Travel Experts Speak: This is the Blacklist of Destinations in 2025 and There's an Unpleasant Surprise for Spain

At VIAJAR, we are always on the lookout to find unique destinations in our world. We aim to highlight the beauty of the small places, or the hidden spots that traditional tourism often overlooks. However, we find ourselves in the age of immediacy, and as soon as a destination becomes known through social media for some attractive feature, it becomes overcrowded in a matter of weeks and loses the charm that once made it incredible.

This is why one of the most reputable travel guide producers in the world has created the Fodor's No list, a sort of blacklist to warn readers about destinations that should be avoided at all costs in 2025. Among the reasons to be on this list, ethical and environmental concerns stand out. They attempt to demonstrate that often the governments of these destinations prioritize tourism above the rights of the residents. Does this sound familiar? Stay tuned as we will explore four of the destinations you should avoid traveling to in 2025. Spoiler: Spain is in second place.

Although we often think that Thailand suffers from the real problem of invasive tourism, it is Bali that receives far more tourism than it can handle. Fodor's claims that in just the first seven months of 2024, it welcomed around 3.5 million tourists, a 22% increase in just one year. Its allure due to the image of a paradise island at a low cost has captivated many travelers, some of whom have even decided to live there. The consequences of the waste and debris generated by tourists pose a serious threat to the island's natural ecosystem, worsening not only the lives of the species inhabiting the island but also particularly affecting the quality of the surrounding water.

There are two Spanish destinations that refuse to leave the Fodor's No list: Barcelona and Mallorca. These places appear on the blacklist due to the tensions stirred up between residents and tourists in recent years. Protests against mass tourism in Barcelona and Mallorca have been numerous, mirroring the situation in the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands see mass tourism year-round, and citizens are calling for regulations that have yet to arrive. The tourism sector in the Spanish islands generates the most revenue, representing 35% of the country's GDP.

If you don't know anyone who has traveled to Thailand this year, congratulations, you might be the only one in a million. Koh Samui is a mountainous island in Thailand that has been under the radar for many tourists in recent years due to the amenities offered: incredibly cheap food, nights in luxury resorts at unbeatable prices, and an unforgettable stay on an island with white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. If this was already becoming 'out of control', with over 3.4 million tourists in 2024, after the premiere of the renowned series The White Lotus set in a resort on the island, numbers are expected to increase significantly. Like in Bali, this island is facing serious problems with the amount of waste left by tourists when they visit.

You probably encountered this destination in other news before it appeared on this list. It's official: Everest is dirty. What was once a privilege and a personal challenge has now become just another adventure for the wealthy. Climbing Everest is no longer a challenge, and the images shown by the media a few months ago of people lining up to reach the summit created a sense of slight embarrassment. It has nothing to do with the feeling experienced 76 years ago by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary when they planted their flags on top of Mount Everest. Now anyone who wants to climb-who has money to waste-can do so by hiring a guide who carries your supplies, marks the path, and even gives you a piggyback ride if needed.

Because we all know that money buys anything, right? Not content with this, the majority of visitors use the mountain as their personal toilet, which is incomprehensible because the villages one could encounter along the ascent used to be traditional, but now they have turned into cafes and hotels so these people don't feel too far from their comforts. Visitors and workers generate a staggering 800 kilos of waste a day.