RTS-SWI
Lauterbrunnen is a postcard motif for many. Its waterfall, its rocks and its characteristic village, endlessly shared on social networks, have increased its popularity. This success is slowly becoming unbearable for the small community in the Bernese Oberland, where tourists are stepping on each other’s toes.
This content was published on August 10, 2023 – 11:00 am August 10, 2023 – 11:00 am
Jost von Reding, RTS
Lauterbrunnen is undoubtedly one of Switzerland’s flagships. With its breathtaking view, the community combines everything that inspires visitors on the hunt for scenic beauty and originality. Travelers come from far and wide to see this unique environment with their own eyes.
RTS-SWI
“We are here for the second time today because it is so beautiful. We hiked to capture the most beautiful panoramas so that we can show our family and friends and post them on social networks. We love it,” summarizes an American Tourist in front of the cameras of the French-speaking Swiss television RTS. She traveled with her husband from Connecticut in the USA.
The magic of social networks
Incidentally, the village’s tourism promotion is now mainly via social networks. A successful tactic, much to the delight of the tourist office.
“Here we have one of the most beautiful valleys in the world, and through social networks the photos are seen all over the world, which brings us an enormous number of tourists,” summarizes director Thomas Durrer.
On Thursday there were 5,000 to 6,000 people strolling through the Bernese village, which only has 800 residents all year round.
worried about the increase
For Mayor Karl Näpflin, however, mass tourism is difficult to cope with, as it was not expected to this extent.
“The problem is that we didn’t expect it. It has increased enormously. After the pandemic, more came every year, but we never had as many as this summer,” he says.
Although people in Lauterbrunnen are aware that tourism keeps the village alive, the new rush is worrying. “In the summer it has exploded here compared to before. And we have a lot of day tourism. Nobody in the village enjoys it,” says Paul von Allmen, a former hotelier in the community.
The plan is to widen streets and sidewalks or to build underground car parks. These changes, which will not limit visitor numbers, have some worried that Lauterbrunnen could lose its charm as a result.
In accordance with JTI standards
More: JTI certification from SWI swissinfo.ch