As European cities grapple with surging tourist numbers, Italian farmers in the Dolomites are taking action.
In Val Gardena, on the Seceda, locals have installed turnstiles on private land to manage crowds of influencers and tourists. Visitors are now charged about $10 to access certain paths.
Carlo Zanella, president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club, said the turnstiles — installed in July by a local farmer — are proving effective. The key issue, he noted, is damage caused by visitors picnicking or trampling grass needed for hay.
The Dolomiti Superski area, covering more than 12 valleys, saw 4 million winter visitors in 2024, according to The Times. Photos of the area on social media show daily lines of thousands of tourists. Tourism in the Province of Belluno, home to much of the Dolomites, increased 11% from 2019 to 2023, according to the official tourism portal.
Zanella expressed frustration with influencers, accusing them of misrepresenting the mountains to gain advertising revenue.
“They almost always tell things unrelated to the locality,” he said. Local authorities have discussed how to address overtourism, but no clear solution has been reached. Zanella believes the best way to reduce pressure on the Dolomites is to promote alternative, lesser-known destinations.
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