NEW YORK, June 12 — Yellowstone National Park’s recent call for visitors to be more respectful of wildlife, following a number of incidents, reflects the need for travellers to be mindful of how their behaviour can affect the environments they explore. Some destinations have even introduced legislation to ensure that visitors do not undermine the very things that contribute to the beauty and popularity of these locations.

Banning sunscreen

Ever heard of octinoxate and oxybenzone? These are chemical compounds that absorb UVB rays and protect us from sunburn. In short, they’re sunscreens. But while they may prevent us from burning, they also cause coral bleaching and can be harmful to the marine environment. This is why many destinations around the world have formally forbidden visitors and locals alike from slathering on sunscreen before taking a dip in the sea.

This is the case of Thailand, which legislated on the matter in 2021. Failure to comply with the law will result in a fine of 100,000 baht (around RM13,400). This measure is often on the agenda in paradise destinations, such as the Palau Islands in the Pacific Ocean, which led the way by banning sunscreen back in 2020. In Hawaii, products incorporating these two famous chemical filters have been banned, as is the case in the Virgin Islands and the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador.

No selfies

Recently, Yellowstone National Park in the US called tourists to order following a number of incidents that resulted in the death of various animals, either because they were hit by cars (in the case of bears) or because they were captured or handled by visitors (elk, bison). While this is no more than a reprimand, other destinations have passed laws to force visitors to be more respectful of the local environment. This especially applies to selfie-takers.

Still in the USA, at Lake Tahoe, famous for its turquoise-blue freshwater, people are no longer permitted to snap photos of themselves. And it’s for their own good, since the measure is above all about avoiding being attacked by wild animals. In fact, the aim is to stop people taking selfies with bears.

In Austria, it’s not at all for the good of tourists that a kind of wooden board has been erected in the village of Hallstatt, which looks just like the village in Disney’s Frozen movie. The local authorities are said to have responded to a call from residents who were fed up with the hordes of visitors flooding in to take a photo in front of this picturesque landscape of typical houses perched on the hillside.

No loitering, no sandals

In Italy, local authorities have legislated several times to clamp down on tourists’ bad behaviour, with measures that sometimes sound surprising or unusual. In the village of Portofino, south-east of Genoa, for example, the mayor decided to ban tourists from loitering! In short, you can walk or run, but make sure you don’t linger, to avoid creating pedestrian traffic jams.

Zones have been clearly demarcated to apply this astonishing measure, which will be valid until October 15. Further north, in the Cinque Terre region, the authorities have decided to ban flip-flops and sandals. This is for the good of visitors who venture onto steep paths without suitable footwear. And it’s a very serious matter, since offenders risk a fine of between €50 and €2,500.

And an Italian tour of prohibitions wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Venice, which has banned tourists from eating and drinking in St Mark’s Square, for instance on the famous steps. This is undoubtedly the oldest measure seeking to clamp down on badly behaved travellers, since it dates back to 1987! The police are on the lookout, so be warned! The city also prohibits the feeding of pigeons, whose presence has damaged the facades of its iconic monuments. — ETX Studio