Alex Cornici, CEO of The Traveler - a famous travel magazine headquartered in Italy, said that travel is about connecting and exploring, not simply "checking off places you've been". Places with beautiful landscapes but tourists do not just visit, they want to have a quality experience, learn more about the culture.
Italy's canal city
Venice is a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors each year. However, this popularity also comes with many problems. According to Alex, tourists do not only come to Venice to visit beautiful landscapes but also want to have quality experiences and learn more about the local culture, learn about the history, people and customs here.
Venice has always been known as the tourist city of Italy.
Venice, with its romantic canals and unique architecture, has always been an attractive destination. However, the crowds and commercialization are making many visitors feel the experience is diminished.
Venice has long been known for its high prices and crowded streets and canals. This takes away from the charm of Venice, and visitors should consider that a trip here is quite expensive. According to Budget Your Trip, tourists spend about $1,700 for a week in Venice, with some spending nearly $4,500 in the same period.
However, tourists have become a concern for the people of this city.
The risks of unchecked tourism are even more serious for Venice. Flooding is becoming more frequent, with the worst high tide in more than 50 years causing an estimated €1 billion in damage in 2019.
Tourism must provide visitors with unique and profound experiences that help them better understand the destination, rather than just passing through the famous attractions. This requires tourist destinations to focus on preserving culture and history, while creating truly meaningful experiences for visitors.
Seeing the crowded scene makes people panic
United Arab Emirates
Dubai, famous for its lavish skyscrapers, luxury shopping malls and unique entertainment attractions, has attracted millions of tourists from all over the world. Architectural works such as Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah and large shopping centers such as Dubai Mall not only represent outstanding development but also symbolize modernity and prosperity.
Dubai is known as the most luxurious city in the world.
Dubai is too expensive and not worth the money, according to Alonso Marly, a travel expert at SkyLux Travel. The city impresses with its skyscrapers, luxury cars and expensive restaurants. However, Dubai feels artificial and lacks cultural depth compared to many other destinations in the Middle East.
Many visitors feel the city lacks cultural and historical depth compared to other destinations around the world. Dubai is often accused of being too focused on building record-breaking structures and creating luxury consumer experiences, without connecting with local culture and history.
But the country is too focused on luxury shopping malls, commercializing tourism in the eyes of tourists.
According to Budget Your Trip, a week in Dubai costs visitors about 1,736 USD, including accommodation, transportation, meals, not including airfare.
While Dubai has made efforts to develop cultural areas like Al Fahidi Historic District and host cultural festivals, these efforts have not been enough to satisfy the desire of tourists for a deeper and more authentic travel experience. Modern travelers often seek experiences that are connected and exploratory, and desire a deeper understanding of the culture, people and history of the places they visit.
The country's luxury makes it difficult to retain tourists.
Cancun, Mexico, expensive and crowded city
Cancun is described by Yahoo as "a top destination for newlyweds and those looking for a romantic getaway." With its beautiful beaches, clear blue waters and luxury resorts, Cancun attracts millions of visitors each year. The city is also known for its vibrant nightlife, with many clubs, bars and restaurants serving late into the night.
Beautiful coastal city of Mexico
However, Alex Cornici, CEO of The Traveler, has a different view of Cancun. He says that while Cancun is an attractive destination, the cost of traveling there is quite expensive and the city is often crowded, which can detract from the experience for visitors, especially those looking for peace and quiet.
The Cancun tourist experience revolves largely around the beach and nightlife. While these are appealing elements, they also contribute to the perception of Cancun as “a little commercial and less authentic.” Visitors to Cancun may feel that the city lacks a deep connection to authentic Mexican culture. The luxury resorts and tourist services focus more on consumption than on exploring and understanding the local culture.
The city's glitzy, glamorous nightlife
For a more authentic Mexican experience, travelers should explore less well-known destinations where they can learn more about the culture, history, and people of the area. Cities like Oaxaca, Guanajuato, or San Cristobal de las Casas can offer authentic Mexican travel experiences at a more affordable price point and in a less crowded atmosphere.
So, while Cancun is still an ideal destination for those who love the beach and nightlife, to truly experience and explore Mexican culture, visitors should consider other options that offer a more authentic and in-depth experience.
New York City - the bustling center of the United States
New York, despite its famed attractions like Times Square, Central Park, and Broadway, is still considered by some tourists and travel experts to be not worth the money to visit. The main reasons for this are the city's frequent congestion, high costs, and environmental issues.
New York is the most expensive city in the United States, but the travel experience is the opposite of that.
Currently, the average hotel room rate in New York is around $375 per night, which makes staying quite expensive for many visitors. Not only the room rental, but also the entertainment and dining services outside require a significant expense. Meals at famous restaurants, tickets to Broadway plays, or even tickets to attractions are not cheap, making the total cost of a trip to New York significantly higher.
Meals at restaurants in this city are "exorbitantly" expensive.
Aside from the cost, New York’s rising air pollution and trash are also a concern. The city’s crowded streets, with bustling crowds and chaotic traffic, contribute to air pollution. Trash, despite the city’s efforts to manage it, is still everywhere, affecting the tourist experience.
In addition, New York is often crowded, especially at popular tourist attractions. This can reduce the freedom and comfort of exploring the city, causing fatigue and discomfort for many visitors. Long lines at attractions, crowded public transportation and on the streets make moving around more difficult.
Famous tourist destination in Southeast Asia - Thailand
Thailand, located in Southeast Asia, is an attractive destination with beautiful beaches, magnificent temples and a friendly culture. However, some popular destinations such as Phuket and Pattaya have been negatively affected by mass tourism, resulting in overcrowding and commercialization. The rapid growth of tourism in these areas has caused some loss of natural beauty and unique culture.
Phuket, one of Thailand’s most popular tourist islands, regularly attracts millions of visitors each year. The crowds can detract from the experience, as beaches become packed and prices rise. The same is true of Pattaya, a beach town known for its vibrant nightlife. The proliferation of resorts, restaurants, and shopping malls has made Pattaya too commercialized, losing some of its original charm and naturalness.
Phuket once faced closure due to overcrowding of tourists.
In addition to overcrowding and commercialization, Thailand also faces other serious problems such as sexual exploitation and child trafficking. These may be concerns for some tourists when choosing Thailand as a tourist destination. The Thai government and NGOs have been working to address these issues, but they remain significant challenges for the country’s tourism industry.
Croatia's famous seaside city of Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a beautiful coastal city in Croatia, famous for its ancient architecture and stunning landscapes. The city is known for its fortified walls that surround the old town, creating a distinctive and impressive image. The walls, built in the 13th century, have stood the test of time and are a testament to Dubrovnik's rich and varied history.
The peaceful beauty of Dubrovnik before the tourist overrun
Stepping into the old town of Dubrovnik, visitors will feel the tranquility and charm of the cobblestone streets. These streets not only bring a nostalgic feeling but also are the place where cultural and commercial activities take place. On these narrow streets, visitors can easily find shops, cafes and restaurants with typical Mediterranean style.
However, in recent years, Dubrovnik has seen a surge in tourism, making the city more crowded and expensive than it was before. This has created many challenges for the local infrastructure and community, as they have to cope with the influx of people from all over the world, especially during peak tourist season.
The sudden increase in tourists to this city has left behind worrying consequences.
One of the most prominent problems is overcrowding. The cobblestone streets and popular attractions such as the city walls and Stradun, the main street of the old town, are often packed with tourists, taking away some of the peace and charm that Dubrovnik is known for. Many visitors and locals feel that this overcrowding takes away from the authentic experience of exploring a historic city.
Prices in Dubrovnik have also increased significantly due to the tourism boom. Accommodation, food and sightseeing costs are all higher, making Dubrovnik a more expensive destination, sometimes less accessible to budget-conscious travelers. This can take away from the city’s appeal to some groups of travelers.
Prices at the "Mediterranean treasure" are constantly rising due to high demand.
Additionally, the presence of cruise tourism has also caused some controversy. Large cruise ships dock in Dubrovnik every day, bringing thousands of tourists in a short period of time. This not only puts pressure on the infrastructure but also changes the atmosphere of the city. Some tourists and locals believe that the constant presence of these giant cruise ships has ruined the beauty and serenity of Dubrovnik, turning the city into a short-term stopover rather than a place for deep experiences and cultural connections.
Overtourism has caused problems for the 142-square-kilometer city, including congestion and rising prices. A week's stay here costs more than $700 per person, not including airfare. Instead of Dubrovnik, Marly recommends Sibenik, a smaller, less-famous Croatian coastal city with romantic Venetian architecture and a picturesque Adriatic coastline.
