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• READ MORE: Fodor’s unveils its 2024 GO and NO lists

By Ted Thornhill, Mailonline travel editor

Published: 12:59 EST, November 17, 2023 | Updated: 1:04 PM EST, November 17, 2023

Your 2024 holiday bucket list may need a few tweaks.

That’s because Fodor’s Travel has released its 2024 ‘Go & No Lists’, with the Go List comprising 24 ‘lust-worthy destinations to stoke the curiosity of wanderlust’, and the No List made up of nine places you should reconsider visiting.

Why? ‘Because our frenzied admiration and incessant need to experience them are not sustainable,’ says Fodor’s Travel, adding: ‘The No List isn’t a hit piece. It’s not a round-up of spots we revile – but a declaration of places we revere. The 2024 No List focuses on three main areas of tourist impact – overtourism, trash production, and water quality and sufficiency, which not only harm the destinations themselves, but the local communities who rely on them.

‘We hope this list will encourage readers to find new ways to interact with some of the world’s most iconic attractions.’ Read on for the full list of Go and No destinations, from Oregon to Tasmania, and from Athens to Normandy.

The No List – nine regions to reconsider in 2024 

Venice

‘Venice has been plagued with overtourism for years and continues to be unable to resolve its problems,’ says Fodor’s Travel. 

‘Their newest method of curbing visitors, a modest entry fee, is unlikely to work as a disincentive for tourists.’ 

Athens

‘Excessive tourism and a lack of approved management plans are causing damage to the Acropolis,’ warns Fodor’s Travel, ‘and the loss of traditional ways of life in surrounding neighborhoods.’

The guide adds: ‘Athens’ top tourist attraction, the Acropolis, and its iconic monuments, the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Propylaea entrance, have seen a record boost in visitors – around 17,000 people daily. But that number is far too many for the Unesco World Heritage Site.’ 

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam 

Fodor’s Travel says: ‘Management of Ha Long Bay’s tourist boating activities along with growing fishing communities are contributing to refuse and diesel in the water, and attempts to curb pollution are easily circumvented and only half-heartedly enforced.’ 

The Atacama Desert, Chile

The Atacama Desert is marketed as one of its finest natural resources, ‘but that is at odds with how it manages the environmental preservation of the desert,’ says Fodor’s Travel.

San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California

‘The number of visitors combined with lack of oversight and environmental awareness has led to the deterioration of what should be a natural oasis for Los Angeles County,’ says Fodor’s Travel.

The Ganges River, India

A new luxury river cruise industry is exacerbating problems for India’s most important river, which include ‘reduced flow, floating pollution, and the endangerment of its river dolphins’.

Lake Superior

It’s the largest freshwater lake on the planet, but Fodor’s Travel notes that it’s facing multiple problems – ‘fish-consumption advisories, ecosystem threats like invasive species and algae blooms, and stresses from over-tourism, especially in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan’.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Fodor’s Travel says: ‘Freshwater shortages have plagued Ko Samui for almost a year, as tourists flock to the island and consume 70 per cent of the water resources.’

Mount Fuji, Japan

Ascending Mount Fuji is hugely popular but, says Fodor’s Travel, ‘visitors aren’t fully recognizing the risks and detrimental effects of climbing Mount Fuji and are putting themselves at physical risk while overcrowding a sacred summit’.

The Go List – places to stoke the curiosity of wanderlust 

Rouen, Normandy, France

Rouen, says Fodor’s Travel, is ‘one of France’s best-kept secrets’ – a city that mixes modernity with ‘a rich historic and cultural scene on the picturesque banks of the Seine River’.

Botswana

‘If you are seeking heaven on earth, Botswana’s vast wilderness has remained unchanged for eons,’ says Fodor’s Travel, adding: ‘Nearly half of the country is protected, and the country is a leader in sustainable tourism.’

Boulder, Colorado

With 300 days of sunshine each year, there’s never a bad time to visit Boulder, Colorado, declares Fodor’s Travel, adding: ‘Bike lanes abound, the local trail systems are accessible and world-class, and outdoor adventurists flock to this charming place for mountain biking, hiking, climbing, and even tubing – all found within minutes of the city center.’

Ifrane, Morocco

‘Enjoy skiing with a side of couscous in the alpine village known as the “Switzerland of Morocco”,’ says Fodor’s.

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Fodor’s Travel describes Cannon Beach as ‘a slow but purposeful seaside town… structured around its abundant natural beauty’.

Visitors, the guide says, ‘should start with one of Oregon’s most recognizable landmarks, the colossal Haystack Rock, a towering basalt sea stack that overlooks colorful tidepools and flocking seabirds up and down the shoreline’.

It adds: ‘You can also get the view from above at Ecola State Park, stretching over nine miles of lush old-growth trees and ferns that have been featured in movies like Twilight, Free Willy, and The Goonies.’

Franschhoek, South Africa

Fodor’s Travel says: ‘Founded by French settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries, Franschhoek is a historic hamlet nestled in the heart of South Africa’s Winelands and home to a slew of distinguished vineyards.’

The guide notes that the wine ‘can be sampled at dozens of vineyards surrounding the town – all of which boast dazzling views of the nearby mountains’.

Albania

If you’re in the market for ‘luxuriant landscapes, friendly locals, and near-empty beaches that will make your retinas pop’ – head to Albania.

Sighișoara, Romania

Fodor’s Travel reveals that here – in ‘one of Europe’s most intact medieval towns’ – you can ‘step back in time’, ‘learn about Saxon history’, and ‘visit the birthplace of Dracula’.

Copan Ruinas, Honduras

This is the place, we’re told, ‘to see flying rainbows soar over centuries-old ruins’, and where you can ‘kick back at greenery-encircled Mayan hot springs’.

Coron, Philippines

Here you can ‘immerse yourself in tropical beaches and colorful, wondrous sea life’.

Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Visit this ‘true gem’ and you’ll discover ‘a unique mix of Mexican traditions, urban art, boho-style housing, and cutting-edge culture in food, fashion, and fiesta’.

Stanley, Tasmania, Australia

This ‘charming and romantic’ Australian town features ‘colonial architecture, delicious local seafood and grass-fed beef, and stunning 360-degree views atop a volcanic landform called “The Nut”.’

Cartagena, Colombia

‘A seaside Colombian city blending culture, cuisine, and a thriving nightlife scene,’ says Fodor’s.

Kakaban Island, Indonesia

Kakaban Island and the Derawan island chain it sits in offer ‘several bucket-list marine encounters all within this small area’.

Fodor’s Travel reveals that one of them can be experienced on the lake on Kakaban Island, where you can swim with stingless jellyfish.

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

‘The quiet, unassuming town of Colonia del Sacramento (or simply Colonia) offers visitors a relaxing, laid-back vacation destination just two hours west of Montevideo (and an hour ferry from Buenos Aires),’ says Fodor’s.

It adds: ‘Like a snowflake, every inch is unique. As most only stay the day, the perfect opportunity is to stay the night, sample local paella and pizza, dance to acoustic guitar and rippling waves… and fall in love with a city few know exists.’ 

For more visit www.fodors.com.