San Francisco (TAN): Locals of California state’s Big Sur in the United States have come out in protest of overtourism in the region.
As several popular destinations across the world are trying different ways to keep the flow of tourists at bay, a large, yellow banner with ‘Overtourism is killing Big Sur’ written in bold letters was recently hung from Bixby Bridge for the world to see. A group called ‘Take Back Big Sur’ was reportedly behind this. The local sheriff’s office removed the sign within hours.
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While Big Sur has always been loved by tourists, the popularity of Bixby Bridge sprung after it appeared in an HBO series ‘Big Little Lies’ which is set in Monterey, California.
Tourists stop at the bridge to take the perfect selfie, which results in major traffic snarls along Highway 1. Media reports said a particularly major traffic jam choked the bridge on the July 4 weekend as tourists poured over from all parts of the world.
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Vandals also painted ‘Overtourism is killing Big Sur’ in gold letters on the asphalt at the parking lot for the bridge, which was promptly removed by the authorities.