Loved to death: How millions of tourists are destroying the world's most famous landmarks, from crushed coral reefs to ancient monuments being climbed - and the destinations that could be next

They are among the most spectacular places on Earth – from Australia’s dazzling coral reefs to ancient temples and world-famous cities that have stood for centuries.

But the very people who travel thousands of miles to see them are helping to destroy them.

Careless tourists are crushing fragile coral, wedging coins into ancient rock formations and wearing down historic landmarks, while boats and millions of footsteps take their toll on some of the world’s most treasured destinations.

The scale of the problem is global. Responsible Travel has identified 98 destinations across 63 countries affected by overtourism, warning that the damage extends far beyond the handful of famous hotspots that regularly make headlines.

In some cases, the consequences have been so severe that attractions have been forced to close to visitors, with painstaking conservation work needed to repair the damage.

From the Great Barrier Reef and Venice to Machu Picchu and Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, these are the world-famous wonders paying the price for their popularity – and the destinations that could be next. 

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Overtourism has negatively affected Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

'Careless divers brush against fragile coral branches, swimmers kick fins that break apart delicate structures and boats drop anchors on living colonies that took centuries to grow,' warns Sea Going Green.

'Visitors walking on shallow flats cause further destruction, crushing habitats with every step. Unfortunately physical damage is only part of the equation.'

Over the last 10 years, an estimated 30 to 50 per cent of the world's coral reefs have already been destroyed. 

It's not just from overtourism, with climate change being the greatest issue - when coral becomes too warm, it undergoes a process called bleaching.

The stress of excess heating causes the coral to expel the colourful algae that live inside its tissue, turning it white.

If the hot temperatures last too long, coral can die in huge mass bleaching events, which the reef might never recover from.

This is one of the greatest issues faced by Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland 

More than 20kg – or 44.1lb – of unwanted currency has been removed from between the famous basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.

That is the equivalent of around 10,000 coins. 

Visitors are thought to have wedged the money into the rocks for luck or love, but the metal rapidly corrodes in the salty, damp conditions and can expand inside the cracks, placing pressure on the surrounding stone.

Tourists who hammered thousands of coins into the beloved World Heritage landmark left conservationists facing a painstaking 200-hour clean-up. 

The National Trust began the removal project in May last year following a report from the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland.

It warned that the coins were having both a physical and chemical impact on the rocks.

Lascaux, France

The Lascaux Cave in France was first opened to the public in 1948, but was forced to close its doors permanently in 1963. 

With visitor figures at 1,500 per day, the heat, humidity and carbon dioxide from humans inside the dark and airless cave disrupted its natural ecosystem. 

This has contributed to mold and fungus growth - and put the prehistoric paintings in the cave at risk. 

It's still closed off to this day.

But for tourists keen to explore, a replica Lascaux IV cave has been created in France, offering guided visits.

Venice, Italy

It's not just the crowds affecting the ambience of Venice - there is physical damage being done too.

Water buses, gondolas, and motorboats create waves that are slowly damaging the buildings in the Italian city, just as heavy foot traffic wears away at the streets and adds stress to the city's more than 400 bridges.

Demonstrations against overtourism have taken place in tourist hotspots such as Venice, with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's report acknowledging that there was 'growing pushback from local residents'.

For example, last summer, protests took place in the city against a new hotel opening – as well as in opposition to Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's extravagant wedding.

Machu Picchu, Peru 

'Machu Picchu is one of the world’s most high-profile victims of overtourism', according to Responsible Travel.

It was added to the Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in 2008 due to the environmental impact of unsustainable visitor numbers. 

As such, the Peruvian government and UNESCO placed a limit of 2,500 visitors per day at the site.

There is significant wear and tear on the trails as a consequence.

Furthermore, it was announced in 2020 that CCTV would be introduced at Machu Picchu, after a group of tourists were accused of defecating in a sacred temple at the world-famous Inca citadel.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Heavy foot traffic at this popular temple has caused wear on the steps and ancient sandstone carvings. 

In 2024, for instance, a TikTok trend that saw tourists running around Angkor Wat in a bid to recreate a popular video game sparked concern among conservationists.

Holidaymakers have recorded themselves sprinting through the temple in Cambodia, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, claiming it's 'Temple Run in real life'. 

Tourists have recorded themselves sprinting through the Hindu-Buddhist temple, built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century. 

Hans Leisen, who led a German conservation project at Angkor Wat, warned: 'If you're running through the temple, you will not see the beauty of the carvings. 

'And if you fall or stumble, you'll touch a wall to stabilise yourself and endanger the fragile carvings.'

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt 

Egypt's Great Pyramids of Giza have suffered damage from erosion on tourist paths - but that's only the half of it.

Vandalism, theft and attempts to climb the ancient constructions have contributed to structural damage and led to strict rules on climbing.

Although it is illegal to climb the 4,500 year old icon, German tourist Andrej Ciesielski journeyed to Cairo with the express intention of rooftopping one of the three mammoth tombs at Giza back in 2016. 

He was detained and questioned - and banned from Egypt for life. 

Maya Bay, Thailand 

Once a pristine Thai paradise, the secluded bay made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach has been exhausted by mass tourism - with its corals decimated by the suffocating clouds of sand and sediment churned up by speedboats.

A Thai court ordered for environmental rehabilitation work to be done on the bay, and it was closed from 2018 to 2022 to undergo rejuvenation.

It had been inundated with 5,000 tourists a day before authorities roped it off to help revive the coral reef system. 

During its closure, the coral reef was replanted and visitor facilities were expanded on the island, which is only 800ft long and 50ft wide.