Nestled in an Alpine valley surrounded by waterfalls and snowy peaks, the picturesque Swiss village of Lauterbrunnen is considering introducing an entry fee to manage the growing issue of overtourism. Following the example of Venice, Lauterbrunnen is exploring the idea of charging day visitors five Swiss francs to reduce crowding during peak summer travel seasons.
Lauterbrunnen, located in the Bernese Oberland, has seen a significant rise in tourist numbers, leading to increased traffic, waste, and higher costs. The village’s priest, Markus Tschanz, expressed concerns about the overwhelming influx of tourists, likening the village to an amusement park due to the constant stream of visitors. The village has formed a group to investigate potential solutions to this problem, with the entry fee being one of the options under consideration.
Experts attribute the overtourism in Lauterbrunnen to several factors: increasing popularity of social media, affordable travel options, and a growing desire for unique travel experiences. Last month, Venice became the first city to implement an entry fee for day-trippers, charging five euros during a 29-peak-day trial period. This move aims to manage tourist numbers more effectively, with exemptions for those booking accommodations or arriving via public transport.
Tourism experts in Switzerland, including Jürg Stettler from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, acknowledge the challenges in implementing such a fee in a village setting. Fabian Weber, a tourism researcher at the same university, suggested that while the entry fee might not drastically reduce tourist numbers, it could generate funds to manage visitor flows better and compensate for tourism-related damages.
The consideration of an entry fee in Lauterbrunnen highlights a growing trend among popular tourist destinations to seek sustainable tourism solutions. As more places face the challenges of overtourism, innovative measures like entry fees could become more common, helping to balance tourism growth with environmental and community well-being.
