South Tyrol's Umbrella Organization For Nature And Environmental Protection Critical Of Lift Co’s Causing Traffic
The umbrella organization for nature and environmental protection in South Tyrol has issued a statment critical of lift co's, they say:
"Overtourism has a firm grip on South Tyrol, and the tourism industry is blaming each other. This doesn't help us as a society, because the overtourism phenomenon has structural causes.
South Tyrol's tourism industry is in the fast lane: The IDM advertising campaign is having an impact, and guests are flocking to the region from all directions. The number of beds is constantly increasing, whether it's farm holidays, campsites, or traditional accommodations, all of which contribute to the increase. And the subsidized expansion of tourism infrastructure such as cable cars, slopes, and snowmaking basins is in full swing.
In this context, the umbrella organization for nature and environmental protection sees the role of the cable car industry in a somewhat more differentiated way than the president of the cable car association recently presented: "Cable cars can offer intelligent solutions as public transport, if we think of the Renon cable car or the future cable car to Jenesien. On the other hand, tourist infrastructure such as the Tiers cable car, which is massively supported with public money and cannot be used with the South Tyrol Pass, is problematic," says managing director Hanspeter Staffler, explaining the umbrella organization's position. Taxpayers therefore pay twice to travel from St. Cyprian to the Frommer Alm.
But things become truly critical when, as was proposed with the Seceda cable car in Ortisei, the construction of larger lifts is intended to solve congestion. "This isn't a calming effect; it's an attempt to put out a fire with gasoline," says Elisabeth Ladinser, chairwoman of the umbrella organization. Cable cars and lifts, which are not primarily used for public transport, are, as tourist infrastructure, a significant factor in fueling overtourism.
Therefore, the umbrella organization for nature and environmental protection sees the responsibility for calming tourism as lying with all sectors of the tourism industry, and especially with the state government. The current subsidy policy for cable cars is unnecessarily overheating the tourism engine. Cable car operators are striving for more subsidy capacity. More subsidy capacity means larger parking spaces at the valley stations, and larger parking spaces mean more arrival and departure traffic.
"The umbrella organization therefore advocates for tourism in moderation rather than masses and proposes a nationwide pause for reflection in order to steer mass tourism into socially acceptable channels with new concepts," emphasizes chairwoman Elisabeth Ladinser."
