Carlo Zanella, president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club, has expressed strong discontent with travel influencers, suggesting they should be prohibited from the scenic Dolomites. He attributes the recent surge in tourists to the social media craze, which has led many to trespass on private properties seeking that Instagram-perfect picture.
Frustrated with the influx of visitors, local farmers have installed turnstiles, charging a fee of €5 (approximately $8.80) for access to popular spots like Seceda and the Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks). Despite the introduction of these measures, posts on social media revealing queues of up to 4,000 people per day have only intensified interest rather than deter it.
Zanella believes that this trend has turned visitors into “sheep,” flocking to overcrowded areas simply because they are popular. While Italian law allows free access to natural parks, landowners who have set up these turnstiles report no official opposition from authorities. Georg Rabanser, a former snowboarder and landowner at Seceda, stated that the fee is a protest against the disregard some tourists show for the land, leaving litter and damaging the environment.
Zanella supports the fee system and suggests the government should finance the maintenance of these access points, comparing the situation to Venice, where tourists are charged on busy weekends. He believes the price should rise significantly and emphasises the need to curb tourist naivety, noting the dangers posed by unprepared visitors venturing out in inappropriate attire for the mountains.
Local tourism authorities are pushing back against the turnstiles, insisting the issue is exaggerated. The Santa Cristina Tourist Board has hired rangers to ensure tourists remain on designated trails and reduce the detrimental impacts on the environment.
Despite the protests from local officials, many regions are introducing measures to manage tourist numbers, including car park limitations and fees to access popular sites. In the Aosta Valley, for instance, only a certain number of cars are allowed at the Pian del Re peat bog, and some areas even charge exorbitant parking fees to discourage visitors.
Additionally, across Italy, there have been new measures to tackle unruly behaviour from tourists, including ordinances that penalise those dressed inappropriately in towns not near beaches and restrictions on playing loud music. As local authorities strive to manage both tourism and environmental preservation, the challenges of balancing enjoyment and respect for nature remain pressing issues in these treasured alpine regions.