Roccaraso, a picturesque Italian ski resort, experienced unprecedented chaos over the weekend as an influx of 10,000 daytrippers descended upon the area. On a typical winter weekend, the resort usually welcomes around 20,000 skiers and 15,000 visitors who prefer sledding or trekking. However, reports indicated that double the usual number of day trip deals were booked for Sunday, February 2, leading to significant disruptions.
The prefecture of L'Aquila, the regional capital, was called upon to ensure adequate deployment of traffic police and security forces to manage the situation. Despite these efforts, the sheer number of tourists overwhelmed the resort's narrow roads and facilities. Buses and cars clogged the routes, causing frustration among local residents and skiers with season passes who faced delays of up to three hours.
The daytrippers, primarily from Naples, arrived through tour groups paying $20 for a round trip including a sandwich. This influx prompted municipalities surrounding Roccaraso to implement crowd-control measures, such as limiting tour bus access. However, these actions did little to alleviate the "hellish" conditions described by Roccaraso's mayor, Francesco di Donato.
"Roccaraso welcomes and wants to welcome more and more tourists, but civil and correct skiers," said Francesco di Donato.
Many of the newcomers were accused of causing mayhem on the slopes by ignoring ski etiquette and using improvised sleds. The unauthorized tour buses were deemed a "real assault" on the area by local authorities, creating not only logistical challenges but also significant security risks.
"The Roccaraso system is unable to contain the assault of those who come only on Sundays. We cannot put a thousand chemical bathrooms in a ski resort," remarked Francesco di Donato.
The roads leading to the resort were blocked by the sheer volume of vehicles, angering Roccaraso's 1,500 residents who found their town overrun. The situation was exacerbated by popular influencer Rita De Cresenzo from Naples, who was accused of promoting Roccaraso without considering its impact on the local community.
"I made such a beautiful advertisement for Roccaraso where I was on Monday and Tuesday and the crowd went crazy because I put up wonderful videos," stated Rita De Cresenzo.
Mayor Francesco di Donato expressed his concerns over the lack of patience exhibited by some visitors, which posed potential safety risks.
"I am on the street, these people do not have patience, they get nervous, they don’t give a damn about the machines that come. Sooner or later you risk the accident. I say it firmly: they have to face this phenomenon as if it were a soccer match," he said.
Efforts to manage the crowds were further challenged by reports of littering on the slopes, prompting local officials to question the behavior of some visitors.
"Throw your garbage in the snow? What are we talking about?” commented Francesco Emilio Borrelli.
