You’ll soon need a reservation to swim at this popular beach — it’s the latest in a global effort to get mass tourism under control
Son of a beach.
One of the nation’s most scenic swimming holes is pushing back against mass tourism by requiring visitors to make reservations at peak times this summer.
Sand Harbor State Park on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe is rolling out the concept as a way to “reduce traffic congestion” on local roads and “alleviate overcrowding,” officer Tyler Kerver of Nevada State Parks told ABC News.
The hyper-saturated strip of sand — near the fictional Corleone compound of “Godfather” fame — is just one of many destinations that have recently put roadblocks in place to try and slow the post-Covid travel surge.
As a method of discouraging overcrowding, for example, Venice, Italy recently implemented a controversial entry fee. The Indonesian island of Bali, also exceedingly popular, has launched a new tourist tax, though it’ll be much more affordable than the one charged by the island nation of Palau, which socks international arrivals with a $100 charge upon entry.
In Hawaii, the government is mulling a $25 tax for the toll tourists put on natural resources, while a growing number of national parks are requiring guests to book a specific time slot for their scenic drive, often with a reservation fee attached.
At Sand Harbor in Tahoe, the scheme will be phased in starting August 17th through October 13th, and will be in effect on weekends and holidays only. Visitors should expect that to expand next year, Kerver said.
