The dreaded word “overtourism” keeps appearing in headlines for many European destinations, but Portugal is doing something about this. Instead of packing out the popular cities and beaches with wall-to-wall tourists, Portugal aims to create the world’s longest circular hiking route, the 3,000 km (1,864 mi) Palmilhar Portugal (Walking Portugal). Are you up to it? Get...
Many popular destinations in Europe are introducing measures to combat overtourism, including Venice, Amsterdam and Barcelona. However, another popular location, this time in Switzerland, is also battling against two many tourists. Lauterbrunnun is considering introducing a tourist tax to visit the village, which is popular on social media due to its charm and the...
Park Güell is second only to the Sagrada Familia in popularity in Barcelona, Spain. Both are the incredible work of the late Antoni Gaudí, the famed Catalan Modernist architect. However, locals in the La Salut neighborhood of the city have had enough of hordes of tourists using their bus 116 route on the way to Park Güell. They have complained for years about sharing...
Amsterdam recently banned large cruise ships from its harbor in an effort to defeat overtourism. They have also released several new rules for travelers visiting the popular Netherlands city. However, now Amsterdam is taking more steps to fight overtourism, with the latest reducing the number of river cruises on the city’s picturesque canals. Amsterdam to reduce...
Over-tourism rears its head again as Barcelona announces an increase in its tourist tax on April 1. The iconic Spanish city first levied a tourist tax in 2012 to attract “quality” tourism, but now it is set to increase again. Read on to learn more about the tourist tax and how it affects travelers. Barcelona, Spain increases tourist tax once again Since it first...
Local officials in Gion, the popular geisha district of Kyoto, are now banning tourists from the streets and alleys in the area. The reason is the lack of cultural awareness and the subsequent bad behavior by the tourists. It also forms part of the overtourism that has been affecting Japan since the end of the pandemic. Kyoto officials to ban tourists from...
Japan has joined many other iconic tourist attractions in its fight against overtourism. To protect the UNESCO World Heritage Site, new rules are being implemented to combat overtourism. To this end, the country is adding a tourist fee for those visiting the iconic Mount Fuji. Japan to fight overtourism at Mount Fuji CNN reports that Mount Fuji, a popular site for...
Venice is an undeniably beautiful and fascinating destination in Italy and for that reason, the city gets too many visitors. Since the end of the pandemic, travel has returned to new levels as people once again explore their world. However, too many people are not a good thing in any city’s books. Trying to protect the beauty of the city and its historic buildings...
Government officials in The Netherlands have announced an increase in tourist tax for travelers staying over in Amsterdam in 2024. When the new tourist tax comes in next year, this will make the city’s fee higher than anywhere else in Europe. Amsterdam announces increase in 2024 tourist tax Since the end of the pandemic, travel is back in a huge way with people...