Instagram was the handiwork of a dream village; Residents’ war with selfie-oriented tourism

According to CNN; For more than a decade, the postcard image of Santa Maddalena, a small church nestled among the peaks of the Dolomite mountains, has taken over the internet. But this dream frame for local residents turned into a nightmare last summer and a flood of people poured into this village.

Now the local authorities have decided to pull the reins of this rebellious horse. From next May (May 1405), the entry of touristic cars and buses into the territory of this UNESCO World Heritage Site will be blocked.

This decision has been taken in response to the increasing influx of tourists, who have put pressure on the daily life of the residents of this village, especially in the hot season, with the traffic of cars, population density and saturation of local services.

According to the mayor of the region, the cars of one-day tourists and tourist buses will not be allowed to pass through the narrow road leading to the church, and only local residents and those who are staying at least one night in the village can approach it by car. Other visitors must park at the designated parking areas at the bottom of the valley and take a 30-minute hike to reach the site. Also, the price of parking in this area will be increased to prevent the entry of people who come just to take a quick photo.

Santa Maddalena and its surrounding landscapes have become world famous in recent years due to the many photos posted on Instagram, TikTok and other social networks. Images of the church with the Dolomite mountains in the background have made it one of the popular photo and travel locations, and this has made the number of visitors reach hundreds of people per day during the peak of tourism, while the main population of the village is about 2,500 people.

Local authorities say the aim of these restrictions is to “reduce tourism pressure and maintain the quality of life for residents” and not a complete ban on tourists. They hope that these measures will help balance the tourists’ use of the natural beauty of the place and the protection of the village’s infrastructure and services.