Seceda: Meeting On Measures For Quotas And Visitor Management In Val Gardena

At the meeting in Ortisei, Provincial Councillors Luis Walcher and Daniel Alfreider, Alexander Gruber, Director of the Department of Environment, Nature and Climate Protection, Energy, Spatial Development and Sport, representatives of the municipalities, local tourism associations, the LTS, the IDM, and the cable car company Seceda AG intensively addressed the challenges surrounding the increasing flow of visitors to Seceda and the Val Gardena valley. The goal was to initiate effective measures to protect the quality of life for the local population in the long term.

All participants agreed: Tourism has changed in recent years, and the burdens, particularly due to hotspot tourism, have noticeably increased, so that some areas surrounding the hotspots are reaching their capacity limits. This development threatens to impair the quality of life of locals and runs counter to the goals of sustainable, high-quality tourism – to the detriment of those guests who value peace, nature experiences, and longer stays. Images and videos on social media had highlighted the escalating situation on Seceda this summer – and clearly demonstrated the need for action.

A central point of discussion was the development of visitor management measures. The introduction of a booking system with time slots was proposed to control and direct visitor flows, particularly during peak seasons. This would also include targeted exceptions for local residents.

There was a clear consensus that local solutions – by Val Gardena for Val Gardena – must be developed promptly. The province is supporting the development of these measures through the special IDM (Integrated Management and Development) operation. A working group will develop the specific measures regarding the Seceda as soon as possible. In parallel, further long-term measures and approaches to better guide visitors and improve mobility are to be implemented. Existing approaches, such as the parking guidance system, are to be expanded and optimized.

"Tourism is and remains an important economic factor for our country – but it must not come at the expense of the quality of life of the local population. Therefore, targeted visitor management is needed to maintain the quality of tourism offerings. It's not just about responding to the situation on the Seceda, but about creating a transferable system that can also be used in other heavily frequented areas," emphasized Regional Councilor Luis Walcher.

Regional Minister for Mobility Daniel Alfreider also emphasized the efforts currently being made on the topic of transport, together with the municipalities and tourist associations: "Our goal is to reduce individual traffic in Val Gardena, which is why we have invested heavily in expanding public transport in recent years." The service has been very well received locally, a positive aspect of which was also emphasized by the participants. "At the same time, we must now implement further measures to better manage the mobility of day visitors, with infrastructure