Bali Is On The List Of Tourist Destinations That Shouldn't Be Visited In 2025, Why?

JAKARTA - If you've started planning a vacation for 2025, you might need to consider avoiding some of these tourist destinations, including Bali.

The travel guide site Fodor's revealed that tourist destinations should not be visited in 2025. The 'No list' or list of destinations that should not be visited is announced so that tourists reconsider visiting the location.

This list begins with destinations that have repeatedly appeared. But it doesn't show any improvement. Even in most cases, conditions are getting worse.

Reported by VOI from the New York Post page on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, the peak of this list is Bali, Indonesia, which is known for its overtourism or over-tourism issues. Fodor's noted that the tourism industry and the Balinese natural environment are bound in a 'rapuh' and circular relationship.

The Bali economy really hopes to increase the hotel sector, which in turn depends on natural beauty. In 2023, Bali received around 5.3 million international tourists. Despite boosting the economy, this actually worsened the infrastructure and caused beaches that were once clean to now be filled with garbage.

"Overtourism threatens the core of Bali's life," said Kristin Winkaffe, a sustainable traveler who focuses on Southeast Asia.

"Without change, we will not only lose the beautiful scenery, but also the identity of the culture itself," he continued.

Apart from Bali, a number of European destinations are also included in this list, where local residents are starting not to want tourists to visit.

Last summer, tourists staged protests in cities such as Barcelona, Mallorca, Canary Islands, and Venice over the impact of tourism.

In popular cities like Lisbon, housing prices and living expenses have soared due to tourism. About 60% of residences in Lisbon are now used as holiday accommodation, which reduces supply and increases costs.

Koh Samui, Thailand, is also included in this list. Although it has been an overtourism problem for a long time, many are worried about the impact it will have, given the hits of the drama series The White Lotus.

The series takes the settings in Thailand in 2025. So tourism in Koh Samui can get out of control.

Mount Everest also received warnings, due to deteriorating environmental issues and major concerns about the safety of local workers and climbers.

"The crowd, trash, and the decline in culture in the Everest region made me reluctant to be a guide. I feel guilty being there and contributing to overtourism," said Amit Khadka, a former guide at Everest Base Camp.

Fodor's also noted several destinations that began to show signs of damage and needed proactive action before it was too late.

These locations include Agrigento in Sicily, Italy, which will become the capital of Italian Culture by 2025, the Great Virgin Islands, the Kerala in India, the cities of Kyoto and Tokyo in Japan, the Oaxaca in Mexico, and Scotland with the North Coast 500 (NC500) tourist route.

While these tourist destinations may not have received widespread media attention regarding the issues they face, industry players are starting to show concern based on their observations and experiences.

Fodor's explained that although these destinations deserve the popularity and attention they receive, the challenges they face are real and need to be addressed.

"This list aims to highlight destinations whose tourism provides unsustainable pressure on the land and local community," said Fodor.

However, Fodor's also emphasized that they did not support tourism boycotts, because it could harm the local economy and did not bring significant changes.