From north to south, Italy seems to have woken up to a harsh reality: overtourism. After The New York Times dubbed Bologna a “tourist hell” and a mecca of mortadella for tourists, the spotlight has now shifted to none other than the Amalfi Coast. The Washington Post published a scathing article, rechristening the “Divine” Coast as nothing more than a “theme park.”
A favorite retreat for the international jet set, every summer has seen–and continues to see–parade of celebrities—from Gianni Agnelli to Jackie Kennedy/Onassis, and more recently Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lopez—seeking solace in this stretch of southern Campania’s coastline. A living picture postcard seemingly plucked from the pages of a novel about the “jet-set”, it epitomizes the “Dolce Vita”—or at least the foreign interpretation of it.
Yet, alongside glamorous retreats, a different kind of tourism has taken hold, one that impacts the local population in a far less flattering way. While VIPs luxuriate on their super yachts or in five-star hotels, only occasionally gracing high-end locales with their presence, hundreds of thousands of low-end tourists flocking to the Coast have a direct and often negative effect on this small coastal region’s economy and social fabric.
The Washington Post’s article (“Influencers hyped the Amalfi Coast for years. Now it’s a ‘theme park.’”) pinpoints social media’s glittering veil as a major factor in the phenomenon. Instagram and TikTok overflow with idyllic images—golden beaches, al fresco cafés, and breathtaking sunsets framing the perfect aperitivo pause. But beneath this glossy surface lies a starkly different reality, one of a region caught between preserving its charm and the onslaught of mass tourism.
Influencers are rarely inclined to talk about the lengthy waits for public transport, congested streets, and scarce parking—integral parts of life on the Amalfi Coast. Traffic from April to October is a nightmare. The SS163, the winding scenic route of the Divine Coast, is often gridlocked with a constant stream of cars, scooters, and buses. Finding a parking spot is nearly impossible, not to mention securing a long-term rental.
Beaches, once exclusive sanctuaries for the fortunate few, are now overrun with beach clubs charging around 50 dollars per day for a sliver of sand, shared with hundreds of other sunbathers, often just inches apart.
“The Amalfi Coast suffers from overexposure on social media,” reads the article. “Search ‘Amalfi Coast’ on TikTok, and you will be bombarded with serene videos of pastel-colored villages perched on cliffs like Jenga pieces.”
“The region can be difficult to access, which few influencers will tell you. […] The fashionable people cruising around in vintage Fiats are not showing us the harrowing crawl along SS163 or their futile attempts at finding a parking spot. No influencers warned me that the ferries often sell out by early morning and that the only other reasonable option is the public bus.”
The article goes on to state that, “Influencers just show the good parts, but they don’t know about the transportation problems or how it’s not possible for us to rent a house because they’re all Airbnbs,” says Francesca Grammatico, a 20-year-old student working in her family’s bar in Ravello. “I think in 30, 40 years, it’s going to be a tourist town. People my age just want to leave, because the quality of life is not very good.”
Local authorities hope that the recent opening of Salerno-Costa d’Amalfi Airport will ease the pressure on Naples Airport and redirect some of the tourist flow to other parts of Salerno province, like Cilento or Salerno itself, as well as extend the season. However, many remain skeptical: tourism continues to grow relentlessly, and keeping up is nearly impossible. What’s more, Salerno, with its convenient ferry service, is already clogged with people who are using it as a jumping off point for the Coast.
“We need to have that thing that everyone else has,” explains Jonathon Day, a sustainable tourism expert and associate professor at Purdue University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, “or it’s like we’ve lost out.” But, he adds, the fault doesn’t lie with tourists. It should be the responsibility of local and national politics to develop a tourism management plan. Instead, local administrators have tried to address the problems with questionable regulations, such as the 2019 introduction of alternate license plate systems for non-residents.
For the 13 towns of the Amalfi Coast, Campania’s tourism agency recorded 564,981 visitors in 2023, a 9% increase from 2019. Ten years ago, the number was 400,000. Hotel prices have risen on average by almost 40% compared to pre-pandemic levels, forcing many middle-income travelers to either stretch their finances or seek accommodation in less expensive towns.
“Social media makes everyone feel like they can afford to visit Amalfi or Positano, and it has become super crowded,” said Debra Levinson, founder and chief executive of Mr. & Mrs. Italy, a U.S.-based tour operator.
So, unless clients have a compelling reason to visit the area, tour operators now prefer to direct affluent clients to alternative destinations like the Cinque Terre or Ischia. “True luxury is being able to separate yourself from the masses of people”.
