One of the best parts of booking a holiday away is experiencing some of the world’s most beautiful destinations – but this can be ruined if you don’t plan ahead, and end up sharing your relaxing getaway with hundreds of other tourists, all trying to do the exact same thing as you.
Post-pandemic, millions of holidaymakers are making up for lost time by jetting across the globe to experience the best of what the world has to offer which has led to some stunning locations becoming a little overcrowded.
But where is the most cramped tourism destination? A study from MoneyTransfers.com has shed some light on the situation and revealed that in the UK, Edinburgh Castle has the highest number of tourists.
Globally, that claim to fame has been taken home by Phuket in Thailand with a jaw-dropping 118 tourists per every permanent resident.
Tourists are likely drawn to the stunning beaches in Thailand as well as its rich history and culture – but with tourists now outnumbering locals drastically, these beaches and hubs are getting a little crowded.
Kata, one of Thailand’s most beautiful beaches, has suffered from the overtourism with some people saying it reminded them of “Benidorm or the Costa Brava”.
“Would have been a beautiful place once but now the waters are polluted,” one visitor wrote on Tripadvisor.
“I was shocked at how much rubbish was in the once blue waters. I even got sump oil stuck on my feet and it took two days to remove. Tiny bits of plastic, water was brown like chocolate sauce in some places,” claimed another one.
Heraklion in Greece was also a top popular destination with 22 tourists for every local and naturally Venice in Italy made the list too.
This cultural hub has an impressive 21 tourists for every resident, and is now introducing a tourism fee to cope with the volume of people visiting. Authorities have said the levy will continue and could be doubled for 2025, bringing it up to €10 (£8.4).