Indonesia just announced a moratorium on the building of new hotels, nightclubs and villas in some areas of Bali in a bid to control overdevelopment of the land and reform tourism on the popular resort island.

The temporary ban also aims to preserve Bali’s indigenous culture and improve quality of life on the island. According to some sources, the moratorium could last for as long as 10 years.

So, why the temporary ban? Senior Minister Luhut Pandjaitan told news website Detik that about 200,000 foreigners currently live in Bali, leading to an increase in competition for jobs, over-development and crime.

In the first half of 2024 alone, about 2.9 million foreign visitors came through Bali’s airport. Hotels in Bali also increased, with 507 recorded in 2019, and 541 now documented this year.

Bali’s interim governor Sang Made Mahendra Jaya reportedly suggested the temporary ban of the island’s busy areas to the central government, focusing on over-development for commercial purposes.

Bali isn’t the first popular destination in the world to ban the construction of new hotels. Earlier this year, Amsterdam announced a ban on new hotel developments to combat mass tourism. The city’s new rule means new hotels cannot be constructed in Amsterdam unless another hotel closes. New hotels in Amsterdam that meet this standard must also be sustainable or modern, with developers encouraged to select locations outside the city.

In late 2023, the Spanish city of San Sebastian announced plans to also ban new hotels and tourist apartments. The city’s General Urban Planning Plan noted some of the negatives caused by tourism, citing a decline in the quality of culture and food.

Beyond hotels, cities like Barcelona declared intentions to ban apartment rentals to tourists to limit overnight tourists.

It seems tourism to popular European and Asian destinations are seeing a noticeable rise in anti-tourism. From Barcelona residents spraying tourists with water guns to San Sebastian residents spray painting graffiti telling tourists to “go home,” are we nearing the end of tourism to these destinations?

Perhaps not. While destinations like Paris, London and Barcelona will always draw flocks of crowds, overtourism inspired many travelers to venture to lesser-known destinations around the world. For instance, instead of a Western Europe vacation, countries like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are rising in popularity. This gives other destinations a chance to enjoy the monetary benefits of increased tourism to an area, and perhaps might give the more traditional tourism cities a bit of a breather.

Have you been to Bali before? What was your experience like? What are your thoughts on these destinations’ efforts to combat overtourism? Tell us your thoughts. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.