The use of helicopter taxis to transport tourists to high-altitude locations—sometimes directly onto precarious mountain peaks—is a new alarming trend. According to the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) of the Veneto region, this practice is compounding the existing problem of overcrowding caused by tourists seeking the perfect selfie. The regional committee of the Club Alpino Italiano is now taking a stand, calling for a regulation on so-called “heli-tourism” that accounts for the need to protect UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Dolomites.
The CAI cites a recent incident involving two climbers who, after scaling the ‘Torre Trieste’ in the Civetta group, witnessed a helicopter fly overhead and disembark twenty tourists. The visitors then proceeded to leap into the void using parachutes or wingsuits. “The Italian Alps, and the Dolomites in particular, have been transformed into a veritable stage for high-impact tourism, which is not at all sustainable and is often characterized by the use and abuse of helicopters to transport tourists to scenic locations,” the CAI stated. “This poses a significant challenge for environmental protection.”
The CAI Veneto asserts that it is “essential and urgent” to draft a Regional regulation for flight activities in mountain areas to safeguard the natural alpine environment. In the absence of national legislation, the club insists that this regulatory task falls to the Veneto Region and its Regional Council.