Travel publication Fodor’s has published a “No” list featuring 10 destinations to avoid in 2023.
The list aims to highlight “destinations to reconsider visiting in 2023”, say the editors. The list is not meant as a critique of the destination but as an opportunity to think about the impact that tourism is having on that location and the need to give it a moment to catch up.
There is no reason to remove any of the spots from your bucket list but perhaps wait for a more opportune time to go.
The list is broken into three categories: Natural Attractions That Need Some Time To Heal, Cultural Hotspots That Don’t Have The Resources To Support The Crowds, and Destinations That Are In A Water Crisis.
Natural Attractions That Need Time To Heal
France’s Coastline And Calanques National Park, Lake Tahoe, California and Antarctica.
Cultural Destinations Flooded By Tourists
Venice’s canal system, the Amalfi Coast, Cornwall, Amsterdam and Thailand were all name-checked as spots that have become overcrowded in recent years.
Destinations Suffering From Water Crises
Maui, Hawaii, Southern European Watershed (this runs through Europe from the Iberian Peninsula (divided by Spain and Portugal) all the way up to Russia).
The Rhine and Danube Rivers suffered from low water levels impacting River cruises, where passengers complained about updated itineraries and having to take buses between certain ports. In other areas, water reservoirs in Spain are as low as 11% in capacity; northern Italian provinces don’t have enough water to grow food, and the Greek Islands are trying to find the balance between the water demands of agriculture and tourism since it relies on water imports.