Tourism industry may be one of the most booming industries around the world but it also sometimes proves to be an oppressive burden on the locals. From the tourist who carved his name on the Colosseum in Italy to the one who threw items at the Queen’s guard, we may fail to understand these people, but what we do realise is the dire need of these famous destinations of the world to stop the unaccounted influx of tourists and start emphasising on responsible tourism in order to preserve it. By Shubhanjana Das
1. Venice, Italy:
https://instagram.com/p/BsN8GygF5iw/
Venice is not only sinking under water but also under the massive burden of the tourists who are a significant contributor to the rising pollution in the city. As a result, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has charged a fine on irresponsible acts like littering, indulging in horseplay, roaming around shirtless in public, leaving love locks, and inscribing on or damaging trees or buildings.
2. Maya Bay, Thailand:
https://instagram.com/p/BsHYk3BHrj3/
Do you remember wondering where Leonardo DiCaprio’s film ‘The Beach’ was shot? As it turns out, millions of other people did too and ended up in Maya Bay like swarms of flies. What has their harmless acts of swimming in the emerald blue waters and relaxing by the beach claimed? Put 77% of the coral reefs in the area in danger.
3. Reykjavik, Iceland:
https://instagram.com/p/BsN1CBIA4HL/
Reykjavik’s case is the classic story of a price push in a country due to the influx of tourists from around the world. In 2015, the 330,000 population was bombarded with 1.26 million tourists, wreaking havoc on the local prices of things. Construction started out of bounds as an increasing number of tourists started to come in. It may have been an economic boost for post-recession Iceland, but we doubt if it’s doing any good to the country’s biodiversity, infrastructure and its inhabitant population.
4. Barcelona, Spain:
https://instagram.com/p/BsN77jEnXht/
If we had to talk about how the locals see an unprecedented rise in tourism with contempt, the case of Barcelona would have to be the primary example given that its people staged a protest against tourism in the city by attacking a tour bus and a hotel. Now that’s some intense stuff. Popular attractions in the country have now started putting restrictions on the number of tourists that can enter certain spots.
5. Machu Pichu, Peru:
https://instagram.com/p/Bmb4BjOlLBW/
It doesn’t need to be elaborated why Machu Pichu is not only the sight of unimaginable natural beauty but also an equally unimaginable number of tourists who can be seen thronging this Inca village every day. In fact, you may see more people and selfie sticks in any picture you may try to take of the place than the place itself. Not to mention, this is causing irrevocable damage to this unique destination and will continue to do so if not managed responsibly.
Related: This Climate Change Report Is Why You Need To Make Conscious Travel Choices Pronto
