As the number of tourists around the world continues to rise, many famous spots are hitting a turning point. Some countries and towns are thinking again about their open-door policies because of problems like too many tourists, damage to the environment, and loss of culture. To protect their history and environment, many places are putting in place stricter rules or even thinking about closing down completely.
This can be seen in the clean mountains of Bhutan and the fragile ecosystems of the Galápagos Islands. This trend shows that travel is moving toward being more controlled and viable. This blog post talks about 10 places that might soon close their doors to tourists, either partly or completely, to protect what makes them so special. If you’re already traveling the world or are just planning your next trip, knowing about these possible changes will help you make smarter, more responsible travel decisions before it’s too late.
Bhutan
Bhutan has been known for being strict about tourists and putting quality over number for a long time. To protect its culture and nature, the Himalayan kingdom came up with the “High Value, Low Impact” tourism plan. Travelers have to pay a daily Sustainable Development Fee, which for most foreigners is $100 per day and goes straight to funding infrastructure and protection. Bhutan limits the number of tourists who can visit so that its pure natural settings don’t get too crowded and so that the spiritual peace of its old monasteries and temples is kept.
Bhutan has worked even harder in recent years to protect its unique culture and environment as the number of tourists from around the world has grown. Bhutan probably won’t want a lot of tourists because it doesn’t have a lot of facilities and focuses on Gross National Happiness (GNH) rather than economic growth. Due to continued damage to the environment and the government’s strong attitude, Bhutan may make it harder for tourists to visit, especially in areas that are farther away or more sensitive. To protect traditional places and wildlife, this could mean higher fees, stricter rules, or even seasonal closings.
Venice, Italy
Venice, which is sometimes called “The Floating City,” has been overrun by cruise ships and day-trippers for years, putting a lot of stress on the city’s infrastructure and environment. The city’s population has been slowly going down, but every year millions of tourists come to walk along its famous canals. As a result, the local government has put in place a number of limits, such as making it illegal for big cruise ships to dock in the historic center and charging day tourists a fee to enter. Tourists will have to book their trips and pay a fee starting in 2024. If they don’t, they will be fined.
These steps are only the beginning. To protect Venice’s fragile climate and cultural history, officials are thinking about putting in place stricter rules. Rising water, mostly caused by climate change and more people walking around, has made protecting Venice an important matter. To protect its UNESCO World Heritage status, the city could seriously limit the number of visitors who come every day, put in place yearly bans, or even temporarily close some areas to people who don’t live there.
Barcelona, Spain
Over 30 million people visit Barcelona every year, making it one of the most popular towns in Europe. Tourism has been very good for the local business, but it has also caused too many tourists, higher living costs, and anger among locals. Noise and short-term rentals have completely changed the way neighborhoods like El Raval and Barri Gòtic look and feel. Because of this, city officials have taken big steps to cut down on the number of tourists. Some of these are putting limits on hotel licenses, going after illegal rentals, and pushing places that don’t get as much traffic.
The mayor has said that he wants to move toward a plan for tourism that is sustainable and puts the health and happiness of people first. More and more people in the area are against large-scale tourism, and there are protests and writings telling tourists to leave. More limiting measures may be coming soon as the city tries to deal with the effects of its fame. Some of these could be more restrictions on where people can stay, limits on how many people can visit important sites at once, or even zoning laws that stop tourism from growing in home areas.
Machu Picchu, Peru
The famous Incan fortress in the Andes called Machu Picchu has been at risk of overtourism for a long time. It was built to hold a few hundred people, but now it gets over a million tourists a year. This influx risks the site’s structural stability and speeds up the damage to the environment. As a result, the Peruvian government has put in place a ticketing system that limits the number of people who can come each day, set times for entry, and marked paths to keep people from walking too much.
The Inca Trail, a famous way to walk to Machu Picchu, also limits the number of hikers who can go each day and needs to be booked in advance. But the site is still under a lot of stress, and UNESCO has said over and over that Machu Picchu could lose its World Heritage status if steps aren’t taken to lessen its impact on the environment. Future limits could include limiting the number of visitors even more, requiring only guided trips, or even switching who can visit different areas so that they can be restored. In the future, the government may close the site for long periods of time to protect it from damage that can’t be fixed and to encourage long-term protection.
Thailand
Thailand has been a tourist destination for a long time, thanks to its beautiful beaches, lively towns, and rich cultural history. But it’s becoming clearer that a lot of tourists is bad for the environment, especially in places like Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, and Maya Bay. The Beach made Maya Bay famous, but it was closed in 2018 because of damage to the coral reefs and too many people. The shutdown was a turning point in Thailand’s tourist policy, even though it has since reopened with strict rules.
The government is now pushing ecotourism and “quality over quantity,” which means that they want people to visit less-visited areas. Thailand may make it harder for tourists to get to popular tourist spots or make rules tighter for tour companies as people become more aware of the environment and worry about the loss of culture. There are also more and more calls for nature parks and marine places to charge higher fees to enter. If tourists keep upsetting the ecosystem and making it hard for people to make a living, Thailand might close down or limit access to some of its most famous sights, either forever or just during certain times of the year.
Iceland
Geysers, glaciers, volcanoes, and black sand beaches are just some of Iceland’s beautiful scenery that have become very popular thanks to cheap flights and social media. Over the past ten years, the country has seen a huge increase in tourists, far outnumbering its small population. The economy has grown thanks to tourism, but it has put a lot of stress on natural places and infrastructure, like the Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle, and Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon. Some places have been briefly closed to let nature heal, and Icelandic officials are speaking out more and more about the need for tourism that doesn’t harm the environment.
Plans are already in place to charge higher fees for entry, limit access during off-seasons, and limit the number of tourists who can visit sensitive areas. Iceland might take harsher steps in the future, like limiting the number of visitors or making organized trips required in areas with a lot of damage. If the damage to the environment keeps happening, some places might not be open to guests at all. Iceland is putting more effort into protecting its natural beauty than getting as many tourists as possible. This means that the country might need stronger access controls.
New Zealand
New Zealand’s untouched scenery and appeal as a place for outdoor adventures bring in millions of tourists every year, which is good for the economy but bad for the environment. The country’s infrastructure has trouble handling big groups, especially in outlying places. People who live in and protect national parks are worried about overcrowding, more trash, and damage to ecosystems. As a result, New Zealand put in place measures like the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy and limits on free camping.
The government has also pushed the “Tiaki Promise,” which tells tourists to be good travelers and treat local traditions and nature with respect. Tougher rules are being thought about by the government, especially in places like Milford Sound and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing that are important for the environment. To lessen the damage that tourism does to the environment, New Zealand may require tighter permits, limits on the number of visitors per day, and higher fees in the future. They could also close during certain times of the year or in certain areas. New Zealand has a strong national character that is tied to conservation and Māori beliefs. To protect its environment, it may take bold steps, such as closing or limiting access to popular places.
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
The Galápagos Islands are one of the greenest places on Earth, and they are home to species that can’t be found anywhere else. Recently, there has been a lot more tourism to the islands, which has made people worry about how it will affect the fragile ecosystems and native wildlife. Ecuador has put in place strict rules, such as requiring guides, limiting licenses, and limiting the number of planes and cruise ships that can visit. Even with these attempts, pollution, invasive species, and ecosystem loss caused by people are still a threat to the islands’ ecology.
Groups that care about the environment have asked the government to close or limit tourists even more on some islands to protect their natural beauty. The Galápagos National Park Directorate keeps a close eye on how visitors affect the park and may make no-go zones bigger or cut the number of yearly permits. Long-term, the government could stop certain activities during certain times of the year or greatly increase entry fees to discourage short-term visitors. If the need to protect the environment is greater than the desire to make money, Ecuador might make it even harder for tourists to visit, putting the protection of this global natural prize first.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
After becoming famous around the world as a shooting location for Game of Thrones, Dubrovnik is now one of the busiest tourist spots in Europe. People from cruise ships and day trips now often crowd the city’s ancient walls and small streets, putting stress on the buildings and lowering the quality of life for locals. Because of this, the local government has started to limit the number of cruise ships that can dock each day and has put up cameras to keep an eye on the crowds.
Dubrovnik has also cut down on outdoor cafés and souvenir stands to make more room and protect public areas. All of these steps are part of a bigger plan to take back control of tourists and protect the city’s UNESCO World Heritage status. If too many tourists keep coming, the government might put even tighter limits on the number of visitors, charge more to get into the old city, or stop people from entering during busy times or seasons. Like Venice, future plans could include a way to book tickets to see the city’s most popular sights.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali has been a tourist favorite for a long time because it has beautiful beaches, rich cultural traditions, and green tropical scenery. But the fast growth of tourists has caused some big problems. In the past few years, the island has had problems with overcrowding, traffic, trash waste, and not having enough water. Temples and other cultural sites are often overcrowded, and some holy places have been harmed by tourists who weren’t aware of the rules or weren’t caring. As a result, the Balinese government has started to punish bad behavior, has suggested a tourist tax, and is pushing for more responsible tourism.
There are talks going on about limiting certain kinds of tourism, like not letting backpackers or cheap tourists in because they are thought to hurt the economy and the environment more than they help. Bali has also thought about putting limits on the number of people who can visit famous spots like Ubud or the Gili Islands during certain times of the year. If things don’t get better, the island could put in place stricter rules, like closing some sites to help the nature heal or only letting eco-certified businesses operate in protected areas.
Bottom Line
Many famous places have both good and bad effects from tourists. As people become more aware of the social and environmental costs of travel, places like Bali, Venice, and Machu Picchu may make it harder to get there or even ban it altogether. Please be careful when you visit these places now if you want to do so.
Know the rules in your area, pick eco-friendly choices, and show care for the people and places you visit. We need to all work together to save these amazing places before they have to close their doors. The future of travel rests on it.
FAQs
Why do some governments limit tourism?
Too many tourists are hurting the earth, upsetting cultures, and putting a strain on infrastructure in many countries. Putting limits on these places helps protect them for future generations.
Are these closures going to last forever?
Not all the time. Some bans may be seasonal or short-term, with the goal of restoring or lowering pressure during peak seasons.
What are some safe ways for me to travel to these places?
Follow the rules in your area, try to avoid busy journey times, buy from local stores, and choose tours and hotels that are good for the environment.
Is it too late to go to these places?
No, not yet—but time may be running out. You can make sure you still get to see these places by planning ahead and going with care.
