Sounds like most people are agreeing on more resources and more special areas. I don't think this will work because everyone will always pick the best place to do something and stay there. Also, to me, it sounds like players are only looking to make things easier for themselves. Considering the recent inclusion of attribute caps and skills that are harder to level, we shouldn't be making the map layouts easier either.
I suggest moving elements which make maps popular to these low traffic maps. Many high traffic maps have multiple uses. Take Palon Vertas, for example, it has the closest cotton to storage (vegetables nearby), opportunities for PV/PK, and a cave with gold, coal and sulfur. (coal and sulfur both being in rather high demand on market). If one of these three elements that make Palon Vertas popular were to be moved to a low traffic map, I believe, it would increase the maps popularity without damaging the (originally) high traffic map - in this example Palon Vertas.
This is my idea of map balancing.
My second idea is to limit the amount which one resource (creature/harvest/npc) can be used.
For example; If one or two players buy out all Mira's Feasting Potions (I'll leave it to you guys to consider the amount she'd have for sale). Any other player would have to go to Derzelas in Irsis until Mira's amount of Potions regenerated. By making limits on creatures, harvest items and npcs, players will be forced to move!
On a minor scale, including an area to make silver bars and decreasing the crafting npc buy price could work to bring at least the crafters to one of these low traffic maps.
