Tourists have been accused of ruining an entire European country despite it being huge and “99% empty”.

Travel photographer Jaakko Perala has said that tourists have ruined Norway and parts have become a “cautionary tale” for what happens when places get “discovered”.

He said on his blog: “I completely understand why tourists are attracted to Norway. But as the summer crowds get to Norway, problems start rising: the most famous mountains are suffering from erosion and waste that uncaring tourists bring to these attractions.”

Perala also noted poor to illegal parking, littering, and the desecration of sacred places and sites of importance to the indigenous Sami peoples.

He said people going to Norway because of social media see it as “a backdrop for vanity”, with people going just to “check it off their bucket list and snap a few photos”, forgetting it is a “real place where real people live”.

This comes after warnings that the country’s “right to roam” laws combined with mass tourism could lead to the destruction of natural spaces.

Norwegians have the legal right to camp, swim, ski and walk freely in nature, regardless of who the landowner is. This law, allemannsretten, is seen as foundational to national culture.

But regional tourism bosses have said that international tourism could lead to unregulated traffic and camping, putting too much pressure on natural spaces.

Bosses in north and west Norway called for the campaign to be halted while they assess the potential impact of greater tourism in their area. Innovation Norway paused the initiative.

Stein Ove Rolland, CEO of tourism board Fjord Norway, told the Guardian: “We believe that marketing outdoor activities to a growing international holiday and leisure market can be risky because it may lead to more people wanting to explore vulnerable natural areas on their own.

“This can result in wear and tear on nature, increased littering, and could potentially lead to accidents and rescue operations.”

Bente Lier, general secretary of outdoor recreation organisation Norsk Friluftsliv, said although it welcomed tourists to Norway, nature must be protected.

“We cannot invite 30 guests if the table is set for four,” she said. “It is important to know that with allemannsretten or roaming rights also comes the obligation to show respect to nature.

“In short: we shall not leave any trace. This is something we learn in Norway when we are children – from family or at school – but it is not that obvious to many international tourists.”

Norway has a population of 5.5 million people, with 1.4 million living in and around the capital of Oslo. It has a population density of 40 people per square mile.