As a major destination in the Alps, the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden region is directly facing the challenge of how to address overtourism while staying true to the core mission of every protected area: nature conservation. This issue is shared by many of the parks involved in the LiveAlpsNature partnership, which held its second project meeting on July 10th–11th at the Haus der Berge (Berchtesgaden, DE).
The two-day event provided an opportunity to assess the progress of ongoing activities, starting with the two surveys currently underway. Targeting visitors and tourism operators, they aim to better understand the behaviours and interests of these crucial stakeholders concerning protected areas. The surveys are part of the broader context analysis of outdoor activities in the Alpine region, which also covers their impacts on biodiversity and the expected consequences of climate change. The results will represent the basis for the development of tourism offers based on the One Health approach, and the design of measures to manage outdoor practices, including the use of digital tools for visitor guidance. The proposed solutions will be tested during the second half of the project in the partner protected areas.
Once again, the field excursion proved to be a highlight of the meeting. After a visit to the park exhibition at the Jenner cable car summit station and a breathtaking view over the Königsee, the Berchtesgaden park staff presented key aspects of their visitor management initiatives. This sparked crucial discussions among participants on topics such as the visibility of park boundaries and regulations, appropriate signage and infrastructure for cyclists, accessibility for people with disabilities and the ecological impact of new infrastructure, potential conflicts with tourism stakeholders and the role of digital platforms in managing visitor flows.
A heartfelt thank you to all project partners for their commitment and contributions!
LiveAlpsNature continues its journey through the protected areas: next stop, Parc National des Écrins (FR).
For more information about the project: https://www.alpine-space.eu/project/livealpsnature/
The LiveAlpsNature project is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Alpine Space programme, which supports cross-border cooperation projects between seven Alpine countries.
© photo: Nationalpark Berchtesgaden