The Rising Tide Of Overtourism In Asia: Kyoto, Bali, And Southeast Asia Struggle With Tourist Overload, Staying Aware And Taking Precautionary Steps

Published on November 3, 2025

As world tourism continues to rebound, Asian destinations are progressively facing nan challenges of overtourism, a arena that has agelong plagued European cities for illustration Barcelona and Venice. The surge successful visitors to cities specified arsenic Kyoto successful Japan, Bali successful Indonesia, and Phuket successful Thailand has been met pinch rising concerns complete overcrowding, biology damage, and section discontent. Local residents are base nan brunt of these changes, pinch galore expressing vexation complete nan disruption to regular life and nan degradation of their taste landmarks. As tourism numbers grow, particularly successful Northeast and Southeast Asia, some locals and authorities are now grappling pinch really to equilibrium nan economical benefits of tourism pinch nan request to sphere nan principle of these celebrated destinations.

Overtourism successful Asia: A Growing Concern

While overtourism is not a caller issue, it has progressively affected Asian countries arsenic much group recreation to acquisition nan region’s rich | culture, history, and earthy beauty. According to nan Asia-Pacific Tourism Association (PATA), successful nan first half of this year, location was a 20% increase successful tourer numbers crossed Northeast Asia, including countries for illustration Japan and South Korea. Similarly, Vietnam has witnessed a 21% rise successful overseas visitors, signaling a broader inclination crossed Southeast Asia.

Kyoto, agelong renowned for its ancient temples and accepted Japanese culture, has go 1 of nan worst-hit cities by this influx. The city, which attracted a staggering 56 cardinal visitors past year, is facing terrible traffic congestion and crowd guidance issues. Local residents find themselves dealing pinch nan daily hassle of navigating crowded streets, pinch immoderate moreover expressing concerns astir nan quality of life successful their neighborhoods. This has led to 90% of Kyoto residents indicating dissatisfaction pinch nan increasing number of tourists, particularly pointing retired disruptive behaviors for illustration inappropriate behaviour successful belief sites.

In response, section authorities successful Kyoto are considering a ban connected unauthorized filming successful tourist-heavy areas for illustration Gion and contemplating a substantial increase successful nan accommodation tax, raising it from 1,000 yen to 10,000 yen to curb overcrowding. These measures purpose to power nan travel of visitors and make gross to protect nan city’s taste heritage.

Other Asian Destinations Facing nan Overtourism Crisis

While Kyoto stands arsenic 1 of nan astir noticeable cases, different iconic destinations successful Asia are besides struggling pinch nan effects of overtourism. In Bali, a celebrated tourist hotspot known for its beaches and temples, tourists person been criticized for actions for illustration posing for inappropriate photos successful ineffable places and ignoring section postulation laws, including motorcycle information rules. These issues person sparked nationalist debates, pinch section authorities uncovering it difficult to enforce restrictions owed to concerns astir damaging nan nationalist tourism image.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Phuket island, contempt seeing a alteration successful overseas visitors by around 6%, still experiences nan aforesaid crowding issues successful its celebrated tourer areas. Issues for illustration water shortages and postulation gridlock proceed to plague nan island, showing that moreover a dip successful tourer numbers doesn’t needfully resoluteness nan pressures connected section infrastructure.

What Can Be Done to Manage Overtourism?

For local governments successful affected areas, nan solution is not arsenic elemental arsenic limiting tourer arrivals. The economical benefits of tourism are excessively important to ignore, but uncovering a sustainable attack to managing these flows is critical. In the Philippines, for instance, authorities temporarily unopen down Boracay Island successful 2018 for biology restoration and person since imposed restrictions connected nan number of visitors allowed, alongside stricter regulations connected accommodation providers. While nan island has reopened, ongoing issues pinch enforcement propose that stricter controls whitethorn beryllium basal to protect nan island’s vulnerable ecosystem.

Moreover, a world inclination is emerging wherever tourism taxes are being considered arsenic 1 measurement to negociate nan effect of tourists. By raising taxes connected accommodation and different services, governments tin make costs for preservation projects and infrastructure improvements. However, specified measures are not ever celebrated among business owners aliases tourists, and nan occurrence of these strategies remains uncertain.

What Should Travelers Know?

For travelers, nan emergence of overtourism successful Asia presents an opportunity to go much conscious astir nan impact of their travels. Responsible tourism is simply a increasing conception that encourages visitors to respect section cultures, beryllium mindful of biology issues, and debar behaviors that harm communities aliases harm landmarks. Here are a fewer tips for travelers to consider:

1. Avoid highest times: Traveling during nan off-season helps trim unit connected celebrated destinations.
2. Respect section customs: Learn astir section customs and show respect, particularly successful ineffable sites for illustration temples and shrines.
3. Support sustainable tourism: Choose eco-friendly hotels and activities that prioritize conservation efforts.
4. Follow nan rules: Ensure you travel each section regulations, from respecting velocity limits to adhering to site-specific guidelines for tourists.

The Way Forward: Striking a Balance

While nan maturation of tourism successful Asia brings economical benefits, nan challenges of overtourism are undeniable. Destinations for illustration Kyoto, Bali, and Phuket are astatine a crossroads, wherever they must accommodate to nan changing dynamics of world recreation while preserving their practice and environment. The cardinal lies successful uncovering sustainable solutions that equilibrium nan needs of nan section community, nan economy, and nan visitors themselves. Authorities are opening to understand that overtourism is not conscionable a section rumor but a world one, requiring practice and semipermanent readying to guarantee that these singular destinations stay vibrant for early generations.