Go back to the full programme
The Alps as touristic destination since a few years have entered in a new phase: After the long historical periods of affirmation (ca. 1780-1880), Bélle époque (1880-1914), war and inter war-period (1914-1945), dynamic growth (1950-1980 ca.) and crisis since 1985 ca. alpine regions in the last few years have reached a new, significant period.
Touristically, Alps are divided in large areas and districts, where tourism is playing a lesser role and those other destinations, which are driving towards a high-level intense development.
Werner Bätzing has convincingly shown, that these “strong” areas are positioned in parts of France, in a few Swiss Regions, Upper Bavaria, Tyrol, Salzkammergut and Italian areas such as South Tyrol and - in a lesser account - Trento.
In these Regions, the impact of tourism on society, environment and economic sectors, also on mobility is constantly growing. The decline of traditional summer tourism leads towards the creation of new, large dimensioned resorts and big attractions, while in winter climate change and the crisis of downhill skiing leads towards large ski runs and systems of high-capacity-lifts.
In that way tourism gets highly professionalized, enhanced by growing companies and new digital actors such as booking.com or airbnb and trying to blend nature and artificial attractions. The role of mobility is growing under the pressure of hit-and-run-tourism with a stay of only 2 or 3 stays, but also re-defined by the comeback of narrow gauge and rack railways and first approaches of e-mobility.
Alpine environment and nature in high-level-tourist regions are exposed to multiple impacts, characterized by transformation of landscape and intense resource-consumption. And climate change is playing a big, if not dominant role, leading into directions, which are still not clearly defined.
This section will examine the threats and options of alpine tourism in the present situation, trying to design a few scenarios of the multi-faceted dimensions of alpine tourism from the perspective of a “green vision.”
Hans Heiss, Bolzano province Councillor, Italy, will moderate this session
Speakers:
 |
|
Lucia Coppola, Co-spokesperson of the Trentino Verdi, President of Trento Local Council, Italy President of the Trento City Council, 2015-; Trento local councilor, currently with a mandate on renewable energy, 2005-; President of the Provincia Council on Education, 1995-2009; Founder and former President of “Associazione Pace per Gerusalemme”; Trento local councilor, 1985-1991 |
|
Klauspeter Dissinger, President of the Federation of South Tyrolean Protectionists, Italy |
||
 |
Silvia Simoni, Environmental Engineer, expert on natural hazard assessment and risk management, Italy 2010 - 2017: Project Manager and Co-Founder of Mountain-eering srl |
|
 |
Georg Willi, Member of Parliament, Austria (CV in German) |
