A battle is brewing on a tiny luxury island 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, according to many reports. Gorgeous scenes of Nantucket have been nearly impossible to miss lately on TikTok and Instagram, with images of weathered-gray cottages, colorful hydrangeas and pristine beaches populating social media platforms. Yet the island has seen tourism explode, according to some residents and longtime visitors — and locals say they've become inundated by visitors, crowds and noise.WEALTHY SUMMER SANCTUARY LIMITS TOURISTS, HIRES PATROL 'DOCENTS' TO KEEP OUTSIDERS IN CHECK"[Nantucket] has become something it wasn't before," a 23-year-old lifetime Nantucket resident, who asked for anonymity, told Fox News Digital."It was kind of like a rustic New England vacation spot, and it's been changing for the last 20 years."The person added, "It's transforming into something that [residents] don't recognize, and it makes them very upset."A battle of sorts is said by some to be brewing in Nantucket, off the coast of Massachusetts, between local residents and outside influencers.
(iStock)With no bridge to the island, visitors cannot drive or take a train.Nantucket is accessible exclusively by air and sea, requiring travelers to arrive by ferry or plane, per the Town of Nantucket.For decades, that lack of accessibility kept crowds in check. DEADLY BACTERIA FOUND IN WATERS NEAR LUXURY VACATION DESTINATION AHEAD OF SUMMER"You either have to fly or take the ferry," J.Q.
Louise, a Boston-based travel influencer who has visited Nantucket several times, told Fox News Digital. "I think that's what's kept it exclusive for so many years," she said.That appears to be changing, as the island typically draws an estimated 2 million visitors annually, according to the Nantucket Current.Recent complaints about influencers reached a fever pitch when a longtime shop owner hung a sign saying, "No Influencers."Store owner John Sylvia posted the sign at Four Winds Craft Guild, his Nantucket ...