There are plenty of very good reasons not to visit certain places. And no, we’re not just talking about safety and conflict (though that’s also important). Tourism can be seriously damaging, whether due to its physical impact on the environment or its destruction of local cultures and communities.
It’s with all that in mind that travel site Fodor’s has unveiled its latest list, which suggests places that we shouldn’t be visiting in 2023. Called the ‘No List’, Fodor’s says we should reconsider visiting certain destinations next year.
So where should we perhaps not be visiting? Well, here’s the list – with the reasons why each destination might need a break from tourism.
First up are France’s cliffs and calanques, which are suffering from erosion and landslides. Étretat in Normandy and Calanques National Park near Marseilles are both highlighted as not dealing particularly well with huge numbers of tourists.
Then there’s Lake Tahoe in California, which is subject to sediment pollution and heavy car traffic, and Antarctica, which is seeing rapid warming and pollution. Despite having comparatively small visitor numbers, Antarctica is home to several very fragile ecosystems.
Venice makes Fodor’s list thanks to its recent efforts to curb mass tourism, while visitors to Italy’s Amalfi Coast are warned about tourists overcrowding coastal roads. Traffic is seen as a key reason not to visit England’s Cornwall, too, which also has a housing crisis fuelled by short-term holiday rentals.
Also included in Fodor’s ‘no list’ is Amsterdam, which is looking to put locals first and clamp down on cannabis tourists, and Thailand, which has said it would like ‘high-end’ visitors rather than mass tourism as it recovers from the pandemic.
The list then highlights places that are suffering from water crises, such as Maui in Hawaii, the Southern European Watershed (ie. the Rhine and Danube rivers, Malaga and Greece) and parts of the American West such as the reservoirs of Lake Powell and Lake Mead.
Another option, of course, is to simply be a more conscientious tourist. Whether it’s using more sustainable modes of transport or keeping an eye on your impact on the local environment, there are plenty of ways to both see spectacular sights and not totally destroy them. But still, it’s all food for thought, eh?
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