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Tourism brings money—but it can also destroy local life. In this video, we count down 10 Cities RUINED By Tourism According to Locals, featuring famous destinations where overcrowding, rising costs, and disrespectful visitors have pushed residents to the breaking point.

From historic cities to island paradises, locals explain why tourism has gone too far.

Perfect for fans of travel documentaries, urban issues, dark tourism, and real local perspectives.

🌍 Subscribe to watchmojo.world for more Top 10 travel videos, shocking lists, and real-world breakdowns.

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Transcript
00:00I need to say the least, you're a doggone beast!
00:05Come on, come back!
00:09Bugger!
00:11My sentiments exactly.
00:12Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we'll be looking at those-
00:15tourist hotspots that are either avoided or derided by the local populace.
00:20I've given you my soul, leave me my name!
00:25Mystic, Connecticut.
00:27Tourism can often be a double-edged sword, an industry that drives
00:30commerce to a price that can sometimes feel overwhelming to those living in the area.
00:35Mystic, Connecticut isn't solely due to the boost it received thanks to the 1988 rom-com Mystic Pizza.
00:40There's also the fact that Mystic is just a lovely place, with plenty of activities that range from
00:45shopping and sightseeing to beach bumming.
00:47That said, the summer months bring an incredible amount of traffic to the-
00:50the area, which makes parking a huge pain in the butt.
00:53These jams can also extend outside of downtown Mystic.
00:55all the way to the amazing aquarium or museum of art.
00:58It's not impossible to get around.
01:00Just plan ahead.
01:01It's tradition, and you don't monkey with-
01:05It's tradition.
01:06Amen.
01:07NASA Bahamas.
01:08The issue of safety while traveling-
01:10is one that can fluctuate, depending on where you're headed.
01:13NASA Bahamas isn't generally unsafe.
01:15from the tourist side of things, if you just stay on the grounds of whatever luxury resort
01:19you happen to book.
01:20I'm not gonna-
01:20I'm not gonna guarantee your safety if you walk out your front door.
01:22I can't do that.
01:23So I can say something is amazing-
01:25It's amazingly safe.
01:26And something can still happen.
01:27So always exercise increased caution.
01:29However, those that-
01:30reside in NASA often have problems with what they view as a culture that caters solely to
01:35becoming visitors, and the increased crime that results.
01:37This can be as mild as hustlers trying to separate-
01:40hapless cruise ship tourists from their money at the dock.
01:42But in recent years, there's also been a spike in violence-
01:45outside of resort walls or cruise ship shadows.
01:48Tulum, Mexico.
01:49The tourist trade-
01:50didn't always revolve around acquiring the perfect Instagram shot to influence one's
01:54growing number of followers.
01:55yet it's this sort of culture that's partially contributed to the overtourism of Tulum, Mexico.
02:00This remarkable area contains a rich history of Mexico's ancient Mayan culture.
02:05desire to bring outsiders in has resulted in overzealous developers coming into the area.
02:10It's very expensive to Tulum's locals.
02:11Investors from the U.S. and Europe poured money into condo-
02:15hotels, retreats, and hotels convinced they were investing in the next big-
02:20tourist destination.
02:21There's an environmental side to all of this tourism as well, since Tulum's ecological
02:25infrastructure has suffered from the influx of people.
02:28Meanwhile, those all-important tourist-
02:30dollars are inequitably distributed to those that could actually benefit.
02:33Waste routinely leaks into ground-
02:35water, contaminating cenotes, and posing serious health risks.
02:40in Mykonos Islands, Greece.
02:41We're so beautiful, Lisa!
02:42We're the greatest, best-
02:45It seems that there's unfa-
02:50Unfortunately, not much the proverbial little guy can do to fight how relentless tourism can
02:54negatively impact-
02:55the locals' bottom line.
02:56The Santorini and Mykonos Islands in Greece are undeniably beautiful.
03:00Yet, it's also this beauty that's attracted so many cruise ships and party-goers over the
03:04years.
03:05This relentless-
03:06resulted in local infrastructure being incapable of handling the strain, creating an atmosphere-
03:11that can often feel crowded, dirty, and tense for visitors and homeowners alike.
03:15The public profile-
03:16of Santorini and Mykonos caused home and rental rates in the area to drastically spike.
03:21which is never a good sign for those that live here 24-365.
03:24Santorini is a beautiful-
03:26island, but if you want to see the main sights, either go in the off-season or be prepared.
03:31for the crowds.
03:32Bali, Indonesia.
03:33It can be difficult for those that don't live-
03:36in an area dependent on tourism to understand how challenging the balancing act is for-
03:41areas like Bali.
03:42The area consistently struggles with the behavior of visiting tourists with regard-
03:46to its ecosystem and infrastructure.
03:47Yet, Bali also can't afford to turn down the revenue from those-
03:51same tourists.
03:52Bali's local government has issued demolition orders for more than 40 buildings-
03:56saying they were constructed illegally.
03:58They include villas, restaurants, and bars along the beach-
04:01front.
04:02There's also a loss of identity some native Indonesians feel as Bali is continually-
04:06gentrified for the sake of the over 6 million tourists that visit each year.
04:11Indonesia.
04:11Asian governmental officials have tried to combat these negative impacts-
04:14via certain taxes and legislation-
04:16but these have proven difficult to enforce during the peak season.
04:19Amsterdam.
04:20The Netherlands.
04:21To quote Dr. Ian Malcolm, we're talking about the increasingly popular model of short-term
04:26rent.
04:26England.
04:27Yeah, yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could-
04:30they didn't stop to think they should.
04:31But what about the impact of apartments that are being taken away from locals in favor of the revenue?
04:36That comes from renting them out. This is just one of the issues facing Amsterdam a popular tourist
04:41destination that's faced pushback from those that call it home. What do you do when that home is noisy, crowded and just
04:46not fun to be around? How do you deal with the relentless party atmosphere that puts all of the local
04:51and tradition at risk? These are just some of the questions Amsterdam residents ask their officials
04:55when
04:56Complaining about visitor behavior in their city. This is the best thing that could have happened to us. We're in
05:01Amsterdam. This is the drug and sex capital of Europe. Salem, Massachusetts.
05:06It's true that Salem's tourism problems are primarily relegated to the month of October. The city
05:11has an incredible history that brings its fair share of visitors year-round, but make no mistake.
05:16Spooky season can be a trying time for Salem locals. Every street, every storefront.
05:21Salem, 90% of its income is October. Every costume has the Halloween energy people
05:26come from all over to experience. The holiday season is very much tourist driven.
05:31With parking spots basically changing into valuable currency overnight. Traffic jams aren't
05:36the only negative impact of tourism in Salem, however. Many who live there have also complained that
05:41visitors are often careless with how they behave and rude when they interact on the crowded city streets.
05:46It's make or break for a lot of places in town for their whole year.
05:51says it's the city's commitment to welcoming visitors that's at the soul of what makes Salem
05:56stand out. Barcelona, Spain. The news made headlines back in 2024. A story
06:01of frustrated locals attempting to make themselves hurt against what they viewed as an invasive species.
06:06Tourists. Thousands of protesters hit the streets in Barcelona to express anger at mass tourists.
06:11tourism and its impacts on the city. Some protesters even sprayed tourists with water guns.
06:16Barcelona natives squirted visitors with water guns as part of the demonstration. Barcelona natives squirted visitors with water guns in an act.
06:21of defiance against a problem they believe needs to be addressed. Specifically how a city
06:26so devoted to tourism dollars has unfairly priced out its local populace in favor of more
06:31short-term rentals and higher rents. The mayor of Barcelona recently said that by 2028
06:36he would end apartment rentals for tourists by stopping short-term rental licenses for more
06:41than 10,000 apartments that would make these homes available for locals to live in. Barcelona
06:46Barcelona is another city that's actively made steps to battle against reckless and rude tourist behavior.
06:51It's implemented taxes while also working to shutter bootleg airbnbs that often spring up overnight.
06:56to take advantage of the situation.
06:57I mean I'll show you around the city and.
07:01we'll live well, we'll drink good wine, we'll make love.
07:04Yeah, who exactly?
07:06is going to make love.
07:07Hopefully the three of us.
07:09Dubrovnik, her.
07:11Croatia.
07:12This city has put their money where their mouth is with regards to just saying no to tourists.
07:16This picturesque town gained popularity as a filming location for the HBO series.
07:21Game of Thrones.
07:22Brandon.
07:23Brandon.
07:24I saw the king.
07:25He's got a hundred.
07:26Hundreds of people.
07:27How many times have I told you no climbing?
07:30It made Dubrovnik.
07:31Explode almost overnight as a tourist hotspot.
07:34Yet today.
07:35Mayor Mato Franco.
07:36Dubrovnik has actively turned away excessive cruise ship dockings and visits.
07:40Dubrovnik has also.
07:41banned wheeled suitcases in an effort to combat noise pollution.
07:44And it continues the fight to protect local.
07:46culture and tradition in the face of those modern dangers.
07:49Short term rentals, rude crowds, and traffic.
07:51If they're planning on doing a day trip to the Old Town, visitors will have to book
07:55a ticket in advance.
07:56And they'll only get up to four hours to explore the area.
08:00Tourists aren't so.
08:01Sure about these new restrictions.
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08:17Venice, Italy.
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