‘It’s a cry for help’: Italian farmers introduce tourist levy on popular hiking trail
Farmers introduce charge for tourists on Europe’s famous walking route
- Italian farmers in the Dolomites have started charging visitors €5 to access a public footpath on Seceda mountain.
- The fee is a protest against overtourism, which they claim is damaging their land and leaving them with restoration costs.
- Farmers reported up to 8,000 visitors on the path in a single day last week, with social media showing long queues of tourists.
- They describe the action as a 'cry for help' after receiving no substantial response or compensation from the provincial government for the damage.
- The local tourist association has questioned the legality of the charge, suggesting the landowners are simply seeking to profit.