Farmers install turnstiles to stop tourist invasion of popular mountain paths

As European cities continue to struggle with surging tourist numbers, Italian farmers have taken matters into their own hands.

Locals have installed their own turnstiles across the Dolomites as influencers continue to flock to the mountain range in northeastern Italy.

Carlo Zanella, president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club, told Fox News Digital that the turnstiles are "working."

"The turnstiles were installed at the beginning of July by a farmer who owns the land where the path passes," said Zenella.

Zanella shared the "big problem" that farmers are facing. 

"I am against the influencers," said Zanella, "because they almost always tell things that are not in events [related] to the locality and show the mountain differently from what it is. They are only interested in making money [through] advertising."

In the Province of Belluno, where the Dolomites are located, tourist arrivals increased 11% from 2019 to 2023, according to the official tourism portal.

"The first 11 months of 2024 show a stability in flows compared to the previous year," the tourism portal notes.

Zanella said local authorities have met about how to handle tourism issues, but no decision has been made yet.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Ufficio Informazioni e Accoglienza Turistica for comment.