Where NOT to go on holiday if you want to avoid looking tacky: From ‘cliché’ Paris to ‘overpriced’ Mykonos and ‘brash’ Miami, expert reveals the destinations to avoid
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Are you striving to be seen as an in-the-know jetsetter who explores the classy, cool or unheard of places around the world when sharing your holiday snaps online?
If so, you should avoid these cliché destinations, according to London-based popular culture expert Nick Ede.
He explained to FEMAIL how some locations have been ‘over-done’ on social media and rather than looking exotic and exciting, travelling to those areas will instead make you seem like you’re following the crowd.
That’s not to say these popular destinations such as Santorini and Bali don’t deserve a visit – but if you want to seem ahead of the curve, avoid bragging about them in the office, according to Nick.
Or if you’re looking for a peaceful, elegant holiday, the expert has shared the locations that you’re best to steer clear of due to them being known as the place to be for raucous Stag and Hen Dos.
Some of the locations on the expert’s list equally aren’t a fan of boozed-up Brits, with Seville’s Mayor José Luis Sanz declaring the Spanish city has ‘no interest whatsoever’ in party tourism.
The mayor has said the city council is planning to ban groups from wearing underwear in the streets and engaging in ‘obscene acts’.
Mykonos
Nicole Scherzinger posted this picture on Instagram on July 9 of her on holiday in Mykonos
Nick warns Mykonos is ‘overpriced’ and ‘overcrowded’ (stock photo)
It’s the sun-soaked Greek party island that has hosted a string of A-list celebrities once again this summer, from Nicole Scherzinger to Matt Damon.
But Nick warns Mykonos is ‘overpriced’ and ‘overcrowded’, adding: It’s got some fabulous clubs that only start at 1am but the amount of people all trying to pass each other on super narrow pathways is worse than the stampede for the January sales at Next.
‘It may be a place for the gram but with beach beds and drinks at overinflated prices it’s better to stay on the mainland.’
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Meanwhile, a study by consumer group Which? recently found it is now Europe’s worst coastal destination.
Mykonos Town was ranked last in the survey involving more than 3,500 Britons, with a rating of just 58 per cent and scoring just three stars for its seafront and friendliness.
The overall score was much lower than that of the second-last hotspot of Fuengirola in Spain, with 66 per cent. Third last was Portimão in Portugal with 68 per cent.
Locations were marked on 12 separate criteria, including quality of the beaches, seafronts and marinas, attractiveness, food and drink and value for money.
Visitors to Mykonos had particular criticism for the town’s seafront, marina and value for money – with some reportedly charged €70 (£60) for a sun lounger.
According to The Times, one Which? member in the survey said of Mykonos: ‘Choose a different Greek island as there are many more authentic ones.’
Another said: ‘Awful place, wouldn’t recommend anything.’ And a third added that visitors should ‘take twice as much money as they think they need’.
The island also has a reputation for bad behaviour among British tourists, while the scale of tourism on Mykonos and overdevelopment have also caused concern for local residents, with an estimated 220,000 visitors in a single week of peak season in July last year.
Last year Marigoula Apostolou, president of the local folklore museum, told the Observer: ‘Our island is full, it has exceeded its limits. Our natural environment has been destroyed, our water and sewage infrastructure cannot cope, and that is before we even talk about the threat to our lifestyle by being branded a party isle.’
Seville
Molly-Mae Hague put on a stylish display as she stepped out in Seville in October 2021
Thanks to its popularity with boozed-up Brits, Nick said Seville is ‘very touristy, it is a little bit tacky, and it is certainly not off the beaten path’ (stock photo)
Thanks to its popularity with boozed-up Brits, Nick said Seville is ‘very touristy, it is a little bit tacky, and it is certainly not off the beaten path’.
‘Still, there is something special to the city; the method of life, the narrow medina-like alleyways and the tapas culture have such a phenomenal emotional clichéd draw that people flock to it to tick off their holiday bucket lists.’
It comes after Seville’s Mayor José Luis Sanz said the city council is planning to ban groups from wearing underwear in the streets and engaging in ‘obscene acts’ as he declared the area has ‘no interest whatsoever’ in party tourism.
Speaking to The Times, Mr Sanz said: ‘Anyone can celebrate their bachelor party in Seville.
‘What we don’t view favourably are groups of people dressed as whatever, with brass bands behind them, disturbing the many residents of Seville — especially in areas of the historic centre — who also have the right to enjoy their city.
It comes amid increasing fears from locals that the religious city – famed for its architectural heritage and Seville oranges – is being overrun by youngsters who see it as a thrifty option to party abroad thanks to its good weather and cheap alcohol.
Santorini
Vicky Pattison enjoyed a sun-soaked trip to Santorini in September 2022
Greece offers some of the most mesmerising landscapes on the planet – but the downside is that holidaymakers the world over have caught on, with hotspots such as Mykonos and Santorini (pictured) jampacked with tourists in the summer season
Greece offers some of the most mesmerising landscapes on the planet – but the downside is that holidaymakers the world over have caught on, with hotspots such as Mykonos and Santorini jampacked with tourists in the summer season.
Nick said: ‘Santorini is super touristy and quite tacky in the overwhelming nature of the crowds, souvenirs and selfie sticks.
‘Its picture postcard perfect but the problem is it’s so overcrowded that you can’t even take a picture anymore without strangers in it.’
Earlier this year, a fascinating reworked world map revealed the European holiday destinations that are the most popular globally – and it was Santorini that scored first place.
On the map – generated using Google search data – country names were supplemented with their residents’ most-searched-for European holiday spots.
Researchers studied 12 months of Google data in 185 countries to find out which EU holiday destinations were being Googled the most using phrases like ‘destination + holiday’ or ‘destination + vacation’.
Santorini topped the list, generated by CV Villas, thanks to being the most popular European spot in 47 countries around the world, including the U.S, Finland, Colombia, Bolivia, India, Australia and New Zealand.
Las Vegas and Benidorm
Nick suggested those visiting Las Vegas already know ‘it’s going to be tacky but that’s why you go’.
He noted the ‘crowded venues, long queues and packed pools make it a full on experience’.
In 2019, Las Vegas took the second spot in a study of tourist-to-local ranking, with 993 visitors at the time to 100 locals.
Lady Gaga in Las Vegas in May 2022
Meanwhile, Nick also added Benidorm to this list, saying: ‘This infamous destination still holds onto the crown for the tackiest destination in Europe.
‘Over the last 30 years it’s fair to say that the resort has earned a bit of a “cheap and tacky” reputation.
‘But, in truth, Benidorm is a huge economic success which attracts millions of thrifty tourists annually.
‘You can spend your holiday as cheaply and cheerfully as you wish.
‘It may be clichéd but if it’s sun and sangria you’re looking for then Benidorm has it by the bucket load.’
Bali
‘Bali is a place we have all heard of and although rich in culture it is overrun with cheap bars, tacky clubs and overcrowded beaches,’ said Nick. ‘It may be a chilled out tropical paradise but the tourists ruin it for everyone.’
The expert’s comments come after it was revealed this summer that holidaymakers could have to meet a certain criteria before entering the Indonesian island as the government looks to impose restrictions to prioritise ‘quality’ tourists over ‘quantity’.
The restriction on visitor numbers is just one of many changes being introduced as locals lose patience with boisterous and littering foreigners not respecting local customs and sacred sites.
Bali has a population of 4.3million people but there were 6.3million visitors in 2019 before travel was interrupted by the Covid pandemic.
The steady rise in tourists – up from less than 2million in 2008 – has government officials worried the number could skyrocket over the coming years.
The sheer volume of visitors pouring in combined with the island’s reputation as a party hotspot has resulted in a string of controversies.
Earlier this year a tourist filmed himself naked at a sacred Hindu site. The episode was just one of a series of similar incidents. Another tourist was seen screaming and lunging at security officers outside a religious ritual.
While yet another group of travellers filed an official complaint about roosters crowing at dawn which infuriated Bali locals who rely on the poultry to make a living.
A figure of seven million tourists is being considered for the cap, which could see tough competition for places as Bali becomes increasingly known across the globe as a holiday destination for those on a budget.
Applicants could have to show they have enough cash to fund their entire trip to successfully gain entry, while the slightest trouble there could result in a ban from returning.
The island’s governor Wayan Koster told local media: ‘These foreigners are very arrogant but I am not anti-foreigners. A comprehensive evaluation is necessary to regulate the entry of foreign tourists.
‘For instance, there might be a consideration of a limit of seven million individuals based on certain criteria.’
Mr Koster said the island should focus on ‘quality tourism’. ‘This is to maintain Balinese culture and local wisdom which must be dignified,’ he said.
Vick Hope soaked up the sun in Bali in December 2022
The island has already banned some tourists from driving mopeds following anti-social behaviour.
A tourist tax is also being considered by President Joko Widodo’s government that would be between $45 and $150 and have the dual effect of boosting revenue from the island and lifting the standard of visitors.
‘Income from the tourism tax would help fund a range of measures and prevent Bali from becoming known only as a cheap destination,’ Bali Tourism Board chairman Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana said. ‘Cheap destinations bring in cheap tourists who tend to cause a lot of problems.’
While Bali is less strict than the rest of Indonesia, the island is deeply conservative with many locals frowning upon excessive drinking or scantily-clad social media snaps at temples.
Miami
Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz leave dinner in Miami Beach, Florida
‘Miami is the Brighton of the US, its tacky and brash, and anything goes,’ insisted Nick.
‘Miami is one of the most selfie-obsessed cities in the world, everyone is taking photos of themselves, having overpriced cocktails or by the beach and pretending to work out.
‘With tacky shops and over the top houses you’ll feel like a real housewife as soon as you land,’ claimed the popular culture expert.
In 2019, a study found that Miami was the city with the highest tourist-to-local ratio. Research showed that for every 100 residents in the Florida city there were 1,641 visitors.
The research was carried out by visa application and processing firm Official Esta, which analysed the number of international tourist arrivals in cities around the world and compared them with population data.
It found that top-ranked Miami had a population of 500,000 people at the time but had 8.1million tourist arrivals each year.
Paris
Love Island star Maura Higgins poses in Paris in August 2022
Brand and culture expert Nick said Paris ‘is full of some of the world’s most famous landmarks and with shows like Emily in Paris dominating our screens it’s one of the most clichéd cities in the world to visit.
‘But it’s OK to embrace that as that’s the best way to enjoy the city. No one knows if the locals really like the tourists who flock to the city but that’s part of its charm.’
However, Nick warned overall: ‘Now more than ever we have the option to go to some fabulous destinations but still we go to the same places time and time again. Tourism has damaged some of the most beautiful places in the world.’
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