Your 2024 holiday bucket list may need a few tweaks.
That’s because Fodor’s Travel has released its 2024 ‘Go & No Lists’, with the Go List comprising 24 ‘lust-worthy destinations to stoke the curiosity of wanderlust’, and the No List made up of nine places you should reconsider visiting.
Why? ‘Because our frenzied admiration and incessant need to experience them are not sustainable,’ says Fodor’s Travel, adding: ‘The No List isn’t a hit piece. It’s not a round-up of spots we revile – but a declaration of places we revere. The 2024 No List focuses on three main areas of tourist impact – overtourism, trash production, and water quality and sufficiency, which not only harm the destinations themselves, but the local communities who rely on them.
‘We hope this list will encourage readers to find new ways to interact with some of the world’s most iconic attractions.’ Read on for the full list of Go and No destinations, from Oregon to Tasmania, and from Athens to Normandy.
The No List – nine regions to reconsider in 2024
Venice
Venice (above) has a huge over-tourism issue, says Fodor’s Travel
‘Venice has been plagued with overtourism for years and continues to be unable to resolve its problems,’ says Fodor’s Travel.
‘Their newest method of curbing visitors, a modest entry fee, is unlikely to work as a disincentive for tourists.’
Athens
Far too many people visit the Acropolis (above), warns Fodor’s
‘Excessive tourism and a lack of approved management plans are causing damage to the Acropolis,’ warns Fodor’s Travel, ‘and the loss of traditional ways of life in surrounding neighborhoods.’
The guide adds: ‘Athens’ top tourist attraction, the Acropolis, and its iconic monuments, the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Propylaea entrance, have seen a record boost in visitors – around 17,000 people daily. But that number is far too many for the Unesco World Heritage Site.’
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Ha Long Bay looks amazing from the air, but there is a growing problem of refuse and diesel in the water
Fodor’s Travel says: ‘Management of Ha Long Bay’s tourist boating activities along with growing fishing communities are contributing to refuse and diesel in the water, and attempts to curb pollution are easily circumvented and only half-heartedly enforced.’
The Atacama Desert, Chile
The Atacama Desert is marketed as one of its finest natural resources, ‘but that is at odds with how it manages the environmental preservation of the desert,’ says Fodor’s Travel.
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is ‘deteriorating’
‘The number of visitors combined with lack of oversight and environmental awareness has led to the deterioration of what should be a natural oasis for Los Angeles County,’ says Fodor’s Travel.
The Ganges River, India
A new luxury river cruise industry is exacerbating problems for India’s most important river, which include ‘reduced flow, floating pollution, and the endangerment of its river dolphins’.
Lake Superior
Lake Superior (above) is facing ecosystem threats, says Fodor’s Travel
FODOR’S TRAVEL’S GO AND NO LISTS 2024 – FROM COLORADO TO VENICE
The GO List – ’24 places to stoke the curiosity of wanderlust’
USA AND CANADA
Boulder, Colorado
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Botswana
Cape Verde
Franschhoek, South Africa
Ifrane, Morocco
ASIA
Coron, Philippines
George Town, Malaysia
Kakaban Island, Indonesia
Sri Lanka
AUSTRALIA AND THE PACIFIC
Stanley, Tasmania, Australia
Queenstown, New Zealand
EUROPE
Albania
Bergen, Norway
Rouen, France
Sighișoara, Romania
MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Copan Ruinas, Honduras
Negril, Jamaica
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica
SOUTH AMERICA
Cartagena, Colombia
Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
São Paulo, Brazil
The No list – nine regions to reconsider in 2024
Venice
‘Plagued with over-tourism for years’
Athens
‘Excessive tourism and a lack of approved management plans are causing damage to the Acropolis’
Mount Fuji, Japan
‘Visitors aren’t fully recognizing the risks and detrimental effects of climbing Mount Fuji’
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California
‘The number of visitors combined with lack of oversight and environmental awareness has led to the deterioration of what should be a natural oasis for Los Angeles County’
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
‘Management of Ha Long Bay’s tourist boating activities along with growing fishing communities are contributing to refuse and diesel in the water’
The Atacama Desert, Chile
‘Chile markets the Atacama Desert as one of its finest natural resources, but that is at odds with how it manages the environmental preservation of the desert’
Lake Superior
‘The largest freshwater lake on the planet is facing fish-consumption advisories, ecosystem threats like invasive species and algae blooms, and stresses from overtourism’
The Ganges River, India
‘The most important river in India faces issues of reduced flow, floating pollution, and the endangerment of its river dolphins’
Koh Samui, Thailand
‘Freshwater shortages have plagued Ko Samui for almost a year’
Source: www.fodors.com
It’s the largest freshwater lake on the planet, but Fodor’s Travel notes that it’s facing multiple problems – ‘fish-consumption advisories, ecosystem threats like invasive species and algae blooms, and stresses from over-tourism, especially in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan’.
Koh Samui, Thailand
Fodor’s Travel says: ‘Freshwater shortages have plagued Ko Samui for almost a year, as tourists flock to the island and consume 70 per cent of the water resources.’
Mount Fuji, Japan
Ascending Mount Fuji is hugely popular but, says Fodor’s Travel, ‘visitors aren’t fully recognizing the risks and detrimental effects of climbing Mount Fuji and are putting themselves at physical risk while overcrowding a sacred summit’.
The Go List – places to stoke the curiosity of wanderlust
Rouen, Normandy, France
Rouen is rich in history and picturesque to boot
Rouen, says Fodor’s Travel, is ‘one of France’s best-kept secrets’ – a city that mixes modernity with ‘a rich historic and cultural scene on the picturesque banks of the Seine River’.
Botswana
‘If you are seeking heaven on earth, Botswana’s vast wilderness has remained unchanged for eons,’ says Fodor’s Travel, adding: ‘Nearly half of the country is protected, and the country is a leader in sustainable tourism.’
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is a mecca for outdoor adventurists, with mountain biking, hiking and climbing all on offer
With 300 days of sunshine each year, there’s never a bad time to visit Boulder, Colorado, declares Fodor’s Travel, adding: ‘Bike lanes abound, the local trail systems are accessible and world-class, and outdoor adventurists flock to this charming place for mountain biking, hiking, climbing, and even tubing – all found within minutes of the city center.’
Ifrane, Morocco
‘Enjoy skiing with a side of couscous in the alpine village known as the “Switzerland of Morocco”,’ says Fodor’s.
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Cannon Beach features the colossal Haystack Rock, which overlooks colorful tidepools
Fodor’s Travel describes Cannon Beach as ‘a slow but purposeful seaside town… structured around its abundant natural beauty’.
Visitors, the guide says, ‘should start with one of Oregon’s most recognizable landmarks, the colossal Haystack Rock, a towering basalt sea stack that overlooks colorful tidepools and flocking seabirds up and down the shoreline’.
It adds: ‘You can also get the view from above at Ecola State Park, stretching over nine miles of lush old-growth trees and ferns that have been featured in movies like Twilight, Free Willy, and The Goonies.’
Franschhoek, South Africa
Dazzling mountain views await visitors to wine hotspot Franschhoek
Fodor’s Travel says: ‘Founded by French settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries, Franschhoek is a historic hamlet nestled in the heart of South Africa’s Winelands and home to a slew of distinguished vineyards.’
The guide notes that the wine ‘can be sampled at dozens of vineyards surrounding the town – all of which boast dazzling views of the nearby mountains’.
Albania
If you’re in the market for ‘luxuriant landscapes, friendly locals, and near-empty beaches that will make your retinas pop’ – head to Albania.
Sighișoara, Romania
Sighișoara is one of Europe’s most intact medieval towns, where visitors can step back in time
Fodor’s Travel reveals that here – in ‘one of Europe’s most intact medieval towns’ – you can ‘step back in time’, ‘learn about Saxon history’, and ‘visit the birthplace of Dracula’.
Copan Ruinas, Honduras
This is the place, we’re told, ‘to see flying rainbows soar over centuries-old ruins’, and where you can ‘kick back at greenery-encircled Mayan hot springs’.
Coron, Philippines
Wondrous sea life can be added to the agenda for travellers who venture to Coron
Here you can ‘immerse yourself in tropical beaches and colorful, wondrous sea life’.
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Visit this ‘true gem’ and you’ll discover ‘a unique mix of Mexican traditions, urban art, boho-style housing, and cutting-edge culture in food, fashion, and fiesta’.
Stanley, Tasmania, Australia
A volcanic landform called The Nut (above) is an eye-catching feature of Stanley
This ‘charming and romantic’ Australian town features ‘colonial architecture, delicious local seafood and grass-fed beef, and stunning 360-degree views atop a volcanic landform called “The Nut”.’
Cartagena, Colombia
‘A seaside Colombian city blending culture, cuisine, and a thriving nightlife scene,’ says Fodor’s.
Kakaban Island, Indonesia
Kakaban Island and the Derawan island chain it sits in offer ‘several bucket-list marine encounters all within this small area’.
Fodor’s Travel reveals that one of them can be experienced on the lake on Kakaban Island, where you can swim with stingless jellyfish.
Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
Fodor’s Travel says of Colonia del Sacramento: ‘Like a snowflake, every inch is unique’
‘The quiet, unassuming town of Colonia del Sacramento (or simply Colonia) offers visitors a relaxing, laid-back vacation destination just two hours west of Montevideo (and an hour ferry from Buenos Aires),’ says Fodor’s.
It adds: ‘Like a snowflake, every inch is unique. As most only stay the day, the perfect opportunity is to stay the night, sample local paella and pizza, dance to acoustic guitar and rippling waves… and fall in love with a city few know exists.’
For more visit www.fodors.com.
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