Here's what you can and can't do when travelling in 2025. Image: canva
Lesser-known tourist restrictions to keep in mind when traveling in 2025
Over 30 travel destinations have implemented or strengthened tourist restrictions for 2025. Here’s what you need to know before you travel.
Here's what you can and can't do when travelling in 2025. Image: canva
As tourist bans continue to be implemented worldwide to combat overtourism, travellers can easily fall victim to the many travelling restrictions being imposed in 2025.
To help you determine if it will affect your travel plans this year, a private tours site, VIP Santorini has compiled a list of destinations that could impact your 2025 holiday, from tourist fines to strict restrictions. Take a look…
Tourist Tax
Tourist Tax
| Destination | Country | Method |
| Barcelona | Spain | Barcelona’s tourist tax for five-star hotel guests increased to €6.75 (R131) per night, totalling €47.25 (R918) per week. |
| Venice | Italy | Venice has introduced a €5 (R97) day-trip tax to dissuade short-term tourists from overloading the city. |
| Santorini & Mykonos | Greece | The government announced a €20 (R388) levy for cruise ship visitors to Greece’s islands during peak summer. |
| Kyoto | Japan | Lodging tax for hotels will increase to a maximum of 10 000 yen (R1 240), ten times the current 1 000 yen cap. |
| Bhutan | The Himalayas | Visitors pay the world’s priciest entrance fee of US$100 (R1 865) daily to promote low-impact tourism, down from $200 in 2023. |
| Galapagos Islands | Ecuador | Tourists to the archipelago must now pay an entry tax of $200 (R3 730) for international visitors. |
| Bali | Indonesia | Bali has introduced a $10 (R187) tourist tax to deter unruly visitors, with travellers required to pay the levy and potentially receive a handbook on acceptable behaviour. |
| Seville | Spain | Seville plans to charge holidaymakers for Plaza de España entry to combat overtourism, with details still unclear. |
| Edinburgh | Scotland | Plans are set to introduce a 5% tourist tax on accommodation from 2026, aiming to raise £50 million annually. |
Restricted access or zones
| Destination | Country | Method |
| Santorini & Mykonos | Greece | Greece plans to impose restrictions on cruise ships to combat overtourism and reduce the impact on the Cycladic Islands. |
| Machu Picchu | Peru | Visitors face a strict ticketing system to arrive within designated time slots to prevent overcrowding. |
| Ibiza | Spain | Authorities have introduced new regulations limiting the simultaneous docking of cruise ships to no more than two at a time. |
| Amsterdam | Netherlands | There are plans to limit river cruises, ban new hotels, reduce visitors by 271 000 annually, as well as cap overnight stays at 20 million. |
| Menorca | Spain | Homeowners in Binibeca Vell have blocked access to private properties and asked tourists to visit only between 11:00 and 20:00 to reduce noise. |
| Barcelona | Spain | The city cut cruise dockings to seven and removed the 116 bus route to Parc Güell to curb peak-season tourism. |
| Seoul | South Korea | Seoul’s Bukchon Hanok Village will introduce a curfew in March, limiting tourist access from 5pm to 10am. |
| Athens | Greece | The Greek Acropolis capped visitors at 20 000 in September 2023 and also introduced time slot bookings to reduce footfall. |
| Hallstatt | Austria | Measures were taken to discourage tourists by building wooden fences that block lakeside views. |
| Trentino Alto Adige | Italy | Overnight guests are capped at 2019 levels to tackle overtourism, with pre-registration for attractions like Alpe di Siusi. |
| French Polynesia | Annual tourist numbers are planned to be capped at 280 000, with local cruise lines taking priority over international cruise ships. | |
Tourist behaviour restrictions
| Destination | Country | Method |
| Sardinia | Italy | Tourists invading the pink sands of Spiaggia Rosa face fines ranging from €500 (R9 700) to €3,500 (R68 000). |
| Dubrovnik | Croatia | Visitors may face fines or charges for wearing swimwear, driving without permission, eating near monuments, or climbing city walls. |
| Prague | Czechia | City councillors have decided to ban outrageous stag and hen group costumes, as well as nighttime pub crawls. |
| Portofino | Italy | Tourists taking selfies in popular spots could face a €275 (R5 300) fine for causing congestion, with “no waiting” zones to prevent blockages. |
| Rome | Italy | Rome is cracking down on restrictions for shirtless men, “love padlocks” on bridges, and snacking near attractions like the Trevi Fountain. |