Overtourism and quality of life: "Urgent action is needed"

11 September 2025

As the Interregional Coordination Committee for the Protection of Lake Garda,’ write the signatories of the letter, "we are announcing further action we have taken to defend the lake, sending a letter to all the mayors and councillors of Garda to encourage them to take positive action with regard to the lake and its shores.
Our first initiative involved distributing leaflets (in three languages: Italian, English and German) aimed specifically at tourists, in order to raise their awareness of the need to respect the lake environment. The leaflets were distributed in various locations throughout August.

Requests
The topics covered in this letter, which reiterate and expand upon those highlighted in the flyer, include, among others:
•    the containment of overtourism (to avoid negative consequences on the lives of the population),
•    a halt to overdevelopment (which should at least limit the destruction of beaches, reed beds and natural habitats),
•    regulation of unsustainable traffic (a source of pollution),
•    suspension of work on the cycle path (which is damaging to the cliffs and the landscape, extremely risky and very costly),
•    regulation of rents (the excesses of which are driving away the younger generations and others)
•    and the need for the major representatives of the institutions to give space and listen to the citizens, who are suffering from what is happening in an uncontrolled manner.
In view of the above issues, the Coordination is calling for some effective action by the public administrations.

Letter sent to mayors and administrators
Dear administrators,
The Interregional Coordination for the Protection of Lake Garda, which brings together numerous associations and citizens active in the defence of the Garda area, has been conducting research, providing information and raising awareness for over two years with the aim of drawing the attention of institutions and citizens to the current state of Lake Garda and its future prospects.
Through this letter, we would like to bring some considerations to your attention, hoping that, within your sphere of competence, concrete and urgent measures will be taken to address critical issues that are now deeply rooted and difficult to sustain any longer.

Excessive tourism and its impact on liveability
The number of tourists, estimated at tens of millions each year, contrasts with a resident population of around 190,000. The phenomenon of day tourism also significantly amplifies the impact on the environment, infrastructure and quality of life. 
This excessive pressure is eroding the environmental, cultural, and social heritage of Lake Garda, without adequate responses from the competent authorities.

Tourist accommodation and loss of the resident community
The uncontrolled growth of short-term rental accommodation has altered the social fabric of the towns around Lake Garda. More and more residents, particularly young people and workers in the tourism sector, are unable to find affordable and stable housing, resulting in the gradual depopulation of local communities.

Building and landscape devastation
We are witnessing building speculation, with the destruction of beaches, reed beds, and unique natural habitats. The hills, often classified as valuable agricultural areas, are being subdivided, undermining biodiversity and contributing to climate change.

Garda Cycle Route: a project to be rethought
The Coordination believes that this infrastructure, which stems from interministerial agreements dating back to 2017 and now under regional or provincial jurisdiction, born from the preliminary project (PFTE) of 2021, which is superficial and unfeasible, is destroying the precious lake environment, with the elimination of beaches, reed beds, trees, cliffs, hilly hinterland, protected areas, and parks. It also conflicts with the technical standards for tourist cycle paths, as it does not guarantee effective safety along the cliffs and passability for cyclists, who are forced to share the path with pedestrians, which is very dangerous.
There are also fears that this infrastructure will be ineffective in terms of reducing car traffic and ensuring the safety of cyclists—an objective that is evident from the original planning and ministerial documents. The cycle path will most likely have no effect on reducing the number of sports cyclists on the roads around Lake Garda, due to the mixing of cyclists and pedestrians.
The Coordination hopes that the mayors of the Garda area will take on board the critical issues documented by the Coordination and sign an appeal to the Autonomous Province of Trento aimed at suspending the implementation of this devastating project and opting for intermodality through navigation, a choice already made by the Lombardy Region for the section under Lombardy jurisdiction in the Upper Garda area.

Traffic and mobility out of control
Traffic congestion, indiscriminate use of motor vehicles and bicycles, and widespread disregard for the rules of the Highway Code make driving dangerous and chaotic. In this regard, we recall the alarm raised last July by the mayors of the Verona side of the river regarding traffic on the SR 249, which they described as “now unmanageable” and therefore highly dangerous.
The phenomenon of “illegal races” by motorcyclists and the often intolerable noise further exacerbate the situation. Residents feel abandoned and even quality tourism is at risk of disappearing.

Healthcare
Added to all this is another socially significant factor: growing pressure on local healthcare services. During the summer, emergency rooms are overloaded, often struggling to provide adequate care to both residents and visitors. This is a further indicator of the unsustainability of the current model of land use.

Requests for action
In light of the above, the Coordination asks you to:
1.    Listen continuously to residents in order to reconcile the various interests at stake.
2.    Regulate access to urban centres, expanding restricted traffic zones during periods of high traffic.
3.    Enhancement of alternative mobility, in particular the navigation service, with investments in ferries and infrastructure.
4.    Assessment of tourist load capacity, as required by EU Regulation 2019/1681, in collaboration with ISTAT.
5.    Allocation of funds to the local police for comprehensive and continuous monitoring.
6.    Judicious use of tourist tax revenues, allocating them primarily to the protection of the territory, safety and liveability.
7.    Regulation of short-term rentals, introducing time limits, urban planning restrictions and an effective monitoring system to ensure a balance between tourist needs and the right to housing.
8. Intensification of awareness campaigns for guests on good practices towards the environment and residents.

Conclusion
We are aware – concludes the coordination group – of the administrative difficulties involving the various bodies with different responsibilities, which are sometimes intertwined, but we believe that urgent action can no longer be postponed in order to restore a sustainable balance to Lake Garda that guarantees residents and tourists a liveable, safe environment that respects its extraordinary uniqueness.
We remain available for direct discussion and offer our active collaboration.

The associations
The following associations through the Interregional Coordination for the Protection of Lake Garda:
•    Federation for the recognition of Lake Garda's rights Garda Diritti
•    WWF Trentino
•    WWF Bergamo
•    o-Brescia
•    WWF Verona Riccardo Pinter Association Riva del Garda
•    Desenzano più verde
•    Goethe Olive Grove Committee Nago Torbole
•    Morenic Hills Park
•    Committee for the Protection of the Lake Riva del Garda Area
•    Committee for the Protection of the Arco Olive Grove
•    Alto Garda-Ledro Environmental Coordination
•    Tignale 24 Group
•    Italia Nostra VR
•    Italia Nostra TN
•    Italia Nostra BS
•    Legambiente Il Tasso Baldo Garda
•    Legambiente per il Garda
•    Legambiente VR
•    Garda Environment Round Table
•    Ledro Inselberg
•    CMST Trentino
•    Friends of the Gulf of Salò


Read the full article at: https://www.gardapost.it/2025/09/12/overtourism-e-qualita-della-vita-servono-interventi-urgenti/