France Urges Tourists to Avoid Iconic Landmarks

France isn’t too happy with the excessive tourism it is currently facing. In order to address concerns over the environment, the quality of life for locals, and the overall tourist experience, the country is implementing measures to limit the influx of tourists at historic landmarks and natural treasures.

Since the pandemic, there has been a surge in over-tourism in France. This influx of visitors has posed challenges for local communities, as overcrowded attractions leave limited opportunities for tourists to spend both their time and money, thus leaving these communities without the expected financial benefits.

What’s the plan to curb over-tourism? 

France is yet to reveal its specific strategy for combating over-tourism. The government aims to form a monitoring group for assessing vulnerable tourist sites in the country. Ironically, they are seeking the assistance of travel influencers, who are known to promote more travel, to raise awareness about the negative impacts of over-tourism. 

Addressing the issue, some popular attractions like Marseille’s Calanques National Park have already taken action, by implementing a reservation system, limiting daily visitors to 400 people at Sugiton coves. Similarly, the island of Brehat in Brittany has set a cap of 4,700 daily visitors. Instead of reducing the total number of tourists, these measures aim to ensure an even distribution of visitors throughout the year

France doesn’t seem to be the only country affected by over-tourism and taking action, Hawaii, just this year, proposed that tourists pay a “green free” to preserve the natural resources on the island.