
The picture perfect village dubbed 'Venice of the Cotswolds' under siege by day-trippers who gridlock the streets and make locals' lives 'hell'
But Bourton-on-the-Water has more in common with the Italian city than just its name as it is also heaving with tourists - much to the dismay of permanent residents.
Its small population of around 3,500 people is unmatched by the hundreds of thousands of tourists who flock to its riverside every year.
The influx of visitors is partly driven by so-called influencers promoting the village as a perfect day trip destination away from big cities such as London on social media.
Footage posted on TikTok shows the grass verges on either side of River Windrush completely flooded with tourists snapping photos or sitting down to enjoy a picnic.
Holidaymakers are also seen pushing their prams along the water, while others have to wait in line for a spot to sit down and enjoy the view.
An annual duck race on July 20 completely packed out the area as people gathered to watch the yellow plastic animals get carried along with the current.
The event, which attracts locals and tourists, also featured a Tombola and 'Play Your Cards Right' and was advertised on the North Cotswolds Rotary.
Children and adults were filmed splashing about in the shallow stream in footage posted on TikTok to show off the 'beautiful English village'.
But in reaction to the video, one person replied: 'Yes a beautiful English village ruined by marauding tourists.'
Under a different clip showing similar scenes of the village, someone penned: 'Overrun and ruined by tourists. What used to be a quiet, tranquil little village is now ruined by social media.'
A third added: 'I feel so sorry for the residents.'
July and August are understood to be the busiest months in the village, with weekends and bank holidays particularly crowded.
In January, Bourton-on-the-Water was voted the 17th top staycation destination in the country, just behind Torquay, Harrogate and Newquay.
A poll, of 2,000 adults revealed where people most want to go for a 48-hour getaway in 2025, with York, Edinburgh, Bath, Oxford, Isle of Skye, and Brighton proving popular.
Other destinations ranked highly were Windermere, Whitby, and Bournemouth.
Bourton-on-the-Water is not the only Cotswolds area being blighted by tourists - as people living in Bibury, Gloucestershire, say it has become increasingly inundated with visitors.
Bibury is one of the many quaint British villages under siege from tourists all year, particularly over Bank Holidays and the summer holidays, where coach loads of visitors arrive and frustrate residents.
After Bibury villagers called for action and formed a working group that included councillors and the police, Gloucestershire County Council in March announced plans to tackle the problem.
Coaches could, in the long term, be banned from stopping and parking in the village although less drastic measures would be adopted initially, the council said.
Long-term recommendations include looking into prohibiting coaches from stopping and parking in Bibury completely and improving signs to direct them away from its narrow lanes.
The group wants to see if there might be areas outside of the village where coaches could park.
It also wants to encourage tourists to use other ways of visiting Bibury, such as walking, cycling, using public transport or minibuses.
Councillor Stephen Davies, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said previously: 'We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Bibury residents and visitors.
'The proposed measures will help manage traffic more effectively and enhance the overall experience for everyone.
'We appreciate the community's support and cooperation as we implement these changes.
'We also understand that these proposals may not be popular with coach operators, however we are determined to work to find a solution for coach tourists to be able to visit Bibury but this will take time.
'Therefore, we have attempted to find compromise solutions that offer outcomes which continue to welcome visitors in a managed way, whilst also addressing safety and congestion concerns of the village.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Fears Las Vegas is DYING as hotel bookings crater due to rip-off prices and tourists angry at Trump
One of the most popular hotel and resort chains in Las Vegas experienced a startling drop-off in business as the tourist mecca continues to reel from a loss of visitors. Caesars Entertainment, which runs eight casino resorts and one non-gaming hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, reported a 3.7 percent year-over-year decline in net revenue in the second quarter of 2025, SEC filings revealed. The company, which owns Caesars Palace and Harrah's Las Vegas, also saw a 21- percent yea-over-year drop in net income in the second quarter. From April to June, the company brought in $1.054billion in Las Vegas, down from $1.095billion in the same time period in 2024. One of the reasons Sin City's businesses are hurting is because international visitors have continued to shun the US - including some upset over the presidency of Donald Trump. Las Vegas welcomed 3.39 million visitors in March, down almost eight percent from 3.68million in February, according to a report by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Hotels were 82.9 percent full the same month, compared with 85.3 percent full in March 2024. Midweek occupancy recorded a decline of 2.5 percent in the same period, despite more than half a million people attending conferences there. Casinos also reported an almost five percent drop over the past year. Statewide, the figure fell by 1.1 percent. Despite the slow start, Caesars CEO Tom Reeg said on an earnings call on Tuesday that the quarter started 'strong' before declining in May and June, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The company reported a net income of $212million in the second quarter. This is down from $268million at the same time last year. In the first six months of the year, Caesars' Las Vegas operations brought in $2.057billion, a 2.8 percent loss compared to the first six months of 2024. Its net income was $389million compared to $462million in 2024 - a whopping 15.8 percent decrease year-over-year. Reeg believes some of the decline could be from the lack of big-name performers, like Adele, who had a residency last year. It appears the CEO doesn't have a good feeling going into the next quarter, as he told people on the call: 'I'd expect the third quarter to be soft.' However, he's positive Vegas will turn around in the future. 'I've been around Vegas a very long time…(and) this is normal seasonality that we haven't seen in a while here. It's nothing that leaves me concerned,' he said on the call. Another reason tourists might be skipping the Strip is its high prices. A visitor recently shared her shock after she was charged $26 for a bottle of Fiji water from the minibar in her room at the Aria Resort & Casino. And a British magician was left outraged after he was billed $74.31 for two drinks at Sphere in Las Vegas. A 2024 study found that the average income of Las Vegas holidaymakers is now $93,000, with many budget travelers priced out of the gambling capital. Homelessness in Las Vegas has also exploded, with a conservative estimate of around 8,000 people unhoused across a city of just over half a million. Walk along the busy Las Vegas Boulevard at any time of day and you will see people who are clearly homeless and often under the influence of drugs.


The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
The holiday hotspot cracking down on ‘half-naked' tourists
The French seaside resort of Les Sables-d'Olonne has implemented a ban on 'half-naked' tourists walking shirtless or in swimsuits in its town centre. Mayor Yannick Moreau stated the rule addresses 'indecent behaviour' and promotes 'respect' and 'public hygiene'. Tourists found violating the ban away from the beach face fines of up to €150 (£130). Municipal police officers have been instructed to enforce the new regulation. This measure follows similar actions in other tourist destinations, such as Albufeira in Portugal, which proposed fines for holidaymakers in swimwear in the city.


Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Sephora shoppers queue overnight for 12 hours as new store opens in the Manchester Arndale
Hundreds of people queued up for the opening of a Sephora in Manchester this morning - with one couple sleeping overnight to be the first to experience the new beauty store. At the very front of the line was make-up fan Frances, 19, who was accompanied by Shiv, 20. They had been camping in the Manchester Arndale Shopping Centre since 8:50pm last night. The pair, from Barnsley, West Yorkshire, had had no sleep between them, running on one red bull and a few coffees. They only left the queue to go to the toilet in Walkabout bar. Frances, who works as a teaching assistant said: 'I missed the Trafford Centre opening because I was working, so I was so annoyed. But I knew I wanted to make this one.' The UK's tenth Sephora follows on from the brand's first Greater Manchester store, which opened inside the Trafford Centre last year. Kait Turnbull brought her 10-year-old daughter Ruby who she called 'beauty obsessed'. They woke up at 5am to arrive at 5:45am and even got stuck in the Arndale car park. The mother said: 'We got in and then because it's so early and the shops aren't open yet the lifts wouldn't work and we were stuck.' Ruby has previously visited the Trafford Centre Sephora store as well as the one in London. She said she is most looking forward to trying the new Sol de Janeiro fragrance - Sundays in Rio - and anything Tower 28. Kait joked: 'I'm just the chauffeur and the credit card.' The Sephora fan said she was most looking forward to securing a Charlotte Tilbury Contour Stick, but that she wanted to browse the whole store and didn't know what she might end up with. By 9am, there were 400 people in the queue which snaked across the ground floor of the Arndale shopping centre, and by 10am there were more than 500. Michelle Kirkbride, from Doncaster, brought her daughter Jessica to the Sephora opening since they missed the store opening at Meadowhall - which would have been more local to them. This will be the first Sephora store they have visited in the UK, with Jessica adding: 'I want to look at everything.' Jessica and Michelle have visited Sephora a few times in the US, including in New York and Florida, but they are excited to have one that's more local and to be able to attend the opening day. Throughout the morning, staff members handed out little samples and goodies to the committed beauty lovers, including makeup, skincare, Sephora-branded bucket hands, and giant fingers. During the Trafford Centre store opening in May 2024, people waited in the queue all night to be the first through the doors to secure one of the goodie bags, which were set out for the first 800 shoppers. For the Arndale opening, Sephora changed its approach, and customers were told the traditional 'first in line' model would be replaced with a new Sephora 'Beauty Bonus Card' mechanic, which would give more shoppers the chance to win. Throughout the opening weekend, every customer who makes a purchase will receive a Beauty Bonus Card which will give shoppers the opportunity to win one of eight incredible prizes on the spot, including a Sephora goodie bag, a mystery lucky dip, free 30-minute makeup services plus more prizes. The new store has taken over 4,618 square feet on the lower ground of the Arndale next to other beauty giant, Superdrug. The unit used to be home to the H&M-owned fashion retailer, Monki, which shuttered back in January after occupying the space for almost seven years.