How to avoid tourist traps: a guide to overcrowded destinations 2026

Venice has introduced an entry fee, Barcelona is limiting cruise ships, and Amsterdam has launched “Stay Away” campaigns — tourist hotspots around the world are waging war on overtourism. 

According to UN Tourism data, 1.52 billion international travelers were recorded in 2025, with a projected increase of 3–4% in 2026, most heading to already crowded cities.

Experienced travellers know that avoiding crowds is possible by choosing alternative destinations. But this choice not only changes the route, but it also raises the demands on the trip itself. 

Far from tourist centres, reliable network access becomes critical. Without it, you risk spending half a day searching for the right street, missing an authentic restaurant recommended by a fellow traveller, or being unable to book accommodation on the go when plans change.

This is where next-generation eSIM providers like Yesim come to the rescue. They offer real convenience for saving money and ensuring comfort abroad, allowing travelers to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations while staying connected at all times.

Why popular destinations have become tourist traps

By 2026, overtourism has reached a critical point where it can no longer be ignored. Crowds, long lines, inflated prices, and protests from local residents — these are the challenges travellers face in the most popular destinations.

The scale of overtourism in 2026

International tourism has rebounded after the pandemic and is growing at an unprecedented rate. In 1990, Barcelona welcomed 1.7 million tourists per year. 

By 2024, that number had soared to 15.6 million — all in a city with a population of just 1.7 million. Venice, with its 48,000 residents, receives 5.7 million tourists annually, and on peak days the city hosts up to 60,000 visitors — meaning tourists physically outnumber the locals.

Why travellers are avoiding classic routes

Crowd fatigue is not the only reason modern travellers seek alternatives. The problem has become multifaceted — economic, social, and cultural.

Mass tourism has destroyed authenticity. Locals avoid city centers, yielding them to armies of tourists, and with them disappear traditional shops and family-run restaurants. In their place rise souvenir shops, fast-food chains, and tourist traps with inflated prices.

The cost of accommodation, dining, and entertainment in popular locations has skyrocketed. The average price of a four-star hotel in Venice is 5,102 ZAR (Italian Hotel Monitor), and during peak season it often exceeds 6,660 ZAR per night.

Social media has changed travel motivations. The desire to discover a “personal” spot that millions of other tourists haven’t found yet, and to experience real stories rather than standard postcard views, has become the driving force behind this new travel trend.

Digital shield: technology against chaos and overspending

Choosing alternative destinations requires far more technological preparation than travelling along well-trodden routes.

Why connectivity is critical for off-the-beaten-path travel

When you visit Venice or Paris, the tourist infrastructure works for you: signs in English, free maps, English-speaking staff everywhere. But step off the popular route, and you enter a completely different reality — without reliable connectivity, it’s easy to get lost or miss the most interesting experiences.

Access to navigation and local apps for ordering taxis, booking restaurants, and purchasing museum tickets is critical — these tools help you feel confident in an unfamiliar city. Safety is another key factor: the ability to contact loved ones, call emergency services, or locate the nearest hospital at any time can be life-saving.

Yesim is the digital foundation of your trip

At the same time, traditional ways of staying connected often fall short. Roaming with your home operator without special packages is expensive (R0.55–R0.99 per MB) and easily leads to data overages. Local SIM cards are also inconvenient: you lose access to your main number, and you must find a shop and navigate local tariffs in an unfamiliar language. Hotel Wi-Fi is often unstable, risky for handling corporate data, and unsuitable if you need to stay connected outside the hotel.

A rational alternative is an eSIM — a microchip embedded in your smartphone or another mobile device. You can remotely download and activate profiles from different mobile operators on it.

How does this work with Yesim? 

Check your device compatibility and download the Yesim app. Next, select your destination country, purchase a data package (a trial plan with 500 MB for 9.7 ZAR is available to test quality), receive a QR code, and activate the profile in your smartphone settings. Set up the app stress-free at home in Pretoria, and activate it in another country in just a minute upon arrival.

For frequent travellers, Yesim offers the Global Package (covering over 80 countries) and the Global Plus Package (covering more than 140 countries). With the Global Package, for example, you can purchase a prepaid 20 GB plan for 90 days at 1,308 ZAR or a 7-day unlimited plan for 1,115 ZAR. A true gem is the Pay & Fly plan on a pay-as-you-go model: one eSIM for the entire world, and you only pay for the data you use.

With Yesim, you get the best coverage in any country: your smartphone automatically connects to the operator with the strongest signal at that moment — something standard roaming cannot offer. Thanks to the hotspot mode, you can share your connection with family or colleagues, creating a single secure access point with clear control and no unnecessary risks.

New users can also use the promo code GETYESIM15 to get a 15% discount on their first order.

“Understudies” instead of stars: the art of choosing alternative routes

Now that connectivity is solved, it’s time to find destinations that offer the same experiences as popular hotspots, but without the crowds and tourist traps.

The “Swap-Destinations” method: hidden gems instead of hotspots

The concept is simple: for every overcrowded destination, there is a lesser-known alternative that provides similar experiences, but with an authentic atmosphere and reasonable prices.

Instead of overcrowded Lisbon, head to Porto — a city with equally stunning architecture, famous wine cellars, and picturesque views of the Douro River, but with half the number of tourists. Instead of Paris, choose Lyon — France’s gastronomic capital, featuring Roman ruins, a medieval Old Town, and prices around 40% lower than in Paris.

Valencia offers all the Mediterranean charms found in Barcelona, but without the crowds: the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, beautiful beaches, and authentic paella. Meanwhile, cozy Ghent, with its medieval canals and castles, provides the same fairytale atmosphere as Bruges, but without tourist buses on every corner.

Asian alternatives are just as compelling. Thailand isn’t only Bangkok and Phuket: head north to Chiang Rai with its White and Blue Temples, visit the secluded beaches of Ko Kood, or explore Sukhothai — the ancient capital of the kingdom.

In Vietnam, instead of the crowded Ha Long Bay, discover Lan Ha Bay or Phu Quoc Island with its untouched beaches. In Japan, beyond Tokyo and Kyoto, there are dozens of charming cities: Kanazawa, home to the country’s most beautiful gardens; Takayama, with its well-preserved historic centre; or Nara, where deer roam freely through the streets.

Freedom to choose your route

In 2026, the best souvenir is a unique experience, not a selfie in front of a crowd at the Eiffel Tower. Mass tourism has turned iconic landmarks into Instagram backdrops, but the true magic of travel has always been found in the unplanned moments: a conversation with the owner of a taverna in a Greek village, sunrise on a deserted beach in Albania, or a wine festival in a tiny village discovered from a fellow traveller on the train.

Overtourism is best challenged through personal choice. When we support a family-run restaurant instead of a tourist trap, stay in a local hotel instead of an international chain — we vote with our rands for tourism that sustains, rather than destroys, cities. 

Yesim’s eSIM transforms this from an adventure into a comfortable journey: no surprises, no restrictions — just you and the open world.