L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023 L'Italo-Americano W i t h t h e hot sum- m e r j u s t a handful o f w e e k s a w a y , I t a l i a n t o w n s a n d c i t i e s a r e a b o u t t o f a c e a surge of tourism, with visitors flocking to popular destinations in the Belpaese, from North to South. While this is certainly good news for local businesses and the economy, it is undeniable that, especially in the past decade, the ever-increasing number of tourists in our t o w n s a n d c i t i e s c a u s e d issues and concerns, from overcrowding and conges- tion to damage to historic landmarks and infrastruc- ture. As a result, this year some Italian destinations decided to take action and limit the number of tourists allowed, in an attempt to preserve their cultural heritage and, we guess, the mental well- being of locals. One of the most r ecent measures taken by Italian authorities is the imposition of a selfie ban in the town of Portofino, as reported by Forbes. The town, known for its picturesque harbor a n d c o l o r f u l h o u s e s , h a s become a magnet for tourists looking for the perfect Insta- gram shot. Known, especial- ly in the 1960s, as a hot spot f o r V I P s a n d L a D o l c e Vita, Portofino made it into the tabloids again in recent months, when the Kardashi- an clan visited to celebrate Kourtney Kardashian's wed- ding with Blink-182 drum- mer, Travis Barker. However, all that glitters i s n o t g o l d , b e c a u s e t h e increase in visitors to the town caused overcrowding and, at times, also damage to its historic landmarks. In an a t t e m p t t o a d d r e s s t h e s e issues, the local council has recently imposed a fine of €300 for tourists caught lin- gering to take selfies in cer- tain areas of the town. While the ban may seem harsh, it is necessary to protect Portofi- n o ' s b e a u t y a n d e n s u r e a s u s t a i n a b l e f u t u r e f o r tourism. It is also important, some have argued, to ensure that all tourists can enjoy the p l a c e i n f u l l r e l a x a t i o n , because … we are not all self- ie-obsessed, and spending the day avoiding people pho- tographing themselves in the middle of the street can be rather unpleasant. But Portofino is not the only Italian destination to t a k e s u c h m e a s u r e s . Bolzano, in Italy's north- ern region of Trentino Alto- A d i g e , h a s i n t r o d u c e d a numero chiuso or "closed number" system to limit the number of tourists visiting t h e c i t y , a s r e p o r t e d by Insider. The system puts a cap on the number of holi- day rentals available and requires tourists to book in advance. The city council is a l s o c o n s i d e r i n g l i m i t i n g hotel rooms' availability and introducing a cap on how many tourists can enter the city each day. These mea- sures want to preserve the city's cultural heritage and e the safety and well-being of its residents and visitors. T h e T r e n t i n o r e g i o n , where Bolzano is located, is also facing an invasion of t o u r i s t s , l e a d i n g t o o v e r - crowding and pressure on infrastructure. In an article by Corriere del Trentino, it w a s r e p o r t e d t h a t l o c a l authorities are considering introducing a system of per- m i t s f o r t o u r i s t s v i s i t i n g popular destinations like L a k e G a r d a a n d t h e Dolomites. It is hoped that t h i s w i l l h e l p m a n a g e crowds and prevent damage to both natural environment and infrastructure. But, as we said, this is nothing new, because the surge of tourism in Italy is not a recent phenomenon. For years, the country has been a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. However, the current increase in numbers — Italy has been recording an even g r e a t e r i n f l u x o f v i s i t o r s than in pre-pandemic times — has put a strain on local resources: this is why some destinations have been tak- ing a proactive approach to manage tourism and ensure a sustainable future for the industry. Certainly, many won't be happy about such limita - tions and many will com- p l a i n a b o u t t h e i n c o n v e - n i e n c e , b u t t h e s e i n t e r v e n t i o n s a r e i n d e e d n e c e s s a r y t o p r o t e c t t h e country's cultural heritage a n d g u a r a n t e e i t c a n b e enjoyed through sustainable t o u r i s m f o r m a n y , m a n y years to come. In the end, it may just be a matter of thinking about tourism in a different way, s o m e t h i n g t h a t w e h a v e already begun to do during those first months after the lifting of Covid-19 restric- tions when we rediscovered t h e p l e a s u r e s o f s l o w tourism and raveled in the beauty of little-known towns and secluded locations. As r e p o r t e d b y W i r e d I t a l y , some destinations have been exploring innovative solu- tions to manage tourism, such as using artificial intel- ligence and data analysis to predict and manage tourist flows. These solutions are aimed at improving the visi- tor experience while mini- mizing the impact on local resources and infrastruc- ture. Tourism is, undeniably, a major economic resource for Italy, but its surge did put a strain on local resources and caused damage to cultural and natural heritage sites: it is necessary, if we want to protect the country but also k e e p o n w e l c o m i n g m o r e people — something we Ital- i a n s e n j o y a n d a r e q u i t e good at, by the way! — to develop a type of tourism that is sustainable, and that doesn't harm the very things tourists come to see in the f i r s t p l a c e . J u s t l i k e t h e authorities in Portofino and Bolzano, it's time the coun- try gets proactive and works t o w a r d s a c o m m o n solution. GIULIA FRANCESCHINI Selfies in Italy may become a problem for tourists (Photo: Marian Vejcik/Dreamstime) Selfie ban: is this the beginning of a new era for Italian tourism? NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS

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