A popular English travel guide has urged tourists to avoid 15 ‘do not visit’ destinations in 2025 – with one UK spot and popular European destination making the list
Avoid booking a flight to these locations next year(Image: (Image: Getty))Brits are being warned to steer clear of 15 ‘do not visit’ destinations next year. Despite the temptation from a slew of airline and package holiday sales currently online, eager travellers are being advised to give these ‘no-go’ areas a miss, including some beloved tourist hotspots.
English travel guide producer Fodor has dished out its no-fly list for 2025, pinpointing places that are crumbling under the weight of their own popularity, with overtourism cited as a key issue.
The Fodor‘s team have said: “These places are popular for good reason – they’re beautiful, fascinating, and culturally significant. But some of these sought-after tourist spots are buckling under the weight of their own fame.”
The blacklist includes countries like Italy, Spain, and Japan, but shockingly, a Scottish gem also makes the cut.
The experts at Fodor’s added: “But we do believe that acknowledging the problem is the first step towards solving it. The No List serves to highlight those destinations where tourism is putting unsustainable pressure on the environment and local communities.”
Scotland’s North Coast 500, a stunning 516-mile route that showcases the country’s rich history and breathtaking coastal views, has landed in the 12th spot on Fodor’s ‘no-go’ list. The travel guide company highlighted that the surge in tourism to areas like Wester Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Easter Ross, the Black Isle and Inverness-shire has become a “nuisance to the communities”, reports the Express.
Scotland’s North Coast 500 made the list(Image: (Image: Getty))READ MORE: Eurostar passengers trapped in Channel Tunnel during Christmas travel chaosREAD MORE: American Airlines flights grounded due to ‘technical issue’ – causing Christmas Eve chaos
This is due to a lack of facilities such as toilets and campsites, leading to roads becoming “congested with traffic”. .
Fodor’s list also spotlighted other global destinations suffering from overtourism. Bali is grappling with a “plastic apocalypse” of litter, while Sicily’s Agrigento is dealing with a severe water shortage due to an influx of visitors.
In Mexico’s Oaxaca, there are growing concerns about cultural commodification due to excessive tourist numbers. Even Japan isn’t immune, with Tokyo and Kyoto so crowded that main tourist sites are difficult to navigate comfortably.
Additionally, locals are feeling the pinch with a spike in living costs associated with high demand.
Venice has made the headlines due to overtourism(Image: (Image: Getty))Meanwhile, travellers may consider destinations like Barcelona, Venice and the Canary Islands worth revisiting. However, research has shown that there has been “a record-breaking year for international travel to Europe”.
According to the European Travel Commission, visitor numbers in the first quarter of 2024 alone were 7.2 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Locals in these holiday hotspots have had enough, with protests erupting over the surge of visitors expected in 2024. They’re calling for action against overtourism which is why a list of “do not visit” destinations has been dropped.