9 gorgeous islands, cities, towns and villages that had enough of tourists - ‘too many’

Travel

2026-01-03 08:02:00 134 Views 05 Comment

These nine islands, cities and villages are undeniably beautiful, but their appeal has come at a cost.

Whether they suddenly became popular due to viral social media posts or tourist numbers have slowly increased over the years, some destinations reached a breaking point last year.

The streets in several places were overwhelmed by local protesters last year, with activists demanding that they can reclaim their neighbourhoods, free from constant tourist congestion.

Take a look at our photo gallery below for more.

Oia, traditional greek village

Santorini, Greece

The Instagrammable beauty of the island has almost become its downfall, with more than 3million tourists visiting the island annually to see its white houses and blue roofs above crystal waters.

“We live in a place of barely 25,000 souls and we don’t need any more hotels or any more rented rooms,” Mayor Nikos Zoros told the Guardian.

“If you destroy the landscape, one as rich as ours, you destroy the very reason people come here in the first place.”

Tensions rose in 2024 when politician Panos Kavalaris called on residents to limit their movements to make room for tourists.

“Not only do we have to put up with them, now we have to hide in our houses to make way for them,” one resident said, who lives in Oia, a popular village in Santorini for sunset watching.

(Image: Getty)

Nusa Dua Bali luxury resort area and famous tropical beach destination for wealthy travelers seeking peaceful vacation away from crowds, Bali Indonesi

Bali, Indonesia

The pretty island is one of the world’s "most high-profile victims of mass tourism", according to Responsible Travel.

It claimed the island’s iconic rice terraces are disappearing beneath hotels, while traffic makes life difficult for locals, and the strain on the infrastructure is almost unbearable.

One significant problem is plastic pollution, with rubbish often washing up on beaches - a far cry from the white sandy pictures online.

The government has banned single-use plastics which reduces the number of straws and shopping bags, but Bali’s beaches, roadsides, and waterways are still strewn with waste.

Plus, Responsible Travel states that more than half of the island’s groundwater is poured into the tourism industry – for its baths and showers, swimming pools, laundries, and landscaped gardens. Most of Bali doesn’t have mains water, so some locals are reliant on wells.

(Image: Getty)

Grand Canal, Venice, Italy with gondolas, and classical buildings

Venice, Italy

With more than 30 million tourists flocking to Venice every year, the historic canal city is struggling to cope with the huge numbers.

Residents have complained that cruise ships bring a huge number of these visitors, but they often dock for short periods without time to visit local businesses or hotels. As a result, little money is reinvested in the system to support the infrastructure they use.

Their numbers put strain on Venice’s fragile buildings, its old infrastructure, and frustrated residents, who have protested against tourism.

It has prompted the city to implement measures like an entry fee for day-trippers, banning large cruise ships from the historic centre, and limiting tour group sizes.

(Image: Getty)

Costa Adeje shoreline. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Tenerife, Spain

Overtourism in Tenerife has caused significant backlash, with residents protesting issues such as housing.

Concerned locals warned that the number of holiday rentals has taken housing off the market for locals, and pushed prices to unaffordable amounts.

Locals have said their quality of life is declining, with many employed but unable to afford to live on the island, leading to calls for sustainable tourism and caps on development.

Last year, thousands of residents took to the streets in protest of mass tourism.

As the most visited destination in the Canary Islands, it introduced measures to reduce the impact of overtourism, such as a daily cap on visitor numbers to Anaga Rural Park.

(Image: Getty)

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