The Cinque Terre are five charming fishing villages situated on the rugged coastline of the Italian Riviera. The colourful houses, beautiful scenery, delicious seafood and relaxed way of life in this part of Liguria have attracted tourists in their droves for many years. Cruise ships arrive at the nearby port of La Spezia to take tours of the villages, whilst others arrive from different parts of Italy to walk the famous Sentiero Azzurro trail that connects them all.

However, after a recent announcement it seems that the days of high tourist volumes are numbered. Local authorities have unveiled plans to limit the number of people entering the area in order to protect the fragile environment. Special machines will be set up along the road leading to this popular UNESCO World Heritage Site and when the maximum is reached access will be removed. The magic number at the moment seems to be 1.5 million people per year, which is drastically fewer than the 2.5 million that visited in 2015. Those planning a trip to this designated national park will need to book tickets in advance and a mobile app will be created so that you will be able to see which villages are most congested.

However, Cinque Terre is not the only tourist destination to limit the number of visitors. Here are four other places that have done the same.

Antarctica

The driest place on Earth is one of the great expedition destinations and one of the most extreme landscapes of which to take a tour. Nonetheless, thousands of people travel here every year on board cruise ships that sail from South America across the rough seas of the Drake Passage. In order to conserve our icy seventh continent, visitor numbers are limited to just 100 people on the land at one time.

Inca Trail

Peru’s Inca Trail attracts hiking enthusiasts that want to see the remarkable ruins of Machu Picchu for themselves. As this important historical site is under threat from the high number of people visiting, limitations have been placed on the route and the ruins themselves. Only 200 tourists per day can hike along the Inca Trail, whilst the maximum number able to explore Machu Picchu in any one day is 2,500.

Milford Track

The landscapes of New Zealand are breathtaking whichever part of the country you travel too, but those found along the Milford Track are known to be some of the best. With soaring peaks, thundering waterfalls and never-ending valleys all around, hikers come from far and wide to walk along this 30-mile route. The entire trek takes five days and tourist numbers are limited to just 100 per day to help look after the fragile rainforest.

Galapagos

The place that inspired Charles Darwin to write On the Origin of Species is a bucket list destination for wildlife lovers and explorers of remote locations. The Galapagos Islands are located off the coast of Ecuador and feature a whole list of flora and fauna that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. Although there is no exact figure in regards to a limit for the archipelago as a whole, there are restrictions in place as to where ships can land, how many people can visit any one island at a time and where you can walk once you step off your vessel. This is all done to protect the delicate ecosystems in place.

With numbers limited, it is important to book your trip to these destinations well in advance. If you would like to visit any of the above places, call our team on the number at the top of the page today.