In April 2024, Venice made headlines as the world's first city and the city that charged an admission fee of 5 euros to day visitors. According to Statista, as Italy's most visited destination, inbound arrivals reached 4.9 million in 2023, and it was a war run over a 49,000 resident population.
“Overtourism has threatened 'floating cities' for decades, but it has been a challenge for other popular destinations during the surge in tourism recovery after Covid.”
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) predicts that the number of global tourists, which peaked at 1.5 billion in 2019, will reach 1.8 billion by 2030, with a high possibility of pressure on desirable travel spots.
“While major cities and sites around the world are still eager to arrive and tourism, local governments and tourism boards are stepping into local landmarks, communities, environment and infrastructure in the future,” Garrett says.
Visitor restrictions, tourism taxes and even temporary closures, Garrett emphasizes the importance of providing information on the latest overtourism measures in place at popular destinations.
Cruise limit
The cruise industry will see new restrictions in 2025, including docking regulations, vessel size restrictions, and daily cruise passenger caps. These changes include:
Nice, France: From July 1, 2025, cruise ships carrying more than 900 passengers (called “floating hotels”) will be banned from Belfast, Maine. The number of sea cruises will decrease from 190 to 100, and the main cruise terminal will be relocated outside the city
Depending on the restrictions, Garrett is forecasting a rise in fleets like those run by Oceania, Silversea and Ponant, as well as a large cruise line that will promote new unique and lesser-known ports and itineraries.
Number Restrictions Landmarks
Overtourism has encouraged local governments and tourism custodians to incorporate it into themselves to establish some form of control over the crowd. This led to various restrictions policies with time slot systems, as well as even the temporary closure of popular attractions. Some of these are:
Venice, Italy: Day visitors must pay an admission fee of 5-10 euros to keep Pompeii, Italy overcrowded: in 2024 there were over 4 million visitors. Pompeii will introduce 20,000 visitor caps at the Trevi Fountain in Rome in 2025. Daily visitors during the surge in numbers, peak season, will close at 4,000 ($20) with an admission fee of 2,000 yen ($20) for Ireland's Moor.
“Overcrowding is a major issue affecting both local residents and tourists who are undermining their travel experience,” explains Garrett. “Limiting daily visitor numbers is not a new concept, especially across Europe, but we are guaranteed to witness an increase in these policies.
Destinations to implement “Tourism Tax”
In 2025, popular destinations are introducing new or existing visitor fee hikes to regulate tourist flows and receive additional funds for infrastructure maintenance and development. I've paid some attention before planning my 2025 trip.
Venice, Italy: To manage visitor flow, Venice will expand its tourism tax programme and increase the cost of visiting cities from 5 euros to 10 euros. A travel tax has been proposed in mid-2025. If approved, the cost for those who arrive by plane Greece is estimated to be around £6.87. To strengthen infrastructure and promote sustainable tourism, visitors will pay 8 euros a day tax in Portugal's peak season Azores. Accommodation Maldives: National “green tax” will increase to $12 per day in 2025
While the charm of the famous destination is strong, Garrett emphasizes that travelers need to know whether they will charge an additional fee and whether they need to pay.
“Destinations are taking action against overtourism, but they have a certain level of responsibility along with travel suppliers in terms of how and where they explore and how they guide them,” she adds.
What can you (traveler) do?
Consider accepting slow travel to maintain the most beautiful destinations in the world. To put pressure on overcrowded hot spots when visiting popular places, find alternative destinations experiencing tourism, to relieve crowd pressure, travel to avoid peak crowds or higher rates during shoulder season
In Garrett's case, mindful travel choices differ as follows: “According to tweets tracking the environmental impact of tourism, 80% of travelers visit 10% of their destinations. They help you explore beyond regular landmarks and protect these places on your trip.”
