Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

DISCOVER SWITZERLAND

5 spectacular Swiss tourist sites hit by overcrowding

Here are five Swiss tourist sites you will need to plan your visit carefully to avoid the crowds.

Published: 22 May 2023 11:46 CEST
Updated: 12 July 2023 16:15 CEST
Lucerne Lion Monument
Stone Lion Monument in Lucerne

Appenzell Innerrhoden

Appenzell Innerrhoden‘s charming landscape, independent culture and welcoming locals have long made the Swiss region a preferred tourist destination, but while this has been beneficial for the canton’s economy – its tourism accounts for 12.8 per cent of its GP – it has also left its marks on residents.

Visitors from all over the globe, including Switzerland, flock to this predominantly Swiss canton laden with Instagram-worthy hotspots. The Alpstein – a hiker’s paradise – and Äscher Wildkirchli restaurant, which opened in 1846, have inspired many a pilgrimage. As one of Switzerland’s oldest mountain inns, the latter also graced the cover of the National Geographic in 2015 and played host to none other than actor Ashton Kutcher and Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer.

But hosting famous faces comes at a cost. In 2018, the tourist rush prompted the then-owners to clear the premises only for the inn to open again the following year under new ownership.

In 2022, a large proportion of the circa 1.8 million people who visited the canton were in the region for a day trip, rather than an overnight stay. Appenzell Innerrhoden’s government has now proposed a new tourism strategy aimed at limiting mass tourism and its negative implications, such as more traffic, waste, people, and complaints.

Instead, the canton wants to encourage more overnight guests by building three to five hotels in the next 15 years.

READ MORE: The parts of Switzerland foreigners don’t move to

Lavertezzo

Another Swiss tourism success story as a direct result of unprompted social media advertising is Lavertezzo, often referred to as the most beautiful village in Ticino. While select international tourists traverse the valley’s 17th century stone bridge, it is primarily visitors from German-speaking Switzerland and Italy that travel to Lavertezzo en masse – and all thanks to a YouTube video.

The one-minute clip, which is entitled The Maldives from Milan and praises Lavertezzo’s beauty, was posted on Facebook in 2017 and immediately led to a boost in tourism – and traffic chaos – in the region.

If the short (but effective) YouTube clip has inspired you to see Lavertezzo for yourself, it is advisable to do so in the late spring or early summer months, before the scorching heat (and mass tourism) kicks in as the valley is particular popular with visitors looking to take a dip in the crystal-clear river.

Though there is limited parking most visitors only stop by for a quick lunch and photo session before driving up to the Verzasca dam to marvel at bungee jumpers imitating James Bond’s famous GoldenEye scene.

Rigi

If any tourist spot knows what mass tourism feels like first-hand, it’s likely to be Switzerland’s Rigi, frequently dubbed the Queen of the Mountains.

Set in the heart of central Switzerland, Rigi is easily accessible from every corner in the country. The mountain is located between three lakes, Lucerne, Zug and Lauerz, and offers visitors second-to-none views over the Alps from its highest point at 1,797 metres.

During 2022, some 808,000 visitors chugged up the mountain by train or cable car – a 33 percent increase since 2021. Though the Rigi is heavily visited by tourists from around the world – the number of visitors rose from 553,000 to 912,000 between 2009 and 2018 – organisers are still encouraging more uphill travel in hopes of besting pre-pandemic record-high visitor numbers.

That’s as good an invitation as any.

Lucerne

Walking along Lucerne’s Schwanenplatz you’re bound to see several packed coaches drive up to offload tourists in a matter of minutes. Following a quick briefing, they are off to explore the nearby area along the quay, walk the Chapel Bridge and, most famously, hit the city’s many watch shops – for a day.

Lucerne’s popularity with overseas (short-stay) tourists has led to a boom in Lucerne’s holiday apartments on offer, so much so that in March of this year disgruntled locals voted to limit the length of time an apartment can be rented out for short stays to 90 days per year. Moreover, some hotels have introduced a minimum stay requirement when booking one of their rooms.

In 2022, Lucerne also stopped advertising in long-distance markets where the majority of its tourists fly in from in a move that was not well-received by the hotel industry, Blick reported.

If you pack a healthy dose of patience and are still eager to explore Lucerne, note that the city is well worth a longer stay. From its Bruch quarter, Titlis and the Lion Monument, to the Musegg Wall and its nine towers – Lucerne is packed with interesting sights to keep you busy for a week.

Iseltwald

Iseltwald is often referred to as the pearl of Lake Brienz, and rightfully so. The fishing village is located on the left bank of the river and is one of the smallest communities in the canton of Bern – and locals would like to keep it that way.

However, with its crystal-clear lake and breath-taking mountain backdrop, Iseltwald also caught the eye of Netflix whose hit series Crash Landing on You partly takes place in the quaint village.

Since its airing in 2019, the show has attracted thousands of overseas tourists to the quaint Swiss village, prompting the municipality to limit the number of visitors it allows with a new set of measures. These include stricter rules for coaches – such as prior booking and a parking time limit – as well as the introduction of a controversial selfie fee.

READ MORE: Swiss village forced to restrict visitor numbers after Netflix success

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

TOURISM

Stay away! How Europe’s most popular spots are fighting overtourism

Tourist hotspots around Europe are on a crusade to deal with surging visitor numbers. Is it the end of mass tourism in Europe?

Published: 25 April 2024 12:59 CEST
Stay away! How Europe's most popular spots are fighting overtourism

On Thursday April 25th Venice introduced a new €5 tourist charge for day-trippers as the city battles against mass tourism. But it’s not the only part of Europe that appears to have had enough of tourists.

Cities, towns, picturesque villages, national parks and World Heritage sites across Europe are taking measures to prevent overtourism.

Those moves are not without controversy.

Barcelona

Nestled on the coast of the Mediterranean, Barcelona is the capital of the Catalonia region, home to famed Gaudi architectural gems and one of Spain’s top football clubs.

Ada Colau, the leftist former housing rights activist who was mayor of the city between 2015 and June 2023, cracked down on illegal Airbnb rentals that were accused of pricing locals out of the property market.

The city also limited the entrance of tour groups in the historic La Boquería market, especially during peak shopping times.

And throughout the centre organised groups must be limited to a maximum of 20 people and guides are not allowed to use loudspeakers.

Tourist walk up and down Las Ramblas alley in Barcelona on April 13, 2024. – From the Balearic Islands to the Canary Islands, Barcelona and Malaga, anti-mass tourism movements are multiplying in Spain. (Photo by PAU BARRENA / AFP)

In 2023 tourist numbers registering in hotels, homes and hostels were down 6.9 percent compared with 2019 figures, according to the City Council.

However, Barcelona hasn’t completely rid itself of the problems caused by mass tourism, nor have other popular spots in Spain such as Málaga and the Canary Islands, where the spike in Airbnb-style holiday lets causing a rental crisis and other consequences of overtourism have angered locals. 

READ ALSO:

Venice

In Venice, one of the world’s top tourist destinations, 3.2 million visitors stayed overnight in the historic centre in 2022 — dwarfing the resident population of just 50,000.

On Thursday April 25th, it started charging day trippers for entry. Day visitors will have to buy a €5 ticket, monitored by inspectors carrying out spot checks at key points across the UNESCO world heritage site.

ourists take selfies with the Grand Canal

Venice begins on April 25, charging day trippers for entry, a world first aimed at easing pressure on the Italian city drowning under the weight of mass tourism. Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP

In 2021, it banned huge cruise ships from Venice lagoon over concerns about the environmental impact of the huge liners on the city.

Venice has also introduced a tax for overnight visitors.

Sites in France

France too is worried about over-tourism – or rather that fact that so many of the country’s millions of tourists per year visit just a few sites – Paris, Mont-Saint-Michel and the Calanques national park near Marseille.

A publicity campaign has been urging visitors to consider heading to other sites, or to visit out of the high season – this winter the Paris Metro was plastered with posters urging people to visit Mon-Saint-Michel in the winter, when it is less crowded.

his long exposure picture tourists walking in the crowded main street of Le Mont-Saint-Michel, northwestern France, on July 25, 2023. Photo by Damien MEYER / AFP

There are more pro-active measures too, with several sites introducing a cap on visitor numbers. The Calanques, the islands of Bréhat and Porquerolles and several sites on the island of Corsica have all introduced annual quotes for tourists during the summer season, and all visits must now be booked in advance.

Other sites don’t have a formal quota but some are only open to pre-booked visitors, while for other popular sites it’s simply a book idea to book in advance to avoid being turned away. Anyone considering a visit to a tourist hotspot such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre museum or Versailles palace during the summer is strongly advised to reserve their tickets in advance.

READ ALSO What places in France do I need to book a visit in advance? 

Amsterdam

Amsterdam has long been trying to clean up a reputation for rowdy stag parties, drugs and sex that has been partly blamed on an influx of around 20 million visitors a year.

In 2023 it launched an online campaign aimed at discouraging young British men from travelling to Amsterdam to get high or very drunk, telling them in typically blunt Dutch fashion to “stay away” or risk arrest.

Amsterdam also announced last week a ban on new hotels and that it would halve the number of river cruise ships in the city within five years.

It also decided last year to ban smoking cannabis on the streets of the red-light district.

Hallstatt and Salzburg in Austria

The tiny village of Hallstatt, a hamlet just 750 people strong not far from Salzburg and bearing a striking resemblance to the fictional kingdom of Arendelle from Disney’s Frozen – last year caused furore when its residents erected a fence at its famous vista to deter selfie-seekers. After a social media backlash, the village – which is also a UNESCO heritage site – removed the fence, but signs remind visitors to enjoy the site quietly.

Residents were also protesting in favour of tourism curbs in the village, which gets as many as 10,000 visitors a day in high season. They want to limit the numbers and ban tour buses in the town after 5:00 p.m.

Not far from Hallstatt, the city made famous by classical music, Hollywood classics and Christmas songs, Salzburg, has also complained about massive tourism and the danger of being “overrun by mass tourists and day trippers”. 

The city’s tourism boss Christine Schönhuber said: “We only want those who stay overnight”. The western Austrian city is yet to take any concrete measures, but it has floated ideas such as closing some streets to cars and putting restrictions on souvenir shops. The city is also considering closing the bus terminal at the city’s Mirabellplatz to day tripping companies – allowing only those transporting overnight guests.

Iseltwald, Switzerland

The quaint Swiss village of Iseltwald has been forced to limit the number of tourists after fans of a South Korean Netflix hit show flocked to the region in droves sparking a backlash from locals.

Iseltwald is often referred to as the pearl of Lake Brienz, and rightfully so. The fishing village is located on the left bank of the river and is one of the smallest communities in the canton of Bern – and locals would like to keep it that way.

A picture taken on June 2, 2023 shows the village of Iseltwald at the shore of Lake Brienz, in the Swiss Alps. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

Dubrovnik

Croatia’s medieval walled city of Dubrovnik is one of Europe’s most overcrowded cities, with the flow of tourists sometimes making it impossible to walk inside the historic Old Town.

The jewel of the Adriatic has seen a huge surge in visitor numbers since scenes from the series “Game of Thrones” were filmed on its ramparts in 2011.

In 2023, the town of 41,000 people received 1.2 million tourists, below 2019’s record of 1.4 million.

In 2019 local authorities limited the number of cruise ship arrivals to two per day, with no more than 4,000 passengers each at a time.

They also launched an app that uses machine learning and weather forecasts to predict when the Old Town, a UNESCO world heritage site, will be busiest.

SHOW COMMENTS