There are so many places that you can visit on Earth and while some are well kept secrets only savored by a few, others are the go-to destinations for anyone with some vacation time and a few dollars to spend. The advent of social media has, however, changed travel. Everybody these days wants to post photos of epic adventures everywhere they go and while this is good news for these travel destinations and their local economies, it hasn’t been the best of times in terms of putting up with the numbers. This happens because some of these spots are not equipped with the facilities to handle so many visitors. Because of social media, the destinations have seen a rapid influx of tourists and this has ruined the experience for everyone.

Well, here are some of the top tourist destinations that have been ruined by the massive number of tourists:

Iceland

Since GoT has been shot in various places in Iceland, tourists are flocking to the area. Source: Iceland Pro Cruises

Iceland is a northern island nation in Scandinavia and over the last few years, it has seen a massive increase in the number of visitors. Between 2011 and 2015 the numbers of visitors going there went from 566,000 to 1 million. This is almost double. One of the major driving forces of these tourist numbers is the “Game of Thrones” effect. Because the popular HBO series has been shot in remote places across the country, some people have found this as a reason to come. Sadly, Iceland cannot handle all that and the formerly well-kept gems of this island nation are now at risk.

Cuba

Cuba’s locals are feeling the pinch of high prices in order to keep up with tourists. Source: Wendy Perrin

Cuba is a well-known travel destination and in 2016, there were 4 million travelers who touched down in the country. This was a surge of about 13%. It is said that because of this increase there has been a shortage of basic goods including food in the country. Because of the short supply of these basic goods, the prices have shot up and the locals have felt the pinch.

New Zealand

New Zealand doesn’t have the waste management to keep up with the influx of tourists. Source: Lonely Planet

New Zealand is a rugged well-kept country not seen by many eyes and not touched by many hands. It has almost the same appeal as Iceland and its wild nature will get anyone interested. However, for locals, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. Many have complained that tourists who come here have no regard for the environment and often leave waste all over. The country lacks the infrastructure to deal with this waste and this is becoming a real problem.

Tulum, Mexico

Tulum used to be a quiet place but is now a major getaway for celebrities. Source: Viajero Turismo

The white sandy beaches of Tulum and the majestic eco lodges have characterized this hidden Mexican destination. It’s a great place to be and while for some time it was a quiet yogi paradise, now it’s just another celebrity getaway all thanks to Instagram.

Santorini, Greece

Santorini is a small island that’s been recently flooded with tourists. Source: Huffington Post

The white washed hilltop houses of Santorini overlooking the white blue sea are a marvel but in the social media age, they have become a good background for selfies. Eventually, tourists have flooded the island with 2015 seeing a record number of cruise ships docking to savor what the small destination has to offer. This is just too much for such a small place.

Well, these are 5 of the major travel destinations that have been negatively impacted by the huge number of visitors but there are others too all over the world.