ROME, Jan 15 (Reuters) – As Italy prepares to host the Winter Olympics next month, Alpine communities are sounding the alarm over social media-driven tourism that is transforming sacred landscapes into selfie backdrops and straining the fragile mountain ecosystem.
The Games will be based in Milan and in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a town nestled among the jagged limestone peaks of the Dolomites — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — with additional events held in the nearby localities of Predazzo, Tesero and Anterselva.
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Organisers argue that an Olympics based largely on existing venues will have a limited impact on the environment, while leaving upgraded facilities and stronger local economies.
But some local officials and environmental groups counter that the global spotlight risks accelerating a troubling trend: overtourism fuelled by Instagram and TikTok, driven both by individual users and promotional campaigns. They warn that once-quiet destinations such as the Seceda summit and Lake Sorapis have already been transformed into viral hotspots overwhelmed by visitors.
Reinhold Messner, the Italian climber who made the first solo ascent of Mount Everest, has pointed the finger at influencers.
No selfies, please: Dolomites push back against overtourism ahead of Games
