These are the most overcrowded tourist destinations around the world
Travel is booming once again, as more and more people pack their bags and head on holiday.
However, many are all heading to the same spots, as overtourism dominates headlines, locals clash with tourists, and cities impose fees for day-trippers.
A study has found the worst spot in the world for overcrowding is in Italy - but it's not in Venice.
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Vatican City sees 6.8 million tourists each year. Getty
A new ranking by Go2Africa has revealed the Top 15 most overcrowded tourist destinations in the world. This is determined by comparing the number of visitors to the local population.
Vatican City came out on top with the most disproportionate tourist-to-visitor ratio.
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The tiny sovereign city-state has just 882 residents, but sees a staggering 6.8 million tourists visit each year. That equates to 7,710 visitors for every local.
Second and third place also go to European micro-countries.
Andorra is a beautiful mountainous country. Getty
Andorra, a tiny principality nestled between France and Spain, known for shopping and skiing, sees 117 tourists for every resident.
San Marino ranks third. With only 33,581 residents, it attracts 2 million tourists annually - or 59 tourists per local.
Fourth place on the list is the first appearance of a non-European country: the island nation of the Bahamas. Home to just 400,000 residents, it welcomes 11.2 million visitors each year, and is a popular holiday spot for US travellers seeking sun.
The Bahamas is a popular spot for travelling Americans. Getty
The tropical Caribbean country, Saint Kitts and Nevis, rounded out the top five. The holiday hotspot was a favourite of Princess Diana, who holidayed here with her sons in 1993.
An estimated 1.4 billion tourists travelled internationally in 2024, which is a near-complete recovery (99 per cent) to pre-pandemic levels.
Protests in cities like Barcelona have seen locals clash with tourists, while travel hotspots including Venice have introduced new rules and taxes for visitors.
Earlier this year, Hawaii introduced a "Green Fee", that will be added on to hotel room stays. The proceeds go toward environmental protection and addressing the impacts of climate change.
Hawaii has imposed a Green Tax on visitors. Getty
When we polled the Nine.com.au audience about tourist fees, the results were mixed.
In the exclusive Nine survey we asked readers: "In popular tourist destinations, should there be a mandatory tax for all international visitors to help manage the impact of tourism, and to fund local infrastructure?"
Only 24 per cent of respondents agreed that yes, there should be a mandatory tax.
According to travel experts, taxes don't really deter travellers - but they do divert funds to improving the quality of life for residents.
Malta is high up on the list of overcrowded destinations. Getty
The most overcrowded travel destinations in 2025:
- Vatican City
- Andorra
- San Marino
- Bahamas
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahrain
- Monaco
- Malta
- Hong Kong
- Iceland
- Croatia
- Barbados
- Switzerland
- Grenada
