When it comes to travel, popularity can be a gift and a curse. This June, Maya Bay on Phi Phi – the Thai island where Leonardo DiCaprio's The Beach was filmed – will close to visitors as authorities attempt to reverse years of environmental damage caused by tourists. On the other side of the world, tiny Iceland is struggling to cope with skyrocketing visitor numbers driven largely by tourists seeking out the Arctic country's filming locations from HBO's hit series, Game of Thrones.
Last year, anti-tourism protests erupted in Barcelona as locals made their annoyance heard in the midst of rocketing living costs in what is one of the world's most crowded cities. And it's not just residents that are suffering. According to IPK's World Travel Monitor 2017 survey of more than 29,000 international travellers, 25 per cent of tourists felt that trips they had taken in the past 12 months had been affected due to "overcrowdedness".
However global tourism has not yet reached its limits and there are plenty of places that would welcome more visitors. We go beyond the bucket-list favourites, escaping the crowds at some worthy alternatives.
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Overtourism in Barcelona, Spain
Go to Nice, France
Why? Barcelona is one of Europe's most densely populated cities – tallying 16,000 people per square kilometre at the last count in the World Population Review – and increasing tourist numbers have pushed the Catalonian capital into the headlines with tensions boiling over between locals and tourists. Also home to Europe's fourth-largest ferry port, 2.6 million cruise passengers add to the demand each year and the city is fraying at the seams. Avoid the swarms and escape to Nice on France's south coast, where you can find a similar mix of city life, Mediterranean vibes and about 35 beaches minus hordes of tourists.
While Nice is by no means off-the-beaten-track, visitor numbers are much more proportionate and the city – which has a population 10 times smaller than Barcelona – is the ideal size for getting around on foot. Enjoy architectural indulgence in the Old Town centred around the Place du Palais de Justice. The 18th-century cathedrale Sainte-Reparate is a smaller fill-in for the Sagrada Familia. Join locals shopping at Cours Saleya market then pop in to the former town house of Nice's most famous artist, Henri Matisse. Bed down at the palatial and historic Le Negresco (www.hotel-negresco-nice.com/en/; sea-view suites from €646/Dh2,919 per night), where Michelin-stared dining and French Riviera views await.
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Overtourism in Petra, Jordan
Go to Al Hijr, Saudi Arabia
Why? If you're after ancient ruins in a Bedouin land but don't want to be rubbing shoulders with the 465,000 visitors that Jordan's lost city hosts each year, head for Saudi Arabia's Al Hijr. Just like Petra, the city was hewn from solid rock by the Nabataeans, but unlike Jordan's crowded tourism gem, Al Hijr has very few visitors. Packed with tombs, carvings and ruins, permits are required but can be easily obtained by your hotel or tour operator. Best visited by car, the site is about 20 minutes from the nearest town of Al Ula.
If you're going it alone, be sure to take food and water, there's not much in the way of facilities. Make a stop at the Hijaz Railway station on the northern side of the city to see the sand-swallowed rail tracks of what used to be one of the principal railroads of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. Plan a hike to towering Elephant Rock and, for a true Bedouin experience, stay at solar-powered glamping spot Madahkil Campsite (www.alula-guide.com; rooms from Dh450, including breakfast) where tents come with comfortable beds and food is served traditional Saudi style. Don't forget to pack an abaya – local laws still require women to cover their hair.
Read more: With Saudi tourist visas imminent, here are the top 10 sights to see in the Kingdom
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Overtourism in Reykjavik, Iceland
Go to Tromsø, Norway
Why? In 2009, data from the Icelandic Tourist Board recorded 464,000 annual visitors to the Arctic nation. Fast-forward to 2017 and that number had almost quadrupled, with more than 1,792,200 foreign tourists visiting last year. In the tiny capital of Reykjavik, prices are skyrocketing and cranes litter the skyline as developers try to ramp up hotel offerings. Skip the madness and head instead to Norway's Tromsø, where you can experience Scandi-culture, a polar atmosphere and magnificent mountains in comparative solitude. Geysers aside (Norway lacks volcanic geography) Tromsø offers everything Reykjavik has and more. As the centre of the northern lights zone, probability of seeing the Aurora Borealis is high from October to March. The city is home to Norway's largest collection of historic wooden houses – the oldest dating back to 1789 – and interesting attractions like Polaria, the world's most northernmost aquarium, where you can see bearded seals. This northern metropolis also boasts superb restaurants, try Fiskekompaniet's king crab and a thriving music scene. Stay at the Clarion Collection Hotel With (www.clarion-collection-hotel-with-tromso.hotel-ds.com/en; doubles from €149/Dh673).
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Overtourism in the Grand Canyon, Arizona
Go to Wadi Ghul, Oman
Why? Clocking 6.2 million visitors last year, the Grand Canyon is America's second most-visited national park, according to data from the US National Park service. In summer, long line-ups and backed-up traffic are regular sights. Swap one canyon for another and head to Wadi Ghul in Oman, the deepest canyon in the Middle East and second-deepest in the world. Best visited by 4x4, from 3,000 metres at the top of Oman's tallest mountain Jebel Shams, you can see one kilometre straight down into the depths.
On the far side of the valley lies Ghul Village, a collection of mud-brick homes built into the mountainside. There's also an abandoned village from where you can set off on trekking paths, follow old donkey trails or totter along the balcony ledge. Afterwards, visit nearby Al Hootah cave and then head 100km east to the highest five-star resort in the Middle East. Perched on Oman's Green mountain, Anantara Al Jabal Akhdar Resort (www.jabal-akhdar.anantara.com; rooms from 138 rials/Dh1,318) offers mountaintop luxury with canyon views.
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Overtourism in Phi Phi, Thailand
Go to Palawan, Philippines
Why? With Maya Bay in Koh Phi Phi due to close in June after too many fans of The Beach added it to their bucket lists, seek tropical wilderness in the Philippines, where novelist Alex Garland spent time before penning the book that inspired DiCaprio's movie. In the Cuyo Archipelago, pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters and countless unexplored islands await. Embark on an island-hopping tour discovering towering Karst cliffs, sinkholes and idyllic lagoons where you'll be sharing the views with hundreds of rare birds. Expect supreme marine life – manta rays, dugongs and whale sharks call these waters home.
For the ultimate in barefoot luxury, check into an open plan casita at Amanpulo (www.aman.com/resorts/amanpulo; rooms from 57,117 pesos/Dh4,039 per night). Set on its own island, treetop vistas and private beach access come as standard and the ultimate in escapism awaits at the bamboo bar floating in the Sulu Sea.
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Overtourism in Bali, Indonesia
Go to Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Why? Hundreds of hotels, millions of visitors and unbridled consumption of precious island resources have put a huge strain on Indonesia's Bali. In a report by the Bali Province Central Statistics Agency, between January and July last year, more than 3.4 million tourists visited the island – a rise of 23.5 per cent on a year earlier. Avoid adding to the problem and head for Raja Ampat, just two hours from Bali but virtually untouched. Pristine marine life, jungle woven islands and deserted beaches await. A breathtakingly raw diver's paradise, this little-known patchwork of islands is home to seriously large coral reef systems.
Fly to Jakarta then on to Sorong, where most resorts can arrange speedboat pick-ups. If you want to island hop, you can charter a boat for about Dh1,000 per day and you'll also need a tourist permit (Dh367). Misool Island Eco Lodge (www.misool.info; doubles from $2,825/Dh10,374 for 7 nights, full board) offers wooden villas perched on stilts where hammocks hang from private balconies and steps lead down into the ocean.
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Overtourism in Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Go to Wat Phu in Laos
Why? As one of the most visited sites in South East Asia, Angkor Wat recorded almost 2.2 million visitors last year, according to figures from the Cambodian government body managing ticket sales to the historic temple sites. Leave the masses and head for southern Laos, where Wat Phu offers some of the most impressive Khmer ruins outside Cambodia. This Unesco world heritage site is marked by beautiful scenery and whisper-quiet surroundings and while the ruins haven't had as much restoration work as Angkor, they're still fascinating. Ancient stone pathways lined with carvings run between two palace ruins that pre-date Angkor by about 200 years. And the views over the Mekong Valley from the upper temple are hard to beat.
Stay at the eco-friendly River Resort (www.theriverresortlaos.com; doubles from $130/Dh478 per night) in nearby Champasak. The hotel uses solar-heated water and organically homegrown vegetables and offers free English classes to local villagers and farmers. It's also close enough to the ruins that you can hire bikes and cycle there.
Top goalscorers in Europe
34 goals - Robert Lewandowski (68 points)
34 - Ciro Immobile (68)
31 - Cristiano Ronaldo (62)
28 - Timo Werner (56)
25 - Lionel Messi (50)
*29 - Erling Haaland (50)
23 - Romelu Lukaku (46)
23 - Jamie Vardy (46)
*NOTE: Haaland's goals for Salzburg count for 1.5 points per goal. Goals for Dortmund count for two points per goal.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Upcoming games
SUNDAY
Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton (5.30pm)
Leicester City v Everton (8pm)
MONDAY
Burnley v Newcastle United (midnight)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
Specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs: 2018 Audi RS5
Price, base: Dh359,200
Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Tickets
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
Iraq negotiating over Iran sanctions impact
- US sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports took effect on Monday, November 5.
- Washington issued formal waivers to eight buyers of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue limited imports. Iraq did not receive a waiver.
- Iraq’s government is cooperating with the US to contain Iranian influence in the country, and increased Iraqi oil production is helping to make up for Iranian crude that sanctions are blocking from markets, US officials say.
- Iraq, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, pumped last month at a record 4.78 million barrels a day, former Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said on Oct. 20. Iraq exported 3.83 million barrels a day last month, according to tanker tracking and data from port agents.
- Iraq has been working to restore production at its northern Kirkuk oil field. Kirkuk could add 200,000 barrels a day of oil to Iraq’s total output, Hook said.
- The country stopped trucking Kirkuk oil to Iran about three weeks ago, in line with U.S. sanctions, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because they aren’t allowed to speak to media.
- Oil exports from Iran, OPEC’s third-largest supplier, have slumped since President Donald Trump announced in May that he’d reimpose sanctions. Iran shipped about 1.76 million barrels a day in October out of 3.42 million in total production, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
- Benchmark Brent crude fell 47 cents to $72.70 a barrel in London trading at 7:26 a.m. local time. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was 25 cents lower at $62.85 a barrel in New York. WTI held near the lowest level in seven months as concerns of a tightening market eased after the U.S. granted its waivers to buyers of Iranian crude.
MATCH INFO
What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
