With fewer Canadians heading south of the border this summer, global tourism is picking up — and so are restrictions. From Asia to Europe to South America, destinations are cracking down on peak-season traffic with new entry rules, visitor caps, fees, tour bus restrictions and more. Here’s a quick guide to the destinations changing how travellers access and experience them in summer 2025.
🇯🇵 Mount Fuji, Japan
Beginning July 2025, all climbers — domestic and international— will be required to pay a ¥4,000 (C$35) fee to access any of Mount Fuji’s four main trails: Yoshida, Fujinomiya, Subashiri and Gotemba. This marks a major expansion from the previous policy which only applied to the Yoshida Trail.
The fee has doubled since 2024, the first year the tourist tax was implemented. It is part of a broader push to tackle overtourism, environmental wear and safety risks on the UNESCO World heritage site.
To limit climbers on the popular Yoshida Trail, climbers are also required to book in advance via an online reservation system. These measures apply during the main climbing season, which runs until early September.
🇪🇸 Barcelona, Spain
Spain has become ground zero for Europe’s overtourism backlash, with fed-up residents in Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and San Sebastián staging headline-grabbing protests — including some that saw tourists doused with water cannons.
In response, Spanish cities are tightening regulations to better manage visitor flow and reduce tensions. In Barcelona, officials are specifically targeting congestion around the Sagrada Familia. Though up to 16,000 people visit the world-famous basilica designed by Antoni Gaudí daily, only about 20% actually go inside; the majority gather outside, often causing bottlenecks on nearby sidewalks as they stop to take photos.
To address the growing friction, the city has put into motion a three-year Action Plan for the high-traffic area, which includes the construction of a 6,200-square-metre outdoor plaza on Plaça de Gaudí, directly in front of the basilica. The space is designed to give tourists a designated area for photo ops, helping to ease pedestrian flow and improve safety, cleanliness and “coexistence” with locals. However, the plaza won’t be completed until after April 2026 – the centennial of Gaudi's death.
Effective O1OCT, 2025, luxury hotels will see their tourist tax double from €3.50 (C$5.40) to €7 ($10.80) per night—meaning travel advisors don’t need to factor this into summer bookings but should be prepared for the higher rates starting in the fall season.
🇬🇷 Santorini & Mykonos, Greece
Cruise passengers disembarking at Santorini and Mykonos between 01JUN and 30SEP will be subject to a €20 (C$30) per-person levy. Introduced by the Greek government, the seasonal surcharge is designed to ease overtourism pressures, protect local infrastructure and support residents during peak cruise season. Revenue will be split evenly between the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Shipping and local municipalities.
Santorini is also limiting the number of daily cruise visitors this summer to 8,000.
🇭🇷 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Recently named Europe’s most overcrowded destination, with 27.4 tourists for every local resident, Dubrovnik has introduced new measures to ease the strain — and this summer, it may actually feel less crowded.
The walled Croatian city — which soared in global popularity after serving as a backdrop for HBO’s Game of Thrones — has long wrestled with cruise ship congestion, traffic jams, and tourist spillover in its UNESCO-listed Old Town. In March, city officials launched a special traffic zone that limits vehicle access near the city walls to permit holders only. The number of taxis has been cut from 9,000 to 700, and souvenir stands have been reduced by 70%.
To further relieve peak-season strain, the Dubrovnik Tourist Board has been actively promoting the city as a year-round destination in international markets.
🇪 Machu Picchu, Peru
Through September 2025, the Peruvian government has capped daily visitors to 5,600 at Machu Picchu to help ease environmental strain and protect the UNESCO World Heritage site. While close to pre-pandemic highs of 5,000 during peak season, the cap is part of broader efforts to safeguard the ancient Incan citadel.
Timed entry tickets and designated visitor circuits remain in place to reduce crowding and preserve the site.
🇮🇹 Venice, Italy
Venice has relaunched and expanded its daytripper tax, aiming to curb overtourism and help preserve the city’s canal ecosystem.
The fee now applies on Fridays, weekends and public holidays from 18APR to 27JUL, covering 54 days, nearly double the 2024 trial period.
Visitors who book at least four days in advance pay a reduced €5 (C$7.30) rate, while last-minute arrivals face the full €10 (C$16.50) fee. Tourists caught inside designated checkpoints without proof of payment could be fined up to €300 (C$440). The revenue will go toward maintaining Venice’s infrastructure, including its historic canals, which are increasingly strained by surging tourist traffic.
🇮🇹 Rome, Italy
With the new Pope attracting more pilgrims and tourists, Rome’s iconic sites are busier than ever. To manage the crowds, especially at the Trevi Fountain, officials have introduced timed entry batches to prevent overcrowding during peak times.
Temporary fences now guide visitors into orderly lines. While not everyone loves the look, these barriers help protect the fountain and improve safety.
There’s also ongoing talk of a small admission fee to support maintenance, but for now, the Trevi Fountain remains free to visit.
🏴 Bibury, England (Gloucestershire)
Starting May 23, the charming Cotswolds village of Bibury is piloting new restrictions on tour bus access. Coaches will no longer be allowed to park in the compact town centre and must instead drop passengers at designated stops outside the square. The move aims to preserve the village’s charm and prevent traffic bottlenecks.
Regarded by many to be England’s prettiest village, Bibury is home to just a few hundred residents — however, on busy weekends, it can attract up to 20,000 visitors and welcome as many as 50 tour buses rolling in daily.
🇮🇩 Bali, Indonesia
This year, Bali has intensified enforcement of its mandatory tourist levy and visitor guidelines, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable tourism and protecting the island’s cultural heritage.
All international visitors —including children —must pay a 150,000 IDR (C$13) tourist tax, payable online via the Love Bali website or at designated counters upon arrival. To ensure compliance, authorities now require tourists to present a QR code voucher as proof of payment when entering attractions or before boarding international flights departing the province of Indonesia.
“Governor of Bali Wayan Koster has made it clear that these rules will be strictly enforced,” the government said in a statement. “Tourists who fail to pay the tourist levy will be denied access to attractions, and those caught violating the regulations will face legal consequences in accordance with Indonesian law."
