The lanes of Fontainhas, Goa’s oldest Latin quarter, once drew visitors for their oldworld charm, colourful Portugueseera homes and unhurried pace of life. Today, the neighbourhood is better known as one of India’s most photographed backdrops, its narrow streets transformed into a content-creation hub fuelled by social media.For residents, the attention has come at a cost. Aloo Gomes Pereira, a hospitality professional and a Fontainhas resident, says, “When there is overtourism…they (tourists) destroy what they come for… You come for what? To click a photo for your Instagram? Posing and dancing on the street? It boils my blood. There are signboards on almost every home asking tourists not to photograph, which must be obeyed. Locals are angry with misbehaving tourists and have now started retaliating.”What is unfolding in Fontainhas is part of a larger global trend. As destinations struggle with the consequences of social media-fuelled tourism, a growing number of locals, ethical travellers and tourism authorities are adopting a form of gatekeeping called digital silence to protect places from becoming the next viral hotspot.
What is digital silence
Ethical travellers are now practicing ‘digital silence’ — choosing not to geotag destinations or share enough details for a place to go viral. The aim is not exclusivity, but conservation.Travel blogger and ethical traveller Shivya Nath maintains a strict rule against geotagging. “On hikes, I’ve seen people make the effort to reach the top, then change into a pretty dress and take pictures. That beats the purpose entirely.”Similarly, Mumbai-based ethical traveller Khushboo Agarwal, 26, practices digital silence when on a trip. “During a visit to a hidden waterfall in Alibaug, I chose not to geotag. It was a peaceful, untouched spot at the time. However, over time, as trekking communities began organising trips there, it gained popularity and eventually went viral. Today, it’s often crowded and doesn’t have the quiet charm it once had.”Like Shivya and Khushboo, many travellers continue to share stories from the road while deliberately withholding exact locations. The belief is simple : not every beautiful place needs to become a destination trend.
Cost of the perfect frame
Experts say the issue is not tourism itself, but a style of travel increasingly driven by visibility. Aviral Gupta, CEO, Zostel and Zo World, notes that destinations are being reduced to photo opportunities. “The problem is not people visiting destinations. It’s how they choose to experience them. This obsession with the perfect frame is leading to large crowds at locations where the entire experience is centred around content creation. Long queues for photos, noise, and constant filming can disrupt the natural ambience and disturb local residents.”One viral fame can accelerate littering, strain local resources, increase pressure on fragile ecosystems and alter neighbourhoods through tourism-driven development and short-term rentals. For many destinations, the challenge is no longer attracting visitors but managing visibility in an era where a single viral post can reshape an entire place.
Social media has led to mass visibility of hidden gems. However, in most places, checks and balances are already in place by authorities, especially in fragile ecosystems. Tourists too, should thus, act responsibly.
Alankar Chandra, founder & CEO, Wild Voyager and Ilora Retreats
Destinations are fighting social media- fuelled tourism
2026
- Italy’s Val di Funes restricted vehicle access to the Instagram-famous Santa Maddalena church following complaints of overcrowding, traffic congestion and trespassing. Austria launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign asking tourists to sign an NDA, urging visitors to keep lesser-known destinations off social media and help protect them from
overtourism .
2025
- Residents of London’s Notting Hill painted their colourful facades black to deter influencers and tourists, citing disruptive photoshoots, trespassing and privacy concerns. In Italy’s Dolomites, farmers installed turnstiles and introduced a €5 (approximately Rs 500) fee at popular Instagram hotspots after visitors crossed private land and left behind litter.
- Authorities in Cinque Terre, the picturesque chain of five coastal villages in Italy, tightened safety measures and imposed fines to discourage risky selfies near cliffs and rough seas. Nearby Portofino, a fishing village, also fined tourists lingering in designated selfie hotspots.
2024
- Fujikawaguchiko, a Japanese town, erected a black mesh barrier to block a viral Mount Fuji photo spot after tourists littered, trespassed and disrupted traffic in pursuit of the perfect selfie.
