Where can we go on holiday now?

Too many tourists in the same places is becoming a big problem

Everyone loves going on vacation – beaches, hills, and snow are all fun! But what happens when too many people go to the same place?

That’s what’s happening in popular places like Hawaii, Spain, and even parts of India. In Hawaii’s island Maui, homes meant for local people are now being rented out to tourists. This became an even bigger problem after a wildfire destroyed houses – now locals are struggling to find a place to live.

In Spain, people in cities like Barcelona and Mallorca actually sprayed water guns at tourists to protest! Why? Because so many visitors are making daily life hard: houses are too expensive, traffic is too much, and local culture is disappearing.

And it’s not just Spain. Countries like Italy, Greece, Belgium and even Bhutan are saying, “enough!” They are worried that too many tourists are damaging nature, wasting water, and changing their towns forever.

India’s hill stations like Pahalgam, Mussoorie and Landour are also struggling. These small places were not built for huge crowds. In 2024, more than 20 lakh people visited Mussoorie and Landour – that’s way more than the number of people who live there! The roads are jammed, water is running out, and landslides are happening more often, like the one in Sikkim this June that trapped 1,600 tourists.

After COVID, people now travel all year round, not just during holidays. But we haven’t built enough new places for them to go. Some places tried to limit how many people come in, but that’s not enough.

What’s the solution? We need to find and build new vacation spots, spread tourists out, and protect the beautiful places we already love. Because holidays should be fun – not harmful.

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