• Japan Airlines is offering a same-day luggage delivery service for visitors to Tokyo.
• The service costs $29, and the airline says it will help combat "congestion" on public transport.
• The weak yen has made Japan a popular destination for visitors from countries including the US.

Japan Airlines is offering to deliver luggage to your hotel or accommodation when you visit Tokyo.

The same-day service costs 4,500 yen ($29) per suitcase and is available from terminal three at Haneda Airport.

JAL said the initiative will help "address social issues such as congestion in public transportation and the shortage of storage lockers," as well as making life easier for tourists.

The "Baggage-Free" service, which is also available for Japanese residents, covers 14 districts in Tokyo including Shinjuku.

Millions of visitors have been flocking to Japan to take advantage of the weak yen.

The Japanese government expects to surpass its target of 32 million visitors this year following a very busy summer, with a record 3.2 million tourists in July, about 66% more than the same month in 2023.

Just over 250,000 Americans visited in July, up 26% year-on-year.

Amrita Banta, managing director of luxury insights firm Agility Research & Strategy, previously told BI that luxury and designer stores in Tokyo were proving popular.

Banta, who visited Tokyo in the summer, said high-end stores started admitting customers by appointment to cope with demand.

Neighborhoods such as Shibuya and Harajuku in Tokyo are busier than ever, with higher prices at restaurants and hotels triggering frustration and anti-tourist sentiment among some residents.

Some places in Japan are taking steps to mitigate the impact of over-tourism.

In May, a mesh barrier was erected in the town of Fujikawaguchiko to block views of Mount Fuji for tourists gathering in crowds, leaving trash, and ignoring traffic signs.

Foreshadowing its luggage delivery service, JAL started offering tourists free flights in September to lesser-known destinations in Japan.

That move may not help solve the overtourism problem, Ben Julius, the founder of tour operator Tourist Japan, previously told BI.

"The majority of visitors are first-time visitors. And when people visit Japan for the first time, they won't miss the must-see cities," he said.

• International tourist arrivals in 2024 have nearly reached pre-pandemic levels.
• Concerns about overtourism and poor management are growing in historic cities and beach locales.
• Fodor's 2025 "No List" highlights destinations under unsustainable tourism pressures.

People around the world are traveling more than ever, with international tourist arrivals in the first half of 2024 just about reaching pre-pandemic levels — and destinations around the world are feeling the pinch.

From tiny, historic, European cities that welcome thousands more people than they were built to hold to picturesque beach locales littered with plastic, concerns about overtourism and poor tourism management are increasingly widespread.

Fodor's, a longstanding travel-guide company, compiles an annual list of destinations where the pressures of tourism are being felt most. The company's 2025 "No List" includes destinations that have long had problems managing tourism levels, as well as newer ones or places where the situation is expected to worsen.

"The No List serves to highlight destinations where tourism is placing unsustainable pressures on the land and local communities. And these stresses need to be addressed," Fodor's said.

The company said it does not advocate for travel boycotts against these locations, but that it believed the problems needed to be called out so that they could be addressed.

Overtourism experts previously told Business Insider that one of the primary challenges locations like this face is that tourists tend to visit the exact same places at the same time. For busy destinations, they instead recommended trying to visit on the off or shoulder seasons. They also stressed the importance of being responsible tourists and respecting all local laws.

Bali, Indonesia

Bali draws millions of visitors each year but the high levels of tourism have taken a toll on Bali's natural landscapes and contributed to plastic pollution. There have also been concerns about poor behavior from tourists, with authorities now handing out a "dos and don'ts" list to visitors. In September Indonesia announced it was putting a pause on the construction of new hotels in Bali to address overtourism.

Barcelona, Spain

Tourism levels in Barcelona have contributed to high housing prices and costs of living, with thousands of locals holding protests against tourism on several occasions this year. Some demonstrators this summer even shot water guns at tourists. Officials in Barcelona placed some limits on short-term rentals in 2021 and have said they plan to ban all of them by 2028.

Mallorca, Spain

Thousands of people in Mallorca, Spain, have also protested against overtourism this year, saying many locals can no longer afford to live on the island and demanding more tourism limits.

Canary Islands, Spain

The anti-tourism protests that swept Spain have also played out in the Canary Islands, where authorities this year said they planned to add new regulations and limits on short-term rentals.

Venice, Italy

Venice, Italy, has also take measures to address overtourism, which has filled its tiny, historic streets with huge crowds and made the city barely livable according to locals. Last year Venice announced it would charge day-trip visitors about $5 to enter the city center on certain days. This year officials announced they were limiting tourist groups to 25 people and banning the use of loudspeakers on tours.

Lisbon, Portugal

In addition to the locations in Spain and Venice, Fodor's said Lisbon, Portugal, was among the European cities where locals have expressed not wanting tourists to visit. An estimated 60% of units in the city are used for vacationers, according to the outlet, as housing prices have soared.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Koh Samui, Thailand, has already experienced negative impacts from overtourism. The area is struggling to deal with high amounts of garbage and wastewater from tourism developments. But Fodor's said the island's tourism problems are expected to worsen after the 2025 release of the new season of HBO's "The White Lotus," which was partially filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui.

Mount Everest

Despite being among the most difficult places to reach on Earth, Mount Everest is not immune to the negative impacts of tourism. The highest mountain on Earth has been littered with frozen garbage and experienced long lines on the path to the summit. The last living member of the first team to reach Mount Everest's summit in 1953 said earlier this year the large crowds have resulted in a concerning amount of garbage.

Agrigento, Sicily, Italy

Agrigento, a coastal town in Sicily, is dealing with a water crisis on top of tourism concerns. While local homes and businesses scramble to conserve water, the city if also bracing for a boost of tourism that is expected next year when it will be named the Italian Capital of Culture in 2025. Though the city's economy relies on tourism, an increase in visitors could worsen its water shortages.

British Virgin Islands

Tourism is crucial to the economy of the British Virgin Islands, but locals have expressed frustration over a lack of a comprehensive plan to address tourism levels, especially from cruise ships, according to Fodor's. Some locals say high numbers of visitors are overwhelming local resources but that some visitors aren't staying long enough to significantly contribute to the economy.

Kerala, India

Kerala, India, known for its beaches and backwaters, is struggling with pollution, waste, and deforestation in part driven by tourism. A surge in unregulated developments in order to keep up with tourism demand is also exacerbating natural disasters, like landslides, Fodor's said.

Kyoto, Japan

Officials in Kyoto have taken several measures to combat overcrowding and bad behavior from tourists. Kyoto banned tourists from visiting some streets in Gion, the city's Geisha district, in response to tourists harassing the geishas.

Tokyo, Japan

Rising visitor numbers have contributed to overcrowding and a strain on resources in Tokyo, Japan's largest city. Japan is currently dealing with a boom in tourism in part due to the weak yen, which is making visits seem more affordable to foreigners.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico, has experienced a 77% increase in tourism since 2020, according to Fodor's. Local residents, who are increasingly being displaced from their homes, have protested against tourism levels, which are contributing to high housing costs and gentrification.

Scotland North Coast 500

Scotland's North Coast 500 is an iconic scenic driving route that's dealt with a major influx of visitors over the past several years. The higher levels of tourism have led to congested roads and a problem with "wild camping," where visitors camp in areas without proper facilities and often leave behind garbage, scorched earth from campfires, and even feces. Local officials have focused on tourist education to address the issues, encouraging them to sign a Visitor Pledge.

• Christian Louboutin is working to protect his secret hideaway in Portugal from overtourism.
• The French designer's aim is to prevent the town of Melides from becoming the next St. Tropez.
• But the area is becoming an A-lister hot spot, drawing the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Christian Louboutin is trying to keep a tiny town near the coast of Portugal low-key, but as real estate developers open five-star resorts and sprawling golf clubs nearby, drawing A-listers and royalty, his effort might be in vain.

The French designer, 61, told Bloomberg that the rural village of Melides, nestled within the Alentejo region of Portugal, is grappling with an influx of tourism and the impacts of climate change.

Louboutin, who came across Melides over a decade ago, has a personal stake in the town with a population of around 1,500.

Not only does he own a home there, but in 2023, he opened a 13-room boutique hotel in Melides with plans to open a second.

While stopping tourism completely isn't part of his mission, Louboutin is dedicated to preserving the Melides he first fell in love with.

"People are touched by authenticity and we need to keep it that way," Louboutin told Bloomberg. "Don't expect Melides to become like St. Tropez. It's not going to happen."

Representatives for Louboutin did not immediately respond to BI's request for comment.

A best-kept secret no more

But whether Louboutin likes it or not, the once-upon-a-time lowkey getaway is now squarely on the map — thanks in part to the development of a series of luxury resorts and private members clubs nearby.

Just a 15-minute drive from Melides lies Costa Terra, a 722-acre luxury resort community and gold club built by US real estate developer Discovery Land Company.

The company is headed up by Mike Meldman, who cofounded Casa Amigos with George Clooney.

The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the club last year. Since then, speculation has been rife that the couple, who are based in Montecito, California, bought a property within the gated community.

The Sussexes aren't the only A-listers rumored to have bought into Costa Terra — reports have also associated George Clooney, Paris Hilton, and Sharon Stone with the development.

Representatives for Costa Terra did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Alongside Costa Terra, several other glitzy developments are cropping up near Melides, including a 175-house residential project under development by Vanguard Properties and one on the Tróia peninsula built by Inditex billionaire Amancio Ortega's daughter.

Priced out

Vitor Paiva, a license partner at the Comporta branch of real estate agency Engel & Völkers, says the Portuguese government has set limits on touristic beds that prevent the area surrounding Melides from becoming as saturated with tourists as hot spots like St. Tropez or Monoco.

However, Paiva said the tourists that are now coming to the area are more affluent and "sophisticated" than those before, which means the small villages are changing from their rustic roots.

"New investors, customers coming, they ask for more modern services," he told BI. "They want to have the very good beach restaurants, luxury restaurants, high-quality services."

As a result, some locals in towns in the region are feeling priced out, Paiva said.

"Local restaurants are closing, even the small coffee shops for the locals, they are closing and being upgraded with more sophisticated coffee shops," he said. "In some cases, we are seeing the locals struggle."

In Melides, the idea of a rustic town remaining a secret oasis is slipping away.

But Louboutin isn't giving up on his aim to protect it.

He cofounded Intertidal Melides, a community-led organization rallying local landowners and business owners to preserve the local environment.

"Tourists come here for the beauty of this place," Louboutin told Bloomberg. "So we need to just keep it that way."