Hut owner complains about tourists: "Demanding ham and melon on the mountain pasture"

The mountains in South Tyrol are currently experiencing an unprecedented influx of tourists. As Corriere della Sera reports, the number of hikers has nearly doubled since the coronavirus pandemic. However, the mass influx of tourists poses major challenges for mountain hut owners and mountain rescuers.

Fabrizio Gonella, who has run the Rifugio Coca for 16 years, complained about the unrealistic demands of many guests. "On Sunday, they asked me for ham and melon – they probably thought they were at the lake," Gonella complained to Corriere della Sera. Visitors demand hot showers, even though the electric boiler is used for dishes and laundry.

Mountain rescuers are also complaining. A representative of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) reported that many tourists are poorly equipped and don't know how to behave. "There are people who call and want a helicopter because they're tired."

Paolo Valoti, former president of CAI Bergamo, blamed social media: "People see photos of a place they like, think it's easy to get there, and set off without imagining the difficulties."

Complaints about the behavior of tourists in the mountains are piling up everywhere. Renato Costa has been the host of the "Rifugio Franco Cavazza al Pisciadù," an Alpine Club hut belonging to the Bologna section of the Italian Alpine Club, for 45 years. Recently, the host lost his temper on Facebook . He publicly complained about a hiker who had apparently gotten lost and vented his anger at the hut door, insulting him and causing a disturbance.