Thailand, Venice and more: 5 iconic destinations that may soon shut the door on mass tourism

Bhutan has enforced a 'High Value, Low Impact' tourism model, charging a steep daily fee of up to $200. The aim of the policy is to prioritise cultural preservation and environmental sustainability over mass tourism. In 2023, the country had signalled plans to raise fees further, making Bhutan one of the world’s most selective destinations.

Landing second in the list is Venice, which receives over 20 million visitors annually, has introduced a €5–€10 day-tripper fee, along with tour group and loudspeaker restrictions on tourists. Officials are considering daily visitor caps to protect Venice's infrastructure and ease local discontent. The measures aim to regulate spontaneous and short-term visits.

With over 12 million visitors in 2022, Barcelona is currently facing rising housing costs and pressure on public spaces, so much so that the city has now proposed freezing new hotel licences and limiting short-term rentals in key areas. These changes are put in place and designed to protect residential life and reduce tourism-related disruption.

Peru in fourth in the list as it is moving to limit daily tourist numbers at Machu Picchu, which currently draws around 1.5 million visitors each year. In 2023, plans were launched to require advance booking to protect the UNESCO World Heritage site from being overused and further environmental degradation.

Thailand has implemented annual closures of several popular tourist sites like Maya Bay and restricted activities such as diving in ecologically sensitive zones. Authorities are also enforcing more stricter behaviour rules, with penalties including bans and deportations. This aims to balance conservation with tourism.

Iceland has seen tourist numbers jump from 600,000 in 2010 to a massive 2.5 million in 2022. In response to this, the government plans to cap visitors at fragile sites to prevent environmental damage and deterioration, signalling a shift toward regulated access.

Bhutan has enforced a 'High Value, Low Impact' tourism model, charging a steep daily fee of up to $200. The aim of the policy is to prioritise cultural preservation and environmental sustainability over mass tourism. In 2023, the country had signalled plans to raise fees further, making Bhutan one of the world’s most selective destinations.

Landing second in the list is Venice, which receives over 20 million visitors annually, has introduced a €5–€10 day-tripper fee, along with tour group and loudspeaker restrictions on tourists. Officials are considering daily visitor caps to protect Venice's infrastructure and ease local discontent. The measures aim to regulate spontaneous and short-term visits.

With over 12 million visitors in 2022, Barcelona is currently facing rising housing costs and pressure on public spaces, so much so that the city has now proposed freezing new hotel licences and limiting short-term rentals in key areas. These changes are put in place and designed to protect residential life and reduce tourism-related disruption.

Peru in fourth in the list as it is moving to limit daily tourist numbers at Machu Picchu, which currently draws around 1.5 million visitors each year. In 2023, plans were launched to require advance booking to protect the UNESCO World Heritage site from being overused and further environmental degradation.

Thailand has implemented annual closures of several popular tourist sites like Maya Bay and restricted activities such as diving in ecologically sensitive zones. Authorities are also enforcing more stricter behaviour rules, with penalties including bans and deportations. This aims to balance conservation with tourism.

Iceland has seen tourist numbers jump from 600,000 in 2010 to a massive 2.5 million in 2022. In response to this, the government plans to cap visitors at fragile sites to prevent environmental damage and deterioration, signalling a shift toward regulated access.