tourists

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Cops: US Tourist Used Fingernails to Vandalize Tokyo Shrine

65-year-old could face up to 3 years in prison

(Newser) - An American tourist who arrived in Japan with his family on Monday might be staying in the country for a lot longer than he had intended. Police say 65-year-old Steve Lee Hayes vandalized a pillar at one of the country's most prominent Shinto shrines on his second day in...

American Tourist, 31, Killed in Hungary

Police arrest suspect seen leaving a bar with her

(Newser) - A 31-year-old American tourist was killed while on vacation in Hungary, and a 37-year-old suspect was in custody Saturday. The victim, Mackenzie Michalski from Portland, Oregon, was reported missing on Nov. 5 after she was last seen at a nightclub in central Budapest, per the AP . Police launched a missing...

Owners of Volcano That Killed 22 Balk at Owning the Tragedy

In appeal, Whakaari Management argues tour operators took on responsibility for tourists' safety

(Newser) - The owner of New Zealand's White Island argues it wasn't responsible for mitigating health and safety risks for visitors, including the 22 who died when the island's volcano erupted in 2019, per the AP . Brothers Andrew, James, and Peter Buttle own the island, also known as Whakaari,...

Tourists Flock to Earth's Iciest Spots, Before They All Melt

Critics say such cruises are further harming the environment; advocates say they raise awareness

(Newser) - The continued melting of Arctic glaciers and sea ice is causing climate scientists' brows to furrow and existential anxiety in the general public concerned about the state of the Earth—but it's also apparently causing "gotta get one last cruise in" vibes. Since 2016, cruise ships departing from...

The Hippo Slammed Into Their Canoe. It Wasn't Done

UK tourist says he's thankful to have survived attack in Zambia

(Newser) - Hippos are seeing somewhat of a popularity boost lately thanks to internet star Moo Deng , but one British tourist will probably be fine if he doesn't see one for a while. The BBC reports on a trip to southern Africa that Warwickshire resident Roland Cherry took in June with...

National Park Slams This Lone Piece of Litter
Carlsbad Caverns Blasts
'World Changing' Cheetos Bag
in case you missed it

Carlsbad Caverns Blasts 'World Changing' Cheetos Bag

Park rangers say litter left in New Mexico park 'may seem trivial, but ... can be world changing'

(Newser) - "At the scale of human perspective, a spilled snack bag may seem trivial, but to the life of the cave it can be world changing." That's the message rangers from Carlsbad Caverns National Park offered last week, along with a photo of an abandoned Cheetos bag, in...

Cost of Visiting New Zealand Is About to Spike

Tourist tax to nearly triple to $62 starting next month

(Newser) - New Zealand is preparing to squeeze more out of its foreign visitors with a plan to nearly triple its tourist tax. Starting next month, the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy will climb from about $22 to $62. The move is intended to help economic growth and "ensure visitors...

American Woman Dies While Re-Creating Viking Voyage

The 30-foot Naddoddur ran into rough seas off Norway

(Newser) - An American woman has died after the boat she was in—a replica of a Viking-type ship—capsized off Norway's west coast late Tuesday. The BBC reports she was one of six people aboard the Naddoddur, a 30-foot long boat that encountered rough seas while traveling from the Faroe...

Screen Blocking Iconic View of Mount Fuji Comes Down

Fujikawaguchiko says it will stay down if tourists continue to behave

(Newser) - A large black screen erected in the Japanese town of Fujikawaguchiko to block tourist photos of Mount Fuji has come down—and may stay down. The 65-foot-long screen erected in May to prevent overcrowding on a busy road outside a convenience store was brought down Thursday to prevent it from...

North Korea May Soon Open to Tourists
North Korea May
Soon Open to Tourists

North Korea May Soon Open to Tourists

Tour groups are saying Samjiyon will be open to foreigners, and the rest of the country may follow

(Newser) - It's not like North Korea tops any "top vacation destinations" lists, but tour companies on Wednesday were still excitedly touting the latest news out of the secluded nation: After nearly five years of even further isolation brought by COVID, the North will open its borders again to foreign...

NPS: Tourists Went on Paintball Spree at Joshua Tree

German trio is accused of shooting up the national park with yellow paintballs

(Newser) - Three German tourists are personae non gratae at Joshua Tree National Park after the National Park Service says they were caught red-handed (or, in this case, yellow-handed) following a paintball vandalism spree. Citing a release , KTLA reports that a ranger making the rounds in the Southern California park on Aug....

Venice Makes New Move on Tourist Influx

Italian city limits tour groups to 25 or fewer, with some exceptions

(Newser) - In April, Venetians raised an outcry over a new tourist entry fee that they said would make the destination less like a city and more akin to a museum or theme park attraction. Now, the Italian hot spot is making another big move to try to tamp down on overtourism—...

Tourist Exits Car to Take Photos, Is Killed by Elephants

The Spaniard died Sunday morning in a national park in South Africa

(Newser) - A 43-year-old tourist was trampled to death by elephants Sunday morning while attempting to take photos of them at a South African national park. The AP reports the Spaniard was with his fiancee and two other women at Pilanesberg National Park in North West province when officials there say he...

Copenhagen to Incentivize Tourists to Pick Up Trash

4-week test will reward those who do so with free wine, kayak rentals

(Newser) - Picking up trash is rarely on one's vacation to-do list, but travelers to Copenhagen will soon be incentivized to do so. The BBC reports the Danish capital plans to up its green reputation by rewarding tourists who do things like collect litter or travel around the city using bikes...

A Popular Travel Destination Is Outlawing Tourist Rentals

All 10K tourist apartments in Barcelona to shut down by 2028, mayor says

(Newser) - There are 10,101 legal short-term rental accommodations in Barcelona, Spain, one of the most visited cities in the world. But in just four short years, there will be zero. That's according to Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni, who announced the "unexpectedly drastic move" to combat the city's...

Popular Italian Hot Spot Bars Tourists Amid Water Issue

Glitch in water delivery system on Capri has sent island into a water emergency

(Newser) - A water emergency prompted the mayor of Capri—one of Italy's most popular islands—to order a halt to the arrival of tourists on Saturday, in a crisis that has deprived some areas of any water supply. Without a water supply, it's impossible to guarantee essential services to...

Mount Fuji Is Really Having a Problem With Tourists

Crowd-control gate is installed on famous mountain

(Newser) - A crowd-control gate was installed halfway up Japan's Mount Fuji on Monday ahead of the July 1 start of this year's climbing season, but the governor of Yamanashi, one of the two prefectures that are home to the mountain, said additional measures are needed to control overcrowding on...

Greece to Make Big Move to Combat Overtourism

PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces plans for 2025 to restrict cruise ships entering its ports

(Newser) - Tourism is responsible for about 25% of Greece's economic output, and since the pandemic has eased, people have been flocking to the Mediterranean nation in droves. It may be too much of a good thing, according to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who tells Bloomberg he now wants to...

Good Luck Gazing at Mount Fuji Through This Big Black Screen
People Really, Really
Want to See Mount Fuji
UPDATED

People Really, Really Want to See Mount Fuji

Holes have been poked in screen meant to prevent gawkers in Japanese town of Fujikawaguchiko

(Newser) - If Japanese authorities thought a huge barrier erected outside a Lawson convenience store would stop gawkers from gawking at Mount Fuji, that other thing coming has just arrived. Officials in the town of Fujikawaguchiko said Tuesday that holes have been poked in the 8-foot-plus-high black mesh meant to discourage tourists,...

Tourists Risk Arrest for Last Chance on Hawaii Trail

Famed Ha'iku Stairs in Oahu are coming down

(Newser) - For tourists using Instagram to guide their travels, a sojourn for one last shot at visiting the famous Ha'iku Stairs in Oahu could come with a hefty price. The days are numbered for Honolulu's famous selfie spot, and CNN reports that tourists are flocking there hoping to grab...

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