We’ve all seen the iconic photos: pristine beaches, majestic mountains, ancient ruins. Social media has turned these destinations into bucket-list musts, but here’s the uncomfortable truth—mass tourism is destroying them.

Places like Venice, Machu Picchu, and the Galapagos Islands were never meant to host millions of visitors each year. While tourism boosts local economies, it’s also wreaking havoc on fragile ecosystems, inflating housing prices, and displacing locals. For example, in Venice, residents are being priced out of their own city as Airbnb and cruise ships turn the historic center into a year-round carnival. In places like Bhutan and Iceland, nature is being worn down by constant foot traffic, and once-thriving wildlife habitats are now suffering.

On the flip side, there's the "travel as privilege" conversation. Are we truly entitled to experience these places, or are we just contributing to their destruction by doing so? Is it ethical to fly halfway around the world to snap selfies and check a box on our travel goals? Or should we rethink how we travel, favoring sustainability over Instagrammable moments?

Could we, as travelers, really make a difference by seeking out lesser-known spots, respecting local communities, and investing in eco-tourism? Or is this just wishful thinking in an industry driven by unchecked consumerism?

Let’s discuss: Is the rise of mass tourism a tragedy in the making, or is it a necessary evil for a global