From Barcelona to Hanoi, travel hotspots levy tourist taxes and take other steps to curb crowds, pollution, bad behaviour

Then, in an attempt to attract culturally sensitive tourists, the “Renew Your View” campaign was launched to encourage appreciation of the city through the eyes of locals rather than as part of the mass tourism phenomenon.

These initiatives come in the wake of the ban on cruise ships entering the city center, a decision that authorities say aligns with their sustainable development ambitions.

Venice, Italy

Amsterdam is not the only place that bans or restricts cruise ships. In 2021, Venice banned ocean liners weighing more than 25,000 tons, as damage to the lagoon, palace foundations and other centuries-old structures saw Unesco threaten to put the City of Channels on their endangered list.

Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and Juneau, Alaska, United States

Protests by residents of the Spanish city of Palma de Mallorca have resulted in a decision that only three ships are allowed in port at any one time, and authorities in Juneau, in the state of Alaska, have limited the number of large ships docking in the harbor. State capital of Alaska at five per day.

Scotland, United Kingdom

Scotland, which counts its cruise ship passengers in the millions, wants to increase the tax on ships that emit high levels of pollutants.

Citing a 2021 study that says a ship’s carbon footprint could be more than 12,000 cars, Scottish Green Party minister Lorna Slater believes new legislation will incentivize companies to build zero-emission ships.

Mount Everest, Nepal

Mountaineering organizations generally adhere to the Leave No Trace rule, which provides guidelines for the disposal of human waste.

The ban on throwing waste on the road makes sense, not least because mountaineers often rely on melted snow for drinking water.

Also starting this year, Everest climbers will have to wear government-issued tracking chips, which help guide rescue teams.

Denmark

Fly to Denmark and you may soon pay a passenger tax. The scheme, which is part of the Scandinavian nation’s green transformation of air travel, is planned for 2025 and will see air travelers pay US$9 for flights originating in Europe and US$56 for long-haul services distance

The money generated will be used to develop sustainable fuels on domestic flights by 2030.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Do you want an exclusive holiday? Only 2,100 tourists visited this island in 2023

Despite the measures, determined trainspotters continue to find ways to reach the rails, often with the help of locals who point out openings.

Officials responded by calling for tougher penalties for makeshift cafes and travel agencies were told not to organize tours of the area.

The situation is fluid, however, and some travelers have posted updates online saying they were able to get in while others warn that military personnel are guarding entries. The rules will probably change again in a month or two.

Hallstatt, Austria

Another bucket-list favorite that has become too popular for its own good is the picturesque Austrian town of Hallstatt (population: 800). The wooden houses and shimmering alpine lake appear as wallpaper on the Microsoft Windows 10 computer operating system and the scene is so admired by Chinese Instagrammers that a replica has been built in Huizhou, Guangdong province.

In August 2023, residents armed with placards (“Tourism yes – mass tourism no”) blocked traffic on the main road in Hallstatt to show their displeasure at the 10,000 day-trippers they clog the roads.

The Austrian capital, Vienna, all tourism “life-seeing” for wealthy visitors

Protesters urged the government to regulate the number of visitors and called for a ban on tourist buses after 5pm.

A solution could be an approach to the entry of time and a daily leader, similar to the system that is now in place for vacationers who want to discover the archaeological site of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

Kyoto and Mount Fuji, Japan

Geisha Paparazzi, as some overzealous tourists have become known, are accused of ignoring signs prohibiting non-consensual photography, approaching and touching kimono-clad entertainers and even stalking them as they head to teahouse appointments.

Seville, Spain

According to the mayor of Seville, the semicircular structure, which was used in the filming of the 1999 Star Wars movie The Phantom Menace, is at risk of permanent damage unless money is raised to finance conservation work.

Istanbul, Turkey

The money will go towards the maintenance, preservation and management of one of Turkey’s most historic sites.