and St. Augustine Beach), so I can understand why locals get tired of all the problems caused by excessive tourism. And if I owned a multi-million dollar townhouse in Amsterdam I’d be very upset to find a passed-out bachelor party yob on my front stoop – a not unheard of occurrence. Despite the crowds, I wish you and Brian Happy New Year and Happy Trails for 2025. ~James
That is all good advice. Here are a couple extra thoughts.
If one is still young enough, do as you did and start in your 20s.
Open one’s mind and explore beyond the “second tier” cities. Every single time we told a Canadian we were going to drive across their country, they asked “why?” and I recently read that most Canadians on the coasts have no concept of life on the opposite coast, let alone in the middle. People in Vancouver think Ontario is the east coast and are unaware to of the Maritimes.
Needless to say, friends in D.C. and New York who had been to all the European Capitals often weren’t even aware of Monument Valley. They fly over the center of the U.S. and perhaps drop into Vegas to go see the Grand Canyon. They literally have no idea where their food comes from.
Good point Ray. I suspect that many travelers miss the “in your own back yard” places. We definitely try to mix it up between US and overseas. In fact, right now we’re on a driving roadtrip to Greensboro, NC to see the Broadway touring company presentation of Hamilton.
Our philosophy has always been that just about everywhere has something interesting to see and learn if you pay attention. And as you know, there are tons of places in North America where crowds will never be a problem. All the best to you and Alie for a happy and healthy 2025. ~James
Like Gilda, we live in a beach town too, on the Costa Blanca of Spain. We get tired of the tourists from May to October. Although many are nice, considerate and interesting, others are rude, bad drivers and leave garbage everywhere. So I can see why it is becoming a problem in the bigger centres. When we travel, we prefer the small out of the way places, where we have found some treasures, and met the real citizens who actually enjoy having us there.
Great tips! This problem won’t go away soon. Although I find GenXers aren’t as keen on travelling as us boomers. Wishing both of you a very Happy New Years!!
Darlene, Terri and I joke that when people get into big groups they somehow lose their minds. They do stuff that they would never do when by themselves. I guess the anonymity gives them license to be rude.
Honestly, we’ve come to accept big crowds as a fact of life. We publish a travel blog which encourages travel, so we can hardly criticize anyone who wants to travel. However, for us the most important thing is to figure out the best way to have a pleasant travel experience and deal with the crowds as best we can. All the best for a fun and travel-filled 2025. ~James
We also joke that when people go on holidays, they leave their brain at home! I actually don’t mind crowds and enjoy being a tourist. I am always amazed at the kindness of strangers when we travel. Barcelona is one of my favourite places and I was shocked when a friend said that she was treated badly as a tourist there. I’m sure things will get sorted out and both locals and tourists will be able to enjoy these places again. Happy travels in 2025!
A very timely post as I have been reevaluating my travel choices and considering how not to be part of the problem with over tourism. Not having a list of must see, bucket list spots to tick off does help – these are often part of trying to impress friends rather than discover new places. I was also lucky enough to start my travels in my early 20’s though so perhaps this is my privilege speaking. There is the inescapable reality that our world population is now at almost 9 billion so crowds are almost everywhere.
We’re lucky to have visited most of the big, popular cities that we’re interested in, and today, we’re much more likely to base ourselves in smaller city that’s near enough to be able to day trip into the bigger city if we wish. We’ve discovered so many wonderful, medium and small places that are charming, convenient and an absolute pleasure to visit and base ourselves in. At this point we have nothing to prove, and it’s about quality over quantity. All the best for a Happy New Year. ~James
A great essay on over tourism and thoughts to overcome some of the issues. I especially liked your recommendation of staying near a big city rather than in it. At this older stage of our lives, we combine various modes of traveling – some smaller cruise lines to small ports, lots of independent overseas travel which involves renting a car so we can explore more of the country rather than just the capital or the most hyped city, as well as intercity trains as necessary. For instance, renting a car this fall in Malta allowed us to see far more than just crowded Valletta.
Wishing you safe and happy travels in 2025.
Annie, over the years we’ve tried a bit of everything when it comes to travel. But one of the most productive conversations we ever had was an honest assessment of what bugged us about travel. Based on these do’s and don’ts we’ve tweaked the process and our method has gotten pretty standard . It seems that you’ve done the same, and it must work because you’re still out there roaming the globe. Seasoned travelers figure out their preferences, and in the future one of these problems to sort out is how to deal with crowds. Happy New Year and fun travels in 2025. ~James
I think we travel quite similar to you; travelling to the lesser visited countries/cities, avoiding busy times, etc. But this fall we travelled through Spain and Portugal. In the large, popular centres we experienced over tourism and began to understand why the residents were complaining. IT seems that it’s not just the amount of people, but also their behaviour, not respecting the culture, monuments and especially the people. Great advice. Maggie
Maggie, your comment about respect for the culture and monuments is a good one. Locals want their cities back, but it isn’t just cities that are taking measures to limit the number of tourists. If you google specific locations like Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, The Valley of the Kings, and even Yellowstone in the US, all are concerned about crowds and have put restrictions in place. As I said, sadly, it’s going to get worse before it gets better, and I think it’s just something we’ll all have to figure out. Take care and have a great 2025. ~James
I feel so fortunate to have traveled before places became so crowded. I have a nearly identical shot of the Great Wall in China – with one person in it (August 2001). I wonder whether technology will ultimately help. Things like Instagram have made the situation worse, but if Virtual Reality ever takes off, maybe people who are just there for the sights will choose to stay home.
Happy New Year! Kathy.
Kathy, like you we are lucky to have visited many exciting locations years ago when they really were different. And now we’re revisiting some of these spots and are amazed at how they have changed (e.g. Bali, etc). And like you, we feel really lucky to have seen them when they were relatively undiscovered and overrun. But, it’s the nature of the beast these days and all we can do is adjust to the change and move on. Take care and all the best for a happy and healthy 2025. ~James
This is a well written and reflective piece. Many destinations really are suffering with over tourism – I was shocked visiting Barcelona earlier this year and seeing it first hand. Interestingly though it was only at the major sites like the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell (i.e. Instagram famous), and even just down the road within Barcelona it was much quieter.
I agree with the advice about choosing second cities or lesser travelled countries – but I also think visitors need to be more respectful; seeing people littering all over the place in Barcelona made me not blame the locals for wanting them gone!
Thanks Hannah. If you read any of the other comments you probably realized that you weren’t the only one that mentioned visitors being more respectful and not littering. Sometimes I just shake my head in disbelief.
We learned long ago to travel with a small footprint and as much as possible pass under the radar. We know that we normally can’t really blend in, but we certainly don’t want to be an annoyance. One thing I didn’t put into the post that I believe strongly is that no matter where I go I’m a guest, and I should behave that way. If more tourists did this there would be fewer problems. Have a wonderful 2025 and thanks for continuing to follow along. ~James
Great advice. We prefer the far-flung over a place with crowds.
Peggy, from reading about your adventurous travels, it doesn’t surprise me at all that you and John prefer off -the-path destinations. The world gets smaller every year. ~James
I wish I’d gone to Amsterdam years ago, James, because knowing that I’m adding to the problem and may well not be welcome kind of offsets the pleasure I might have from going there now. By the same token I’m glad I saw Venice long before the advent of cruise ships. And yet, I know that many of these popular places still want the tourist coin- just not the inconvenience of hosting. We are privileged to be able to travel, and there are still scores of people for whom its beyond their expectation. Who’d ever heard of travel bloggers 20 years ago? Sometimes I’m fearful of putting anything into print. Last year we went to Cadiz for the first time, and I loved it, but we stayed at El Puerto de Santa Maria, across the bay. It was an interesting place in its own right and we enjoyed mooching around, exploring. That’s what travelling is, isn’t it? I’m currently thinking about the years plans, and how I can travel with sensitivity.
Jo, you make a good point about cities wanting tourist dollars, but not the inconvenience. Many of these tourist hot spots would be very, very different if they lost the tourist income. It’s a bit of having the cake and eating it too. And it’s much easier to talk about stopping tourist traffic and actually doing it. And your other point about being privileged to be able to travel is a good one as well. We’ve traveled for decades, but we never take it for granted. And as I said to someone else, no matter where I travel I realize that I’m a guest in their country and I act like it.
Good luck with your travel plans for the coming year. I enjoy the travel but the planning is also fun as well. And the fact that you even think of being a sensitive visitor puts you head and shoulders about most tourists. Have a happy and successful 2025. ~James
Thanks, darlin! Hope you and Terri have something good afoot, but life is beautiful. Enjoy!
These are really great tips! I remember going to Heidelberg in Germany around 17 years ago. While the city was already popular among tourists, it was nowhere near how it sounds today. But flying to Europe back then cost me more than double than what it would cost me today. So the advent of cheap flights really helped boost mass tourism. Like what has been mentioned in some comments, I agree that one of the biggest issues with overtourism is the way many tourists behave, especially those that are part of big groups. I feel like there’s this mentality that they can get away with anything, which only fuels further resentment from the locals. Anyway, I wish you a year filled with memorable travels ahead!
Bama I absolutely agree with your suggestion about low cost air travel being a huge part of the change in travel crowds. We’ve flown quite a lot in the past year, both domestic and international, and it’s amazing how few empty seats there are on every plane, no matter what time it is. Of course, cheaper flights means more access for travel for more people, which is certainly an improvement in their quality of life. So as I said to someone else, I see it as a fact of life and the question becomes how best to personally deal with it. Alll the best to you for a Happy and successful 2025.
Great post James and all really valid points and top tips on avoiding those crazy crowds. We have friends travelling through Europe at the moment and every second photo they post on FB has them queuing up with the masses. I’m grateful that I’ve seen many of the “major” tourist cities in my younger days. I’m also glad we didn’t have social media back then. Ticking places off the travel to do list is no longer high on my list. I’ll find those hidden gems thanks. Have an amazing and wonderful filled 2025, wherever you go!!
Miriam, we spent a month in Europe at the end of Sept, and essentially everywhere we went, we were surprised by the crowds. These crowds were what prompted my comment about re-evaluating shoulder season. Like you, we no longer have a punch list of places to visit, and we can pick and choose where we go, and when. It’s a good choice to have, but things are definitely changing and our travel plans are requiring a bit of a re-think. Best of luck for a year of fun-filled travel in 2025. ~James
Hi Terri & James,
Thank you for this thoughtful piece! Like you, I’ve experienced both sides of overtourism. I’ve contributed by traveling to popular destinations (we were just in Paris a few weekends ago to see the Christmas lights) and have lived in a few tourist hotspots, notably coastal Croatia, as well as Heidelberg, Germany; Valletta, Malta, and now Amboise, in France’s Loire Valley. Here in France, we’ve witnessed first-hand how challenging it can be finding long-term accommodation given the plethora of short-term holiday apartments devouring much of the real estate supply.
I agree that one of the solutions is to travel during the low season. Here in the Loire Valley for example, it’s admittedly rather chilly and less pleasant weather-wise than some summer days (though we are starting to have some uncomfortable summer temperatures). In a few days, once the winter holiday travelers return home, our little town will be blissfully quiet. The major châteaux stay open during the off season, and with the fantastic restaurants there’s always something to do, even on a cold winter’s day.
Most of our favorite travel experiences have been to the Mediterranean during the winter months. The local residents have more time to chat, crowd sizes are smaller or non-existent, prices are more reasonable, and the weather is still pretty pleasant.
Happy New Year – Bonne Année to you both!
Hey Tricia. It’s great to hear from you and we hope that things are going well for you and Shawn. You guys have traveled and lived in so many places that I’m sure the issue of crowds and overtourism is something you’ve seen a good deal of. And Christmas in Amboise must also come with its own crowd problems.
Of all the points we discuss in the post travel in the shoulder season has always been the saving grace for us. But we were in Malta, Switzerland, and France in late September and were amazed at the crowds. Nice and Paris were particularly surprising. And as you point out, sliding shoulder season earlier or later usually means potential weather issues. So going forward it’s going to come down to priorities and compromise in sometimes less than ideal circumstances. After all our years of travel we know what we do and don’t like, so it will just be a matter of a bit more research, planning, and juggling of priorities. Thanks for your comment and all the best to you and Shawn for a happy and successful 2025. ~James & Terri
My explanation for why overtourism is getting worse? People are getting richer. Everyone complains about inflation and how expensive everything is, but look at how easily they jump on a plane or travel to an exotic – or not so exotic – location…
Look at the newer generations and (young) families. Parents take their children on vacations abroad from the US or places like South Africa and the US from Belgium like it’s nothing. When I was a kid, our holidays consisted of a road trip to a neighboring country. If we were lucky. Times have changed and the world is getting overrun.
When we started traveling the world in a camper in 2003, you saw quite a few people doing this in North America. But, we barely met others in Central and South America. Now? You probably wouldn’t believe me when I say that there are currently at least 200 campers in Ushuaia. In one city down here!
Solutions? Slow travel. Avoiding weekends and holidays. Escape in nature. Try less popular areas that are near the popular ones. While I realize I’m a tourist as well, I can’t stand crowds anymore, so I try to avoid it. Book your ticket for Machu Picchu at 6am and go on your own. This allows you to stay longer and experience the sights in more depth. When we arrive in a country or city where we (or our dog) are not welcome, we leave.
Liesbet as you say, times have changed. We’ve been hearing for decades that the world gets smaller every year, and that’s absolutely the case. As others have said, I’m glad that I started traveling years ago and was able to see many of the popular sights and places before they were overwhelmed with other tourists.
Lifestyles have improved for many and higher wages have put travel within reach for many people. But certainly, one of the major reasons for increased travel has to be easier and more affordable access to transport. Which must inevitably be driven by more availability and use of hydrocarbon fuels, and future generations will have to pay the bill for this. Of course, as an avid traveler, I have to include myself as one of the people responsible. It’s a complex problem no doubt, and I hope that smarter people than me are thinking about solutions. ~James
While over tourism is a problem (one to which I contribute at times), I am growing weary of the locals complaining about all the tourists while at the same time converting much of their local housing to short-term rentals and air b&bs. I was in Cefalu’, Sicily recently and much of the building in which I rented a unit for two weeks was occupied by travelers. Residents have moved out farther in the area because of the income they can make from renting property. This is true in many cities were affordable housing has been removed from the market to take advantage of tourist income. I know that some cities are trying to limit short-term rentals but actions such as limiting the use of lock boxes isn’t going to stem the conversion of housing to tourist rentals. It is a two edged sword but loving the tourist dollars but hating the tourists isn’t going to solve the problems.
Thanks for the comment Marie. Short-term rentals for tourists in hot spots is definitely a part of this issue. And your comment demonstrates some of the ambivalence we all feel about overtourism. In our city, one of the biggest problems with short term rentals seems to be the lack of rules or their lax reinforcement.
We lived at St. Augustine Beach, Florida for a few years, and in addition to stimulating the local economy, tourist dollars supported restaurants and bars that everyone in the community enjoyed even in the off season. However, it’s a thin line between just enough and too many, and much of the judgement depends on one’s point of view. There’s no easy solution I’m afraid, and it will take some serious government involvement and oversight to make the situation better. ~James
Good topic to think about. Ok on roadtrips stay way from places nearby Interstate Highways as much as possible. On cruises , be more elective on choosing excursions and avoid those sedentary bus tours as much as possible.
Thanks for the comment and for dropping by the blog James. Your advice on road trips and cruises is good on both counts. Interstate highways are convenient for making miles no doubt, but for tourist sights they really only represent the commercial homogenization of America, and have little of interest for travelers other than hotels, food, and gas. ~James
Many good ideas from blog post and commenters. Seems to me I will land in Florence in mid-Sept. –still a crowds time there. Oh well. Yes, shoulder season is no longer a secret in some popular destinations –one sees it at Banff National Park. I live 130 kms. east from there. Certainly for any national/state/provincial park to go on work days during shoulder seasons can help. And James, right now because of the Trump tactics to challenge/mock its allies, CAnadians I know are clearly not visiting the U.S. this yr. for pleasure. Heading to Mexico or Europe since our CAnadian dollar is weak. So again, we’re going to now some have some even busier world destinations this yr. and probably next yr.
Jean, as Americans who travel a good deal, we’re very upset and embarrassed, to be honest, about the change in attitude in Washington. I’m sure that for the next four years there are going to be lots of places where Americans will not be welcomed. And like you, there will be lots of travelers avoiding visiting America for the same reasons. I will go to my grave being surprised that Trump was elected a second time, but in the meantime we’ll just get on with our lives and not let what happens in Washington drag us down.
We’ve been to Florence a couple of times, and had a wonderful visit. Even with the crowds, there’s no denying it’s a crucible for art and culture that influenced Europe and the world. Have a fun trip. ~James