Tourist restrictions you may not be aware of when travelling in 2025

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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.