“I don’t want more tourists”: TikTokers showcasing beach travel gems told to stay away
Residents of once easy-going and relaxed beach travel towns are pushing back against a wave of social media influencers exposing hidden gems in their areas.
Coastal towns along the east coast of Australia have become a victim to overtourism this holiday period and the drive towards travellers discovering niche areas has contributed to this.
Discovering hidden travel gems has been quite popular on TikTok, with the #hiddengemsaustralia hashtag becoming overwhelmed with influencers showcasing ‘secret’ locations – to many locals’ dismay.
A recent TikTok of Caves Beach in Newcastle, NSW saw locals fighting back in the comments.
@madisonlenoraa Exploring Caves Beach 👀 #cavesbeach #beachnsw #centralcoast #cavesbeachaustralia #hiddengemsaustralia #traveltips #traveltok
“This is why it’s so packed, bruh tourists need to leave asap,” one person wrote.
“I reported this a couple days ago cause I don’t want more tourists,” another commented.
“NOOOO CAVES BEACH IS A SECRET.”
There was a similar experience for Queensland’s Agnes Water and the town of 1770 which were shown off by influencers, but locals weren’t happy.
“Noooooo. Keep our home a secret,” one distressed local posted, with another adding: “I agree … just about had enough of tourists here”.
A travel expert at Finder, Angus Kidman, said that these influxes of tourists were particularly hard on small Aussie beach travel towns.
“Most are keen for tourist dollars, especially after pandemic lockdowns, but that enthusiasm evaporates when you find you suddenly can’t get anywhere because of a flood of traffic,” Kidman said.
“Not only that, if the charm of your town is its isolation, that charm evaporates when the crowds arrive.
“Influencers have a massive impact on travel choices, and they’re always looking for the amazing place that no-one has covered so they can stand out from their rivals. So the problem isn’t going to disappear any time soon.”
Seal Rocks was also hit with a wave of holiday-makers over the past few weeks, prompting the council to send a message to travellers.
“Please consider exploring other parts of our region over the coming days, as the amount of people in Seal Rocks is causing traffic and emergency access hazards,” MidCoast Council said in a social media post.
“Council staff are currently out and about in the area moving people on.”
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