[00:00] Once the appealing of the renegades were a grim local, the city was fast becoming unusable. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at holiday hotspots that many say have lost their way.
[00:15] Honestly, all I can remember is just seeing so many boats, just boats upon boats, that really, you couldn't really see the water. Machu Picchu, Peru. Mass tourism has turned this breathtaking ecological sanctuary above the clouds into a bureaucratic gauntlet.
[00:31] Now Machu Picchu isn't one experience anymore. It's multiple different experiences with strict rules, strict time slots, and zero flexibility. The entry, see, doesn't cover all of Machu Picchu's circuits or the mandatory transit.
[00:45] The costs are pushing higher than the centuries-old citadel itself, and daily attendance has been capped at up to 5,600 people to curb the further erosion of the iconic Inca ruins.
[00:57] That's still grueling foot traffic to navigate on a budget. The historic access town Aguas Calientes has already been filled with overbuilt hotels and jostling day trippers on crowded trails.
[01:09] Recently, the situation has been terrible. I mean, basically, tourists have been held hostage. There's price gouging. there's a risk of basically what we call tourism terrorism. The rigid regulation within Machu Picchu is certainly commendable
[01:24] for the sake of the resplendent phenomenon, but the strain of it might not be worth the expense. Kyoto, Japan. One of the brightest cities in the land of the rising sun markets itself as a peaceful haven of temples and tradition.
[01:39] Kyoto's cultural majesty hasn't changed, but the crowd has. We go back to the entrance, and as expected, it is time. Social media has been credited with a recent explosion in tourism that has
[01:51] overwhelmed the city. Tens of thousands converge daily on Fushimi Inari's torii tunnels, Nishiki Market, and historic lanes like Ninanzaka. The gridlock is further held up by frequent
[02:03] pauses to take photos that trivialize these landmarks. Meanwhile, a local community built on tranquility is burdened with rising noise and cars. From March 1, the popular Japanese location will increase its tourist charge.
[02:18] We talk of it going up tenfold. They say it's to combat over tourism. Whether it's all a temporary trend, the capital of Kyoto Prefecture is now the capital of sacred history
[02:30] colliding with vapid modernity, Dubrovnik, Croatia. The Pearl of the Adriatic is so unique in its coastal medieval design that it was filmed for Keane's landing on the hit HBO show Game of Thrones.
[02:43] This boosted tourism beyond what Dubrovnik was built to handle. The city attracts tourists from all over the world, perhaps too many. The waters are littered with ships, and Old Town's sundown is choked with thousands of visitors.
[02:58] Traditional bakeries and green markets have been replaced by photo ops, souvenir shops, and overpriced eateries. Authorities had to impose cruise caps and a 4,000-person daily limit inside the walls
[03:11] to protect Dubrovnik's status as a UN cultural landmark. Ten years ago, I was begging people, like, can you visit us? So is Dubrovnik a victim of its own success? Somehow, I guess, it's a victim of its own success.
[03:24] The beauty that's drawn travelers for over a thousand years still endures at dawn. By midday, however, it looks more like a theme park. Amsterdam, Netherlands. Visitors can still revel in Amsterdam's canals, museums, and cycling culture comfortably enough.
[03:40] At this point, though, the locals' also-famed directness is growing louder. They're trying to deter the drunken, disorderly, stone kind of behaviour that residents have been complaining about for a long time.
[03:53] The party culture around the Netherlands capital, particularly its increasingly commercialised red-light district, has long been getting out of control, and short-term rentals have priced out residents while shifting businesses towards tourism.
[04:06] The city is fighting back with aggressive tourism taxes, cruise terminal closures, and harsher regulations to curb the vacation rental boom. These stay-away campaigns are at least accomplishing the goal of spoiling travelers' good times.
[04:21] This is part of Amsterdam City Council's effort to try to rebrand the capital's rather haunting reputation. Of course, many of them agree that Amsterdam must do something to save its iconic culture from gimmickry.
[04:37] Niagara Falls, Canada. The horseshoe side of Niagara Falls has always prided itself as livelier than its New York counterpart. This side of the border is thriving, lively, and beautiful.
[04:49] Part of this is the falls, the Canadian side offers better views, but part is investment. The U.S. bet on industry where Canada bet on tourism, attracting hotels, casinos, entertainment, and other attractions right next to the fall.
[05:01] Unfortunately, the Vegas of Ontario has arguably gone too far. The historic district of Clifton Hill has become congested with wax museums, arcades, a giant sky wheel, and overpriced chain restaurants.
[05:15] The price hikes in general are weighing on locals. Even tourists seeking serenity are frequently disappointed to find neon casinos garishly distracting from the area awe natural beauty The push by the Ford government to bring even more visitors and tourists to Niagara Falls
[05:31] includes more casinos and attractions. Niagara Falls still has plenty of that to offer once you get out of the heavily commercialized city. You just better keep going beyond the Canadian border
[05:43] if you're looking for a preservation which better respects that beauty. Hallstatt, Austria. This jewel of the Alpine village has always been the definition of postcard perfect. The small village behind me is home to only 800 people.
[05:58] Yet every year, more than 1 million tourists visit it. It's one of the most popular attractions in Austria. But those drawn to Hallstatt by its UNESCO status have a different attitude about it being considered Instagrammable.
[06:12] Fewer than 800 residents have been dealing with tens of thousands of day trippers since the rise of social media tourism, and many of the visitors have taken to trespassing on private properties. This has led to massive gridlock, rising costs,
[06:26] and concerns about locals' privacy invasions. Do respect the homes of locals, and keep in mind that High Shed is not just a tourist attraction, but a place where people actually live. They thus regularly staged protests,
[06:39] and once erected temporary fences around the most photographed viewpoints of Halsteader Sea. Now the very tranquility that made the former salt mining town so popular is getting drowned under pedestrian chaos.
[06:52] Havana, Cuba. The turbulent economy of Cuba has always heavily relied on its capital city's tourism industry. Few cities can stir the imagination like Cuba's capital, Havana.
[07:04] A city preserved by forts and citadels, a five-mile seawall, and an imposed embargo which trails back the excesses of the 20th century for over 50 years.
[07:16] Even that has been in crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic permanently derailed the historic high. Sanctions and economic turmoil have further strained Havana's power grids, fuel, food supply, and public transport.
[07:29] At least petty crime and scams have been on the rise. All of this has created logical hurdles for tourists looking to enjoy colorful streets and rich culture. We're delaying our trip to Cuba until next year because of the visa requirements to go to the U.S. afterwards.
[07:43] That has managed to stay as resilient as ever, even if districts like Old Havana and Vedado offer quieter, safer tourist traps. This vibrant city, nonetheless, seems to be getting too quiet under a cycle of alienating grit.
[07:58] Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. In 2023, it was famously reported that the emerald waters of Ha Long Bay had darkened. This was the tragedy of hundreds of boats compounding the pollution caused by single-serve plastics and fishing farms.
[08:20] Cleanup efforts have been implemented since more than 10,000 cubic meters of waste were pulled from the bay after those environmentally worrying headlines. Mass tourism has already violated the region's quaint beauty with traffic alone for years.
[08:35] Never mind the commercialization of caves and floating villages into attractions. Whole communities have been displaced by a future built on posing tradition. There's still a great deal of splendor in Ah Long Bay, unless its overdevelopment turns the natural wonder into myth.
[08:51] Yeah, and it makes me sad when I see it, because, and it even, you talk about it. So normally you would talk about, wow, look at this view, look at the fishing villages. Then, on the other side, you have to talk about the tribes.
[09:05] Barcelona, Catalonia. On the coast of northeastern Spain sits the stunning metropolis of Catalan culture. In Barcelona, everything you see, taste, reach out, and touch, every detail, is an expression of Catalan creativity.
[09:22] That is sadly being brought to a breaking point by the overtourism that Barcelona is becoming famous for. The historic streets of Los Ramblas have similarly been overwhelmed by souvenir stalls, pickpockets, and generic chains.
[09:35] A lack of regulation on short-term holiday properties has also contributed to a massive surge in rent costs. Finally, the gentrification of the Gothic Quarter sparked a campaign of squirting tourists with water pistols in 2024.
[09:48] Some locals sprained tourists with water guns as they ate at popular restaurants, sending visitors fleeing from their tables. Such high-profile protests have inspired measures to eliminate 10,000 rental flats by 2028.
[10:03] Barcelona has become a battleground between locals and tourists, spurred by the growing dominance of noise, litter and cultural erosion. Acapulco, Mexico. Once pristine Mexican beaches like Cancun have come to rely on resort industry artists under the strings of over-tourism and pollution.
[10:22] This barrier is one of the longest in Mexico. And it's this Cancun resort's first line of defense against... Sargassum. A type of seaweed that's become the bone of Mexican Riviera and Caribbean resorts for decades.
[10:37] The story is particularly dark for Acapulco, once a Pacific playground savored by old Hollywood elites. Their substitution with cartel activity has turned it into one of the most dangerous cities in the country Its continued popularity has been supported by military patrols that take away from the area legendary beauty
[10:56] That was nothing compared to the infrastructural devastation left by Hurricane Otis in 2023. Other devastation in Acapulco. At least 27 dead after a Category 5 hurricane slammed into the popular Mexican tourist destination,
[11:10] home to nearly a million people. With those stunning cliffs now standing alongside crime and abandoned resorts, Alcapoco has a growing reputation as a scenic cautionary tale for urban decay.
[11:23] Mount Fuji, Japan From inspiring poetry and arts to being a destination of pilgrimage, Mount Fuji has been an enduring symbol of Japan for centuries. But the mighty peaks of the dormant volcano now feature congested trails,
[11:36] accumulated trash, and waste facilities struggling to keep up with tens of thousands of inexperienced and careless hikers. The situation has become so dire that officials have even called it a garbage mountain.
[11:49] Amid the noise and litter, Fuji's spiritual experience has gone missing. The Japanese government has thus introduced new regulations, including a 2025 mandate of fees and testing. It'll take a lot more than more qualified tourists to fix this breathtaking landscape's problem.
[12:05] Santorini, Greece. Even amidst the beauty of the Greek islands, this one stands apart. Tourism has its pros and cons. On one side, it brings much-needed business to a venue.
[12:17] On the other, when unchecked, it can cause irreversible damage. The island of Santorini in Greece has learned this the hard way. The cliffside villages, whitewashed houses, and spectacular sunsets make it one of the most photographed destinations in the world.
[12:32] But mass tourism has resulted in thousands of passengers overwhelming the narrow streets. Visitors often find themselves stuck in gridlock. Soaring prices have pushed many experiences out of reach for ordinary Greeks.
[12:45] Meanwhile, locals find themselves less behind and their culture sidelined. An undeniably stunning place is now a cautionary tale of beauty overwhelmed by popularity.
[12:57] We need to put a stop to building new hotels and new hotel beds and new Airbnbs. The dead city, Syria. He can't believe that some of the priceless ancient jewels of this site have been lost forever.
[13:11] Scattered across northwestern Syria are over 700 Byzantine-era settlements. From stone churches to houses and agricultural estates, the settlements now stand as dead cities. Despite the passing of centuries, the ruins were so well preserved that they offered a window into ancient life in the region.
[13:29] Attracting scholars, archaeologists, and adventurous travelers, this once incredible heritage has now been ravaged by war. Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, shelling, looting, and instability has made the region dangerous or impossible to visit.
[13:46] Some ruins have been damaged beyond recognition, while others remain neglected. Once a treasure trove in time, the dead cities of Syria now symbolize cultural loss and the historical cost of modern conflict.
[13:58] We need combined local and international efforts to restore what can be restored. Varosha, Cyprus. Another resort turned abandoned town, Varosha was once a glamorous Mediterranean hotspot.
[14:12] Attracting global celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Varosha's golden beaches and luxury hotels were the craze of the 60s and early 70s. Then in 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus.
[14:24] The very first paratroopers are now hitting Cyprus soil. Residents fled overnight. The once thriving resort town has remained largely empty ever since. Hotels stand frozen in time, windows broken, and streets reclaimed by weeds and silence. Continued political disarray has left Varosha in limbo. This eerie ghost town is no longer the playground of the elite, but Europe's most haunting example of sudden abandonment.
[14:51] The North had been under Turkish occupation for almost 50 years. All moves towards reunification to date have failed. Salton Sea, California. It's hard to imagine today, but this place used to be a bustling tourist destination.
[15:06] Now, it's kind of where California's water goes to die. An accidental sea-turned-resource hotspot is now dead. The Salton Sea was never supposed to exist. It formed by chance in 1905 when the Colorado River flooded irrigation canals.
[15:22] Soon it became a major vacation destination. Once known as the California Riviera, the Salton Sea boasted an inland coastline thronged by beachgoers. However, decades of pollution from agricultural runoff found its way into Salton, causing salinity and toxins to rise.
[15:39] Birds and fish died en masse. The smell of decay and toxic dust continues to permeate the air today. Entire towns around the man-made lake were abandoned. They now stand as eerie ghost towns.
[15:52] Once hailed a miracle in the desert, the Salton Sea is in reality an environmental disaster. Kuta and Seminyak, Bali. As the travelers flock back to Bali after the pandemic in record numbers,
[16:05] the impact of over-tourism is starker than ever. Another paradise another venue to disturb That has been the pattern of modern tourism Kuta and Seminyak in Bali are the next set of victims to add to this list Bali has long been associated with tranquility spirituality and postcard beaches Much of that is now a thing of the past Beautiful
[16:27] and serene areas like Kuta and Seminyak are now choked with traffic and throngs of nightlife-seeking visitors. Beach pollution, littered streets, and water shortages exacerbate the ongoing environmental damage.
[16:46] Social media has turned sacred ceremonies and traditions into photo ops for influencers. Tourism has changed what was once peaceful into chaos. Times Square, New York. Tourists flock to it, while locals often try and fail to avoid it.
[17:02] From jazz clubs to Broadway theaters and neon lights, New York City's Times Square gives meaning to the word flashy. But flashy does not always translate to a positive. The square is now the epitome of a tourist trap.
[17:15] Enormous digital billboards tower overhead. Chain restaurants and themed souvenir shops dominate the streets. Costumed characters harass visitors for tips. Crowds have grown so dense that even walking feels more like navigating a human traffic jam.
[17:31] For New Yorkers, the square no longer exudes the cultural grit and character that made it so iconic. Rather, it represents everything they wish to avoid. A gaudy, overpriced, overcrowded spectacle.
[17:44] Mount Everest, Nepal. It's the traffic jam atop the world. An image now emblematic of a deadly new normal. As Earth's highest peak, Mount Everest has always been viewed as the ultimate challenge for climbers.
[17:57] But in recent years, this challenge has gained a darker reputation. Commercialization of expeditions to the mountain has led to traffic jams in death zones, where climbers queue for hours in freezing conditions.
[18:10] The deadly bottleneck has contributed to several accidents and fatalities. Human waste, discarded gear, and oxygen canisters now litter the slopes of the mountain. In the fall issues, a record 381 perished were foreigners,
[18:24] and they also required that each foreigner hire a Sherpa guide. So that meant that there were 800 people attempting the mountain this year. The bodies of climbers who never made it back also remained frozen along the route.
[18:37] Once a dream reserved for the boldest adventurers, the summits of Everest have transformed into a disturbing spectacle of overcrowding and exploitation. The mountain's majesty is now overshadowed by the greater peaks of human negligence.
[18:51] Maya Bay, Thailand Until recently, 3,500 people visited the beach every day And those crowds felt a lot less like heaven Global fame arrived on the shores of Thailand's Phi Phi Islands
[19:05] When its stunning cove, Maya Bay, featured in Leonardo DiCaprio's The Beach Unfortunately, the same fame would also lead to the site's downfall.
[19:23] The cove received thousands of daily visitors, with long-tail boats and speedboats dropping anchor directly onto its coral reefs. The result was catastrophic. Elevated coral bleaching, pollution, and erosion
[19:36] pushed the Thai government in 2018 to make a dramatic decision. The bay would be closed indefinitely. It was now a paradise destroyed. Although the cove has since reopened with limited entry,
[19:48] its ecosystem is still in recovery mode. Once a hidden paradise, Meyer Bay symbolizes the dangers of loving a natural world to death. The tourists can only view the famous beach from a distance.
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[20:26] and be the first to play Terrible Influence. Venice, Italy. Walking around in Venice can be a challenge, a no-wonder. The city gets about 30 million tourists every year.
[20:38] It's been long considered one of the most romantic cities in the world. Today, that has been eroded by the overwhelming tide of mass tourism. With every passing year, the fragile lagoon city endures the presence of millions of tourists arriving on cruise ships.
[20:54] Straining the city's infrastructure, mass tourism has also resulted in notoriously high prices for meals and lodging. Quantity has begun to exceed quality. But that's not the only problem. Rising sea levels and flooding have compounded environmental pressures on the city.
[21:10] This has resulted in a local exodus of Venetians, leaving behind a city that feels more like a theme park than a real community. A activist from Venetia.com put a monitor in a city center that displays the current number of residents in Venice's historic center.
[21:26] The figure has dropped in recent decades from 100,000 to less than 50,000 people. What other travel favorites do you believe have fallen on hard times? Venture into the comments below.