Overtourism: Here are the Italian areas most at risk. Rimini, Venice, and Bolzano top the list.
The queen of summer, Rimini, perhaps the world's most dreamed-of destination, Venice , and a seemingly surprising destination, Bolzano. These are the three areas that, for the second consecutive year, occupy the top three spots among destinations most exposed to hypertourism—or overtourism—as shown in the map of the "Overall Tourist Overcrowding Index" compiled annually by the Demoskopika Institute.
Why Bolzano (and Livorno or Trento)As mentioned, the surprise is only apparent, because the analysis is drawn up at the provincial level, so Bolzano "participates" along with its surrounding Dolomite , spa and lake areas... Continuing to scroll through the top ten, we find, in order, Livorno (same discussion in a marine key); Naples, Milan, Trento (see above), Rome, Verona and, perhaps the most surprising of the ten, Trieste.
The index is calculated based on five indicators: tourism density, calculated as the ratio of tourist presences to territorial area (of the province, as mentioned); accommodation density, which is the ratio of bed spaces to territorial area; tourism intensity, which is the ratio of tourist presences to the number of residents; the gross utilization index (of available beds), calculated as the average percentage of bed space usage over the course of the year; and the share of municipal waste produced by tourists compared to that of residents. These parameters result in overcrowding indices classified as very high, high, moderate, low, and very low. The top ten in the ranking have a level of tourist overcrowding classified as "very high," while last year only the top seven reached this unsustainable level.
Ten provinces at a “very high” levelAt the "High" level of the index are the provincial tourism systems of Aosta, Florence, and Siena, where tourism pressure remains significant, with significant impacts on local resources. At the other end of the scale, however, are Rieti, Benevento, Reggio Calabria, Isernia, Avellino, and Campobasso, which remain on the margins of mass tourism: overcrowding remains less significant there, with limited impacts on infrastructure and quality of life.
Rimini
(frame)Among the detailed indicators, the data on tourist density and intensity are particularly striking, highlighting the areas with the highest concentration of human pressure. Rimini and Venice lead the rankings for tourist density, with over 17,000 and nearly 16,000 visitors per square kilometer, respectively.
The “partial” rankingsRimini also holds the national record for tourism-related urban waste production per capita: 76.8 kilograms per tourist, compared to just 0.5 kilograms in Benevento. In terms of tourism intensity, or the ratio of visitors to the resident population, Bolzano remains in first place, with nearly 69 tourists per inhabitant, followed by Venice with nearly 47 tourists per inhabitant. Lodi, Avellino, and Benevento bring up the rear. In terms of tourism intensity, or the ratio of visitors to the resident population, Bolzano remains in first place, with nearly 69 tourists per inhabitant, followed by Venice with nearly 47 tourists per inhabitant. Lodi, Avellino, and Benevento bring up the rear.
"Overtourism," warn Demoskopika researchers, "is no longer just a challenge, but a priority affecting the sustainability of Italian destinations. It affects not only the tourist experience, but also the quality of life of local communities. The increase in overcrowding is a wake-up call requiring urgent and strategic interventions: from regulating flows during peak periods to promoting alternative destinations, to more effectively incentivizing travel throughout the year, even enhancing the traditionally less touristy months. Acting now," the study authors conclude, "is the only way to ensure that tourism remains a resource and does not become a crisis factor for local communities and future generations."
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