Former Italian national team snowboarder Georg Rabanser is on a mission to limit the tourist invasion of the beautiful Dolomites. He has formed an alliance with his fellow landowners to provide a turnstile crossing system on their property. The turnstiles counterpoint strikingly on the vaulted Seceda pasture. Visitors are required to pay a hefty fee to enter a complex full of beautiful, “Instagrammable” backdrops. In doing so, this initiative sheds light on the growing conflict between tourism and environmental protection in the area.
The sudden move also follows increasing alarm over the destructive effects of booming mass tourism on sensitive alpine environments. The province of South Tyrol, home to part of the gorgeous Dolomites, has seen a record increase in visitors. This spike is particularly evident among social media influencers. Rabanser and his colleagues banded and went further by charging tourists €5 to access natural sites. I’ve seen them express their anger at the government’s lack of action to introduce restrictions that defend these sensitive, fragile habitats.
Government Inaction and Rising Tourism Costs
The Italian government has not enacted federal protections to safeguard the region’s stunning natural beauty. At the same time, local leaders have been sounding the alarm about the toxic and unsustainable effects of skyrocketing tourism. Arno Kompatscher, the governor of South Tyrol province, has acknowledged the challenges that arise from balancing tourism with environmental conservation.
Carlo Zanella, the president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club has since turned into a tireless opponent urging for tougher action. He has proposed banning travel influencers from the Dolomites altogether in an effort to reduce overcrowding and preserve the area’s allure. “The media’s been talking about the turnstiles, everyone’s been talking about it,” Zanella stated, emphasizing the urgency of addressing these issues.
The task has been made even more complicated by Italian law, which requires free access to natural parks. This legal framework presents challenges for landowners seeking to monetize access to their properties while still adhering to national regulations.
Implementing Solutions Amidst Controversy
The Santa Cristina Tourist Board has taken steps to manage tourist activity in the area by hiring four park rangers to oversee compliance and enforce regulations. Despite these efforts, many locals remain skeptical about whether such measures will effectively mitigate tourism-related challenges.
Visitors are currently charged a flat fee of €5 to access certain areas, a cost that is reminiscent of charges being imposed on other overtouristed sites across Italy. At peak times, Lake Braies will ask you to pay €40 to park your car there. Venice has introduced a €10 entrance fee on peak weekends. Landowners and county and city governments are pushing for new impact fees. They want to control the number of tourists but still need to bring in money.
Zanella has written passionately about the difference in quality of traveller coming to the Dolomites now versus just a generation ago. “Once upon a time, those who came up to the mountains were prepared, dressed for the mountains, and came for hiking,” he lamented. He’s seen a disturbing change in tourists’ attitudes. What’s maybe more worrisome is to watch a cavalcade of people come up doomed by our alpine environment.
Now I’ve seen people go up to Seceda with sun umbrellas and flip-flops and get stuck because the cable car closed and they hadn’t checked the lift schedules, he pointed out. This isn’t what the mountains should be.
The Future of Tourism in the Dolomites
As discussions about tourism policy continue, landowners like Rabanser are redefining their relationship with visitors. They are installing new turnstiles and implementing fee structures. Their aim is to control access and protect their territory from damage due to overtourism.
As one possible solution, Zanella has suggested increasing fees even more. “I would increase the price from €5 to €100,” he asserted, suggesting that significant financial barriers could deter less committed tourists and better protect the area.
