2024 might be the year overtourism hit its peak—and locals had enough. From protests in Barcelona to Venice’s infamous day-tripper tax, European cities are pushing back hard against the relentless influx of visitors that threatens to drown their cultures. Yet, while some are shutting the door, others are throwing it wide open, Stuff's Josh Martin reports.
Puducherry: India’s Beach Revival
In a country bursting with over a billion people, India might not seem like it’s itching for more guests. But in Puducherry, a quaint coastal town in the southeast, the tourist welcome wagon is in full swing.
Known for its French colonial charm and Hindu temples, Puducherry was a seaside town without a beach after decades of infrastructural mismanagement eroded its shoreline. Enter PondyCAN, a local NGO led by a returning expat, which spearheaded a multimillion-dollar project to restore the sand. The result? Golden beaches are back, and Puducherry is rolling out the red carpet to visitors eager to soak up sun and history in equal measure.
A Global Tourism Tug-of-War
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world, the fight for tourist dollars is fierce. Jordan, despite remaining uninvolved in regional conflicts, faces dwindling visitor numbers as flights to its historic sites are cancelled amid security concerns. Albania, long overlooked in favour of neighbours like Greece and Croatia, is finally seeing its tourism sector rise with a push for infrastructure improvements. And Cuba—still a nostalgic haven for those chasing 1950s charm—is doubling down on tourism despite power outages and lingering U.S. travel restrictions.
But in Puducherry, the narrative is refreshingly simple: new beaches, old-world charm, and an open invitation. As global tourism grapples with balance, this little Indian town proves that sometimes, a bit of restoration is all it takes to win the world over.
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