Travel Guide: Top 5 Beautiful places destroyed by Tourism and Pollution

Tourism allows people to experience the beauty of nature and historical sites, but it also brings the responsibility of preserving them. Unfortunately, unchecked human activity has led to the degradation of several breathtaking locations. 

Tourism can make human beings more comfortable with nature's wonders and cultural sites, but with it comes the responsibility to keep them safe. Unfortunately, some sites have suffered enormous losses due to uncontrolled tourist activity. Here are five beautiful places that lost their charm due to human negligence.

Top 5 Beautiful places destroyed by Tourism

1. Mount Everest Base Camp, Nepal

The crown jewel of the Himalayas, Mount Everest has seen its base camp turn into a virtual dump yard. The crowds of climbers and trekkers leave heaps of trash like plastic bottles, food packets and even oxygen cylinders. The fragile ecosystem is in a critical state, with trash piling up at an alarming rate, spoiling the charm of this iconic place.

2. Maya Bay, Thailand

Popularized by the movie The Beach, Maya Bay was once a sandy heaven of crystal waters and colorful coral reefs. But the invasion of thousands of tourists a day has put its marine ecosystem to enormous devastation. Corals were crushed and polluted, and thus authorities shut the bay forever in 2018 for ecological rehabilitation.

3. Venice, Italy

Venice, city of love and canals, has fallen prey to over-tourism. Huge crowds of tourists, cruise ships and pollution have gotten the better of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourists neglect indigenous culture, trash and even vandalize historic buildings. Increased water levels and severe human caused erosion have endangered Venice's loveliness.

4. Boracay Island, Philippines

Boracay Island was a turquoise-sea and white-sand heaven, but untamed and mass tourism ruined it. Hordes of tourists, untreated sewage, and improper waste disposal desecrated its beauty. The Philippine government closed the island for environmental rejuvenation in 2018 temporarily, but the damage is an eye-opener for us.

5. Taj Mahal, India"

One of the Wonders of the Seven Worlds, the Taj Mahal, suffered damage due to overpopulation. Trash and pollution have disfigured the marble building, and its gardens are widely walked on. Despite damage control efforts, this masterpiece of art remains under attack by vast amounts of people.

The Significance of Ethical Tourism

These examples prove the urgent need of responsible tourism. Tourists must undertake initiatives such as avoiding wastage, being compliant with local laws, and not causing harm to the environment. If we are careful, then we can ensure that such beautiful places are preserved for future generations so their beauty along with their cultural heritage is preserved.