A list of countries where it is better not to plan travel in the coming year has been published. It included places that suffer due to excessive concentration of tourists, garbage, and water quality.
The annual Fodor’s anti-rating opens with “crowded” places. These countries have even taken certain measures to reduce the flow of tourists.
- Venice, Italy. This tourist destination is only suitable for those who love noisy places. Those who appreciate a relaxing holiday may not like Venice. Let us note that the city authorities are already developing ways to combat the invasion of tourists, but even paid entrance to museums and architectural structures does not stop inquisitive travelers.
- Athens, Greece. Greece, according to the company, has become a fashionable destination in 2023. Accordingly, Athens is one of the most visited cities in the country. The large influx of tourists has a serious impact on monuments and buildings, so the government has adopted several laws that can protect the historical appearance of the city.
- Mount Fuji, Japan. Every year about 10 thousand tourists from all over the world climb the mountain. Therefore, the Japanese began to come up with additional routes to evenly distribute the influx of travelers. Residents are demanding that the government take additional measures. In many ways, the Japanese are unhappy that tourists litter right on the mountain, depriving it of its original appearance.
The list of the dirtiest places does not include crowded cities, but a desert, a bay, and a mountain, which are drowning in garbage because of people.
- San Gabriel Mountain National Monument, California. Piles of garbage and lack of timely cleaning have led potential tourists to lose interest in the scenic area. This year, volunteers removed more than 8,000 pounds of trash, but such charitable efforts only have a short-term effect.
- Atacama Desert, Chile. The Atacama Desert has turned into a global garbage dump. On its territory, there are tens of thousands of tons of garbage, which, according to experts, will decompose for hundreds of years. These landfills are visible even from space, so experts strongly advise against visiting this once picturesque and fabulous place.
- Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. The country is recognized as the most visited in 2023 for several reasons: low prices, beautiful nature, and kind people. However, the rapid development of tourism in the region has negatively affected the ecology of Vietnam. For example, Ha Long Bay was filled with debris and diesel traces of ships. Therefore, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is under environmental threat.
The No List also included Lake Superior in Michigan, the Ganges River in India, and Koh Samui in Thailand.
- Lake Superior, USA/Canada. This lake is the largest and deepest in the Great Lakes system and the largest freshwater lake in the world by area. However, now the natural reservoir is suffering due to climate change – an increase in water temperature has led to algae actively growing in it. The volume of drinking water that previously came from it decreases every year. Therefore, experts advise refraining from visiting the lake and choosing more resort places.
- Ganges River, India. This place can be easily bypassed on a tourist route in 2024. The Ganges River was filled with more than 800 million gallons of untreated sewage and cruise ships carrying thousands of people. Due to river pollution, dolphins are at risk of extinction.
- Koh Samui, Thailand. A popular island in Thailand has serious water problems. 70 percent of the island’s water reserves are used for industrial purposes. Therefore, this year tourists were forced to buy bottled water on their own, the prices of which jumped several times. The water shortage began in December last year and continues to this day. To restore fresh water supplies, the authorities plan to reduce the number of tourists and introduce several restrictions.