The most outrageous tourist behavior of 2023

Undressing at a sacred landmark. Driving across a delicate medieval bridge. Carving graffiti into an iconic monument. Or taking a grueling hike to use illegal substances.

Here are 25 of the most shocking incidents from 2023.

January

Italy has long been a hotspot for unruly tourists who treat it like an amusement park, and 2023 began with a particularly alarming incident when an American was caught driving across the pedestrian-only Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence. Italy’s most iconic bridge, originally constructed in the medieval era and later reconstructed to link Palazzo Pitti with the Uffizi Galleries under the Medici family, was allegedly so stunning that the Germans spared it during WWII because Hitler fell in love with it during a visit with Mussolini. The 34-year-old American was fined 500 euros for driving over it.

February

March

Spring had barely arrived in the northern hemisphere when, in March, a Russian tourist sparked outrage by stripping down to take a semi-nude photo at a sacred site in Bali.

The man, Yuri Chilikin, posed naked from the waist down in his spontaneous photo shoot at Mount Agung, a volcano revered by followers of the Hindu god Shiva. Yuri later apologized and reached out to Ni Luh Djelantik, a Balinese businesswoman known for helping tourists in trouble, to help mediate with the local community.

He ultimately participated in a temple ceremony, praying alongside Hindu priests. However, this did not prevent him from being deported.

Chilikin wasn’t the only tourist to act inappropriately in Bali. In the same month, authorities announced a ban on tourists renting motorbikes due to the rising number of accidents.

In Japan, authorities launched a crackdown on visitors to the Ghibli Park theme park, dedicated to the works of the beloved animation studio Studio Ghibli, for taking 'indecent' photos.

In February, social media photos emerged showing men 'pretending to sexually assault young female characters' at Ghibli Park, as reported by Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper.

'For those who visit the park to engage in such behavior, I would much rather they stay away entirely,' said Hideaki Ōmura, governor of Aichi Prefecture.

As spring arrived in Hong Kong, locals noticed a rise in 'begpackers' – travelers busking, selling items, or simply asking for money to fund their trips. Resident Ashley James told Dinogo: 'Hong Kong is one of the most expensive places to live… The locals can’t even afford it. Why are you here, one of the priciest places in the world, asking us to buy your beads? Travel is a luxury, and asking others to fund it is entitled and foolish.'

Meanwhile, Venice, known for its share of bad tourist behavior, saw a visitor risk his life by jumping into a canal from a three-story building. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro tweeted that once the person was found, he'd be given 'a certificate of stupidity and plenty of kicks,' blaming social media for encouraging such reckless stunts: 'They do these stupid things for likes.'

Sometimes, bad behavior isn't limited to one person – it can involve an entire nation. In March, Amsterdam launched its 'Stay Away' campaign aimed at deterring young British men from flocking to the city for chaotic 'stag dos' (bachelor parties). The campaign targeted individuals searching for terms like 'cheap hotel Amsterdam' or 'pub crawl Amsterdam,' warning them of the risks of arrest, hefty fines, or ending up in the hospital after a drug binge gone wrong.

April

Although they weren’t chasing likes, a group of 'young adult males' found trouble in the UK’s Lake District. Known for its stunning views, the area wasn’t enough for this group, who decided to enhance their experience with magic mushrooms. Volunteer rescuers were alerted by passersby and found the group 'disoriented and in distress.'

May

As the European summer kicked off, an Austrian village reached its breaking point with selfie-taking tourists. Hallstatt, often linked to the Disney film 'Frozen,' installed a fence to block the view after being overwhelmed by up to 10,000 visitors per day in the village of just 800 residents.

Sometimes bad behavior has tragic consequences, and not just for the tourists involved. On May 20, a visitor to Yellowstone National Park caused distress to a newborn bison calf that had become separated from its mother and herd while crossing a river. The man lifted the calf from the water, violating park rules that require visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from wildlife. After the incident, the herd rejected the calf, and it began approaching visitors. Unfortunately, it was euthanized by rangers.

Disaster was narrowly averted when YouTuber Trevor Daniel Jacob deliberately crashed his plane in California while filming a video to promote a wallet. A licensed pilot and skydiver, Jacob filmed himself ejecting from the aircraft and parachuting to safety. He later pleaded guilty after the video went viral for all the wrong reasons.

Bad behavior isn’t always a human trait. In the UK’s Lake District, an 'exhausted' and possibly injured dog had to be rescued after refusing to walk any further. A mountain rescue team carried the 77-pound dog down from Scafell Pike in just over four hours. While hefty, the dog was no match for a professional rescue team with a stretcher.

'Despite being a large dog at 33kg, it was a pleasure to carry such a relatively light casualty. The dog remained calm, composed, and almost regal throughout the ordeal,' the rescue team said in a statement.

June

In June, a tourist at Rome's Colosseum was caught carving 'Ivan + Hayley 23' into the 2,000-year-old monument. As he was filmed in the act, he grinned, but his mood soured when police tracked him down the very next day. The British man immediately begged the Italian authorities for forgiveness, according to a carabinieri spokesperson, claiming he didn’t realize the monument's age. He is now awaiting trial in 2024.

July

As summer wore on, tourists in Italy continued to wreak havoc on its fragile heritage. In July, two teenagers were caught defacing the Colosseum on consecutive days: first a girl from Switzerland, followed by a German youth. Both were apprehended while carving their names into the ancient structure.

August

As the temperatures climbed, many felt the urge to strip down – leading to calls for people to stop posing naked among the sunflowers at a UK farm.

The owners of Stoke Fruit Farm on Hayling Island, located off England's south coast, took to social media to urge visitors to keep their clothes on after noticing an increasing number of guests undressing to take nude photos among the flowers. Owner Sam Wilson told Dinogo that this is a particular problem in 2023.

'We’ve always had people taking risque pictures, but this is the first year it’s become an issue, which is why we’ve put up signs,' he said, explaining they took action after children visiting the farm 'saw what was going on.'

In northern Italy, a group of German tourists caused damage when they toppled a priceless statue while trying to take the perfect photo in Viggiù, near Lake Como.

As temperatures soared in Rome, a tourist was caught wading into the Trevi Fountain to fill her water bottle. While it remains unclear what happened to her, she was filmed being apprehended by authorities. Stepping into the iconic fountain can result in a fine of up to 500 euros.

Meanwhile, Paris wasn’t spared this summer either. In August, two drunk American tourists were found in the Eiffel Tower one morning, reportedly 'trapped' there overnight due to their excessive alcohol consumption, according to the Paris prosecutor's office in a statement to Dinogo.

September

We often criticize fellow airline passengers for their bad behavior, but sometimes the airlines themselves are guilty of indulging in questionable antics. In September, Air Canada forced paying passengers on a flight from Las Vegas to Montreal to sit in seats still stained with vomit from a previous flight.

'They placed coffee grounds in the seat pocket and sprayed perfume to mask the odor. When visibly upset passengers complained about the wet seats and visible vomit residue, the flight attendant expressed regret but explained that the flight was full and nothing could be done,' one passenger shared on social media.

The airline issued an apology after news of the incident went viral.

October

In 2022, a tourist caused chaos at the Vatican Museums by smashing ancient sculptures. In 2023, that disturbing trend spread to Israel, where an American tourist damaged two second-century Roman sculptures. Police informed Dinogo that the man toppled the statues because he considered them 'idolatrous,' while his lawyer argued he was suffering from 'Jerusalem Syndrome' – a psychological condition where tourists are so overwhelmed by history they lose touch with reality.

November

The trend of bad behavior continued into the winter months. In November, an American tourist was permanently banned from the Philippines after he was accused of writing obscene words on his immigration form. Authorities stated that he entered a fake address in the country, failed to provide his full name, and included profanities in his entry.

The 34-year-old was denied entry and added to a permanent blacklist for his 'disrespectful' conduct, according to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration. Officials also claimed that he showed contempt toward one immigration officer when reminded to complete an online travel form, even tossing his passport and phone at another officer.

The passenger told Dinogo that he disagreed with the country's version of events. He is the 44th foreign national this year to be refused entry due to 'disrespectful' behavior.