The 10 Worst Tourists of 2024

Italy has intensified its crackdown on poor tourist behavior with increased fines and policing. In a notable incident, a woman was observed kissing and grinding against a statue in Florence. Ministry officials were outraged when the photos went viral. The statue, a replica of Bacchus–the god of wine, fertility, and revelry–is located with the original housed in the Bargello Museum.

Tourists also caused disturbances in the ancient city of Pompeii, where two separate incidents involved individuals inscribing on the walls of 2,000-year-old villas. Defacing or destroying heritage in the country is a crime, with fines reaching up to €40,000.

Two visitors irreparably damaged ancient rock formations at Lake Mead National Recreational Area. John Hayes, the public information officer for the area, was appalled upon seeing a video of two men throwing red sandstones over the edge in April. He labeled them “idiots” and described their actions as “disgusting.” The Redstone Dune Trail is a popular hiking trail in the park. Hayes said, “It’s one of my favorite places in the park, and they’re up there just destroying it. I don’t understand that.”

The park is federally protected, but it covers 1.5 million acres, so patrolling all of it is a tall order. Park officials request visitors to keep an eye out and report any untoward incidents.

In Japan, politeness and respect in public spaces are paramount. However, some tourists lack such inhibitions. In October, a video of 10 people dancing on a train went viral on social media. The New York-based dance group also faced criticism for their actions in other crowded tourist spots across the country.

Earlier this year, a photo of two women sunbathing in front of the Grand Palace in Bangkok elicited a negative response. They were in swimsuits at Sanam Luang, a site of many royal ceremonies and considered sacred in Thailand. While some social media users criticized the lack of social etiquette, others argued that the women were likely unaware of the site’s significance and should have been informed.

In January, two Polish women faced backlash for sunbathing at Chiang Man Temple in Chiang Mai. After their photos circulated on social media and it was revealed they disrespected a temple, they apologized.

There’s a reason why locals have had enough of tourists in Spain: many behave repugnantly and treat the country as their playground. This year, amid anti-tourism protests, an incident highlighted why tourism curbs are in demand. A group of British tourists on a bachelor trip in Mallorca started a brawl at a beach club and restaurant after a staff member asked them not to throw rubbish and beer cans into the sea. The altercation resulted in injuries to a waiter and two police officers, and the tourists spent the night in jail.

Related: Summer’s Over But Spain’s Overtourism Problem Is Far From Gone

On the Tibetan side of Mount Everest, a dispute over photo angles led to a fistfight between two men at the Everest Elevation Measurement Monument. At an altitude of 8,848 feet, the sight of such violence was appalling, and Everest border police had to intervene.

Related: Dying for Your Vacation: The Travel Workers Risking Their Lives for $10 a Day

Namibia’s authorities were shocked when photos and videos of three male tourists posing naked in the Big Daddy sand dune appeared on social media. Although they had left the country by the time authorities were alerted, the act received widespread condemnation. A spokesperson mentioned that the tourists would be blacklisted from entering the national parks. Public indecency is punishable in Namibia, and the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations reminded foreigners that the parks are meant for families, not just tourists.

The city of Matera in Italy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and dates back to the Paleolithic era. Now, imagine a group of tourists performing parkour—climbing, running, and jumping—over ancient buildings. That’s exactly what occurred this summer when a group of tourists from the London-based parkour group Team Phat visited the heritage city and damaged a building. In a video uploaded to their YouTube channel, one of the members is seen leaping through a building, causing a section to fall off. The performer also fell, and someone off-camera instructed them to hide the evidence.

The comments remind the group that their actions constituted vandalism and that they should show more respect for such places.