A POPULAR tourist spot has limited tourist access after a huge influx of people looking for a great Instagram photo.
After thousands of daily visitors for years, a classic feature of the area has been damaged and authorities want to bring it back to life.
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Close to the famous Swiss resort of Zermatt is lake Riffelsee – perfectly positioned opposite the infamous Matterhorn.
During the high summer season, a rail service transports thousands of tourists every day.
In June and July, when the heat finally melts the snow in the Alps, flowers like edelweiss, gentian and golden primrose are finally able to thrive there.
But the hordes of tourists traveling to the 2,800-meter high point have worn down the soil and trampled on the flowers.
Edelweiss, an iconic Swiss flower, has not been seen around Lake Riffelsee for years.
Local authorities in Zermatt have decided that tourists need to be restricted in the area to protect local wildlife.
Although tourists can still visit for now, they are directed towards the water via specifically marked paths – with the grassy area cordoned off.
The move by Swiss authorities is the latest in a series of efforts across Europe to crack down on tourism.
Days ago, a tourist sparked fury in Italy when she posed for an obscene photo against an iconic statue in Florence, imitating sexual acts.
Photos showing the woman rubbing herself against the statue were shared online and deemed “an absolute disgrace”.
The offensive photos went viral online, sparking widespread demands to crack down on disrespectful tourists with a strict “zero tolerance” policy.
Patrizia Asproni of Confcultura, a cultural heritage organization, said: “Florence is a city that does not make visitors respect it.
“These continued displays of rudeness and incivility occur because everyone feels entitled to do whatever they want with impunity.
“We need to apply the ‘Singapore model’: strict controls, very high fines, zero tolerance.”
Waves of anti-tourism movements have hit other holiday hotspots in recent months, in Spain, Greece, the Canary Islands and Italy.
Spain has been a major focal point for angry residents who have even covered cities with graffiti telling tourists to “go home”.
A few weeks ago, nearly 3,000 protesters took to the streets of the Spanish capital, Barcelona, and used water pistols to attack tourists.
Protesters organized another large demonstration in Mallorca a few days ago, where they shouted: “We will plow the roads, the hotels will be empty and then the world will understand that there are too many tourists”.
The reasons for protests across Europe are largely the same – issues of overcrowding, housing, environmental protection, congestion and resource allocation.
Residents generally feel alienated by mass tourism – and are concerned about preserving their beaches or beauty spots.
But the tourism industry, which earns billions around the world every year, is responsible for keeping many of these cities and villages alive.
Business property owners, politicians, hotel bosses and restaurant owners have expressed concern about the growing movement and what might happen if tourists stop visiting.
Anti-tourism measures sweep critical spots
A WAVE of anti-tourism measures is being implemented across Europe to curb mass tourism in popular holiday spots.
Overcrowding has become a major problem in many sun destinations, with authorities trying to find a solution to keep tourists and locals happy.
Authorities have attempted to reduce the impact of tourists by implementing additional taxes on tourists or banning new hotels.
Earlier this year, Venice became the first city in the world to charge tourists an entry fee, after it began charging day-trippers 5 euros (£4.30) if they visit the historic Italian center.
It was followed by an area in Barcelona that resorted to removing a heavily used bus route from Apple and Google Maps to stop crowds of tourists from using the bus.
Meanwhile, San Sebastián, in northern Spain, limited the maximum number of people on guided tours to 25 to avoid congestion, noise, inconvenience and overcrowding.
The city has already banned the construction of new hotels.
The Spanish government has allowed restaurants to charge customers more for sitting in the shade in Andalusia.
Benidorm has introduced time restrictions, as swimming in the sea between midnight and 7am can cost a staggering £1,000.
The Canary Islands are also considering adopting measures to regulate the number of visitors – and charging tourists a daily fee.
Greece has already applied a tourist tax during the high season (March to October) and visitors are expected to pay between €1 (£0.86) and €4 (£3.45) per night, depending on the accommodation booked. .
Authorities in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, want to introduce a traveler tax to remind people to be courteous during their travels.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
