NIKKY.HOULIHANTo start the year with a bang, let us ‘deinfluence‘ you from travelling to some questionable locations for 2026, based on the Fodor list which highlights destinations where tourism is placing unsustainable pressures on the land and local communities.
Antarctica
Do you have an inner evil billionaire thirsting to go to untouched, vulnerable locations? Well you might want to rethink your cravings, given the environmental meltdown currently being observed in Antarctica. While there are advocates who recommend seeing the damage of climate change firsthand to raise awareness, it remains a weak argument in the face of rapidly increasing visits to a place that currently has no cap on tourist numbers.
Quark Expeditions guests photograph ice formations at Port Charcot Bay, Antarctica. (Photo: Acacia Johnson)
The Canary Islands
In 2025 the Canary Islands received 8 million tourists, four times the number of local residents. Locals have complained of strained resources, housing shortages, an ongoing water emergency and climate sustainability concerns from crowded beaches and pollution.
It is true that the Canaries’ economy depends on tourism, but it is important to note that major international hotels have the monopoly of the touristic sector, taking the profits away from the islands.
Crowded beach in Tenerife (Unknown)
Glacier National Park
While the Glacier National Park is known for stunning landscapes, mass tourism is having an impact on the area. The rapidly retreating glaciers point to major climate damage, yet a high visitor numbers, largely dependent on long-distance car and air travel, keep coming and are contributing to the emissions driving that loss. It is also worth highlight ethical considerations linked to the park’s history, as it sits on Indigenous lands, including the Blackfeet Nation.
We do love a good goat at the Celt & the Arab. (Image Credits: Robert M. Russell)
Cruise ships
I have never understood the appeal of large cruise trips. Stuck on a boat surrounded by the same people doing forced fun activities all while being trapped at a heightened risk for catching the vomiting bug? I’ll pass.
In all seriousness, cruise ships are widely considered as one of the most climate-damaging forms of travel. The large vessels operated by companies such as Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group burn highly polluting fossil fuels, causing significant carbon emissions as well as other chemicals that harm coastal air quality.
If that was not enough, the industry has faced criticism over waste discharge into marine ecosystems, pressure on fragile port communities, and exploitative labour practices that rely on low-paid workers. Not great. We can do better.
Awkward – when your dream vacation is melting the ice caps (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Jungfrau Region
Located in the Bernese Oberland of central Switzerland, the Jungfrau Region is most famous for its Alpine villages of Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, and Mürren.
The Jungfrau Region faces a key challenge: balancing soaring tourism with the preservation of its environment and local quality of life. The hordes of visitors are draining natural resources and affecting the daily lives of residents. The area is plagued with Airbnbs and other short term accommodation arrangements targeting tourists and preventing local residents from finding a place to live, while mass tourism slowly erodes surrounding glaciers.
Ski resort in Wengen (Image Credits: unknown).
Mexico City
The Mexican capital appears to be feeling the effects of its newfound digital nomad hub status. Drawn by relaxed COVID-19 restrictions and cheaper living costs, the pandemic was a turning point when many North American digital nomads flocked to the city to work remotely and avail of its lower costs, and subsequently causing Airbnb listings to multiply by 35%. With landlords showing a preference for foreign renters for their higher buying power, locals are being priced out of their neighbourhoods, in favour of foreigners passing through on their cost-saving nomadic journey.
A pretty co-working spot with a hidden cost (Image Credits: Reuters).
Mombasa
Overtourism has taken a visible toll on the city. Strained water and energy resources, chronic traffic congestion, and inadequate waste management have led to littered beaches and marine pollution. Rapid, and at times uneven, development has pushed construction dangerously close to the shoreline, accelerating coastal erosion and leaving behind a number of unfinished or deteriorating beachfront properties. The city’s 2024–2025 development plan acknowledges many of these challenges, and recent tourist exit surveys suggest that without more sustainable planning and investment, Mombasa risks losing much of the appeal that once made it such a sought-after destination.
Mombasa, Kenya (Photo by Victor Birai)
Montmartre, Paris
As a Parisian native, I have both a love and dread of Montmartre. It is crowded for a reason, yes. It is full of old Parisian charm, but massive crowds instantly ruin the magic and provide the perfect cloak for scammers and pickpockets. Instead, go further afield to Versailles or Fontainebleau to get a little taste of old French royalty and quaint towns.
We hope this guide has been useful to and has warned you off some climate hot spots for your next adventures! Check out some of our other posts to discover new destinations and more ethical ways to travel.