Tourists visiting the popular Dolomites hiking trail in Italy are now required to pay a fee, as imposed by local farmers.
In the heart of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site, a unique protest against overtourism has taken shape. Four Italian farmers have set up a turnstile on a popular hiking footpath at Seceda, charging tourists €5 to access the picturesque mountain plateau.
The Seceda mountain plateau, a summer hotspot attracting up to 8,000 people a day, has been a source of concern for local farmers due to the environmental degradation of their meadows and paths. The surge in visitors has resulted in damage that the farmers struggle to repair, financially and physically.
The turnstile, according to the farmers, is a "cry for help" to raise awareness and compel government intervention and compensation for land stewardship. However, as of early August, there has been no official government response regarding the fee or support to farmers.
Local tourism boards have been contacted, but there is no indication they have provided compensation or regulatory changes. The farmers’ action appears designed to pressure government authorities to recognize and address the costs of overtourism on natural heritage and local livelihoods.
The path to Seceda crosses the lands of many farmers and individual landowners, who feel overlooked amidst the financial gains of cable car operators. One of the farmers, Georg Rabanser, stated that the operators benefit from the increased visitor numbers, while the landowners do not and bear the costs of damage and litter.
The farmers' actions have led to visible queues at the turnstiles, where everyone, including regular tourists and social media influencers, must pay to access Instagram-famous panoramic spots. While some tourists view the fee as a necessary measure to tackle overcrowding, others may be frustrated by restricted free access to what had been public footpaths.
The 'right to roam' convention in the Dolomites allows anyone to walk the established paths crossing those lands. However, some local tourists associations have spoken out against the turnstile on the Seceda mountain path, expressing concern about its potential impact on the unique biodiversity of Seceda and the principles of free access.
Lukas Demetz, president of the tourist association in Santa Cristina, has recently employed four rangers to manage tourist flow and ensure respect for local rules. Christina Demetz, destination manager at the local Val Gardena tourist board, has expressed concern about the uncoordinated measure and its potential impact on the unique biodiversity of Seceda.
The farmers' initiative comes after an ancient rock in the Dolomites was graffitied with an anti-tourism slogan in 2024, reflecting growing frustration over the impact of tourism on the region. The mountainous regions in Italy have seen a rise in tourist numbers over the summer of 2025, as many people are switching their usual beach holidays for cooler destinations to flee the heatwaves.
The farmers' actions aim to highlight the imbalance between the financial gains of the cable car operators and the costs borne by the landowners due to overtourism. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether this unconventional approach will lead to the desired government intervention and support for the farmers and the preservation of the Dolomites' natural beauty.
- The Seceda mountain plateau, a summer hotspot, attracts up to 8,000 people daily, causing concern among local farmers due to environmental damage on their meadows and paths.
- Four Italian farmers have set up a turnstile on a popular hiking footpath at Seceda, charging tourists €5 to access the mountain plateau as a "cry for help".
- The farmers aim to raise awareness and compel government intervention and compensation for land stewardship, but there has been no official government response regarding the fee or support.
- Local tourism boards have been contacted, yet there is no indication they have provided compensation or regulatory changes to address farmer concerns.
- The farmers' action is designed to pressure government authorities to recognize and address the costs of overtourism on natural heritage and local livelihoods.
- The path to Seceda crosses the lands of many farmers and individual landowners, who feel overlooked amidst the financial gains of cable car operators.
- Some local tourists associations have spoken out against the turnstile on the Seceda mountain path, expressing concern about its potential impact on the unique biodiversity of Seceda and the principles of free access.
- The debate over the farmers' initiative continues, with some tourists viewing the fee as necessary to tackle overcrowding while others may be frustrated by restricted free access to what had been public footpaths.
