15 places that have been ruined by tourism

Tourism is both a blessing and a curse.

While a healthy amount can boost the economy, too much of it can be harmful to the environment and uproot local populations.

Before you book your next trip, consider how your wanderlust is affecting some of the most beautiful places in the world.

With “the river of five colours,” also known as “the melted rainbow,” waters that are a hallucinogenic concoction of pink, red, green, and blue colours (a result of the unique micro-organisms living in it) and its jaw-dropping waterfalls, Caño Cristales is now overwhelmingly popular.

And, it’s only become more so after a 2016 peace agreement was signed between the government of Colombia and the country’s largest rebel group.

The uptick in foot traffic is cause for concern, as it could jeopardise the area’s extremely fragile ecosystem. In 2017, access was restricted to give the river a break.

“We decided to implement the restriction because human presence can harm the plants’ reproduction processes,” Faber Ramos, coordinator of the ecotourism program, told the BBC.

We asked our readers to share their most memorable moments while travelling with kids of all ages – and as usual they did not disappoint.

The cult classic Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach turned this remote beach in Thailand into a major tourist trap.

It’s not hard to see why! The secluded cove features glittering, translucent water, white sands, and limestone cliffs.

Then as more and more tourists flocked to the sandy shores, Maya Beach became impossible to enjoy; visitors could hardly walk, never mind lie down.

Thailand was forced to close the beach for months in 2018.

Though the closure was only supposed to be temporary, it’s now shut down indefinitely.

Embarrassing incidents, hilarious stuff-ups, failed romances, shipwrecks, earthquakes, motorbike gangs and more – these true reader tales from around the world show us that even the best-laid travel plans can quickly come undone.

The beautiful island of Boracay once was revered for its exclusivity but in recent years mass-market tourism and lack of infrastructure have led to a major downfall.

The island underwent a six-month closure to visitors in 2018 to allow authorities to restore it, reports the Telegraph.

It reopened in October with strict new rules: masseuses, vendors, bonfires, watersports (save for swimming) and the builders of Boracay’s infamous sandcastles are now banned.

Also under the new rules, a maximum of 19,200 tourists are allowed on the island at any one time.

Many hotels and restaurants have been shut down for not meeting standards, and a mere 160 tourism-related businesses have been approved to re-open.

Thinking about holidaying alone, but a bit concerned about the pitfalls? You needn’t worry if you consider these tips first.

“Machu Picchu is a great attraction, but we are worried about its sustainability,” Sandra Doig, incoming tourism deputy director of PROMPERU, the Commission for the Promotion of Exports and Tourism of Peru told the Washington Post.

“It is being affected by too many people at the citadel at the same time.”

One of the new Seven Wonders of the World, the Incan citadel is set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru.

Getting there is quite a feat, and yet record numbers of visitors flood the region annually (610,000 from January to July 2018).

To combat the masses damaging the site, tourism authorities are attempting to impose strict time slots, advance ticket purchase, and visitor limits.

Travelling is stressful as it is, so let’s not add the burden of getting sick from the flight to your itinerary.

Built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea, the main allure of Venice is its famed canals, while the abundance of delicious food and wine, the culture, and the ornate architecture add to its allure.

But over-tourism has chipped away at the city’s vitality.

Cruise ships and group bus tours have made infamous sights like St. Marks Square a blur of people and the streets are lined with litter; between the hoards of humans and the rising sea levels, Venice is sinking rapidly and the stonework and carvings on its historic buildings are crumbling.

Venetians are finally fighting back, however: Beginning summer of 2019, short stay tourists will be charged up to €10 (about $11.50) to enter the city.

Nothing’s worse than that sinking feeling you get when you head off on your adventure and remember you left something important at home.

Keep your angst to a minimum and use this handy travel checklist.

The azure waters of Cozumel, an island situated off the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, has become a popular tourist spot especially for Americans and Canadians looking to relax in the sun.

Many visitors arrive via cruise ship, which has harmed one of the idyllic island’s most prized possessions: coral reef. It’s no secret coral is delicate. Global climate change and ocean acidification have proven this and now the boat traffic, which has damaged the reef further out, is adding to the damage.

To combat the issue, marine biologist German Mendez has started an organisation called the “Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program,” to protect the reef.

Just remember, with every dollar you save while travelling, you can put it towards your next holiday.

Take a look at these 5 travel hacks to stretch your holiday budget.

This Indonesian archipelago near the island of New Guinea is made up of four big islands, one medium-sized one, and thousands of tiny islands all of which forms part of Coral Triangle, where some of the richest marine biodiversity resides.

The breathtaking beauty of this spot, also referred to as “the Four Kings,” has brought a mass of tourists via cruise ships.

In March of 2017, a 295-foot cruise ship called the Caledonian Sky only worsened the concern of over-tourism, as it got caught in low tide and ran aground in the reef, resulting in $18.6 million worth of damage and an estimated decades-long recovery time for the reef, according to a team of environmentalists and academics.

Booking a cruise can take some planning. Here’s the 24 secrets cruise lines won’t tell you like the perfect times to book a trip, what ‘all-inclusive’ really means and more.

The entire continent of Antarctica is in trouble, between global climate change and the mass infiltration of tourists via cruise ships.

The boat traffic, from Chile and Argentina down to the Antarctic Peninsula, has greatly increased water pollution, threatening the lives of unique species.

The Antarctic Treaty has sought to stop such environmental devastation, limiting the number of people allowed on shore to 100 at a time, while ships carrying more than 500 passengers are not allowed at any of the landing sites.

Sailing to Antarctica, cruising the Galapagos Islands and travelling along the Trans-Siberian Railway are the top three trips every traveller must take in their lifetime, according to US-based Flight Network’s World’s Best Once-In-A-Lifetime Journeys 2018 list.

The land-locked country of Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom on the Himalayas’ eastern edge, is a favourite among tourists for its monasteries, fortresses, and dramatic landscapes.

Visitors were not allowed in Bhutan until the 1970s, which has only added to its popularity.

Unfortunately, pollution has wreaked havoc on the natural beauty of Bhutan, causing the government to implement tourism restrictions.

Visitors must go through an official tour guide and pay around £200 per day (about $228).

“Last year the industrial town of Pasakha in the south found itself in the unenviable position of being in the top ten of the world’s most polluted cities.” Jet Cost told Country Living.

“There are growing concerns about the impact that tourism is having on the nation and its contribution to pollution, which may lead to a more severe policy than already exists.”

With just a little bit of effort, you can also do your part in taking care of the earth.

The key is to make small and sustainable changes in your daily life so these habits will become second nature.

These 7 simple steps can get you started on an eco-conscious lifestyle.