“We’ve reached the limit”. This Italian paradise sets limits for tourists

As Europe overflows with tourists flocking to Italy for the summer, the region has limited visitor numbers in an effort to avoid tourism.

The autonomous region of Alto Adige, also known as Bolzano-South Tyrol, in the north of the country, has introduced a visitor limit and banned the opening of new accommodation – until others close.

Adjacent to Austria, the region is one of the most popular gateways to the Dolomites, with visitors flocking to see spectacular Craggy peaks that glow pink at sunset, dreamy glacial lakes and charming Tyrolean towns. Practice their German – the province is bilingual.

The capital Bolzano is also home to a world-famous resident: “Ötzi”, the mummified body of a local man who died around 5,200 years ago, whose body – almost perfectly preserved with his clothes – is housed in a museum in the city.

Arnold Schuller, who is in charge of the province’s tourism industry and proposed the new law, told CNN it had “reached the limit” of what it could handle.

“We reached the limit of our resources, we had traffic problems and residents were struggling to find places to live”, he said, adding that they “want to ensure quality”. [de vida] locals and tourists”, which has worsened in the last decade.

“too much”

Alto Adige is known as an outdoor paradise, but according to Schuler, its long-standing reputation is beginning to suffer from the large number of people visiting the region.

“Tourists come here to walk and see beautiful places, not to face traffic jams,” he said.

In 2022, the region will have 34 million overnight stays. “At certain times of the year and in certain areas, it’s too much.”

“Tourism is very important to us, for employment and the economy, but we have reached the limit, so we have taken these measures to ensure we manage the flow of people better and guarantee accommodation for tourists.”

The law, passed in September 2022, prevents anyone from opening new accommodation (including Airbnb) or adding more rooms without obtaining permission from the local authority.

The number of officially registered beds in 2019 is set at just under 230,000. Entrepreneurs have until June 30 to report to authorities the number of guests they actually stayed in in 2019 – essentially accounting for sofa beds, which were previously not counted in official figures. The final number represents the limit, which cannot be exceeded in the future. Each institution has its fixed number of rooms, and each commune has a set number – and all businesses under its jurisdiction.

To support small businesses, Alto Adige local authorities will be allocated an additional 7,000 beds, distributed as they see fit to small businesses with a capacity of less than 40 guests. In the future, another 1,000 beds will be allocated in exceptional circumstances if someone wants to start a business in a town with very low levels of tourism.

“Day-trippers” limits

“Day-trippers” (“in a literal translation of a day”) are considered the scourge of over-tourism in Venice.

From 2021, access by car during high season to Lago de Bryce (or Braxer Wildsee) – a perfect glacial lake in the mountains and an Instagram must-see – is only possible by reservation. Schuler explained that he took this step — which he calls a “pilot program” — because the situation was becoming unsustainable.

“It’s necessary to register to go to the lake, but this way access is guaranteed and there won’t be too many people there. Everyone can see the lake.”

Access to the Alpe di Siusi, or Seiser Alm in German – the vast alpine meadow in the shadow of the mountains – is also restricted. The road to the plateau is closed to private vehicles from 09:00 to 17:00 – anyone wishing to pass must use public transport. Residents and tourists with hotel reservations on the plateau are exempted.

And Schuler believes these are the first steps in a broader reservation system for popular areas, as he hopes “they will do this in other parts of the region.” “Restricting access to the most popular places benefits everyone,” he defended, comparing it to museums and galleries that sell a limited number of tickets per day. “It’s not just the locals that are happy, but tourists will have access, parking and an easy place to eat.”

Residents have no homes

Schuler said the flood of tourists is also damaging the lives of local residents, who are struggling to find shelter.

“It was becoming increasingly difficult to find housing because so many people [alojamentos] “Tourism has been converted into accommodation,” he said, and as a result, rental costs have gone up.

The region has a population of about 532,000, which outnumbers the number of beds in tourist accommodation – by about two to one – but this average is due to some areas receiving little tourism. “We have areas where the number of tourist beds exceeds the number of citizens,” Schuler guaranteed.

He added that the number of Airbnbs in the region has increased by 400% in the last five years.

“We want to be a region for tourists, but also a place where local people live well,” he underlined.

Quality not quantity

For anyone looking to open a hotel, B&B or rent a vacation home, it can be difficult, but not necessary.

When a business ends, the bed allocation reverts to your commune. They can then donate those points to new openings or someone looking to expand their property. “In this way, we guarantee that the number of vacancies will remain unchanged in the future”, explained Schuler.

The move is part of a 100-page document called “Programma provincial por lo sviluppo del turismo 2030+”. This document describes the years of research that went into the project and explains how it intends to develop the region in a sustainable way. Another step is to introduce a “Green Star” rating system to reward hotels that operate sustainably.