| Popis: |
Overtourism and overcrowding problems have been increasingly addressed in tourism research and practice, yet systematic research on the effects of their management is still scarce. In order to fill this gap, a case study was selected in an overcrowded mountain pass close to the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Italian Alps − the Passo Sella. In order to regulate tourism traffic flows on this scenic road, two different policy mixes were introduced in 2017 and 2018. The aim of the study is to investigate how these overtourism-driven traffic management measures have affected tourists’ targets, behaviours and satisfaction. Comparable data were collected through sample surveys before and during the respective policy implementations, to measure the effects of traffic management on travel demand. A cluster analysis to segment visitors and a series of chi-square tests among clusters showed that the type of visitor, as well as the behaviour and degree of satisfaction, have changed significantly over time. Results also suggested that how initiatives for traffic management were organized and communicated was more important − in terms of satisfaction − than how restrictive they were. Mitigating overtourism, therefore, requires not only regulatory frameworks, but also a new vision for the destination, as well as product innovation and marketing. |
