Selfie tourism backlash hits the Dolomites as crowds swarm Tre Cime

Viral videos shared online in recent weeks show massive crowds stretching through shuttle queues as visitors wait to reach Tre Cime di Lavaredo, one of the most iconic destinations in Italy's Dolomites, Fox News reported.

The scenes have sparked outrage online, with many commenters arguing that visitors were more interested in taking photographs than in experiencing the mountain landscape. "In their minds, the only thing that matters is…" the Fox News report states, quoting an online reaction.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Sesto Dolomites of South Tyrol, draws hikers and climbers from around the world. The three distinctive peaks are among the most photographed landmarks in the Alps.

The viral footage, described by Fox News, captures the tension between the region's tourism economy and the fragile alpine environment that sustains it. South Tyrol's autonomous provincial government has long promoted sustainable tourism, but the summer surge at such high-altitude sites tests those ambitions.

The backlash comes as European holidaymakers, worn down by Mediterranean heatwaves, increasingly seek cooler alpine destinations - a trend reported by The Local Italy last week. If sustained, that shift could place further pressure on Dolomite landmarks like Tre Cime, raising questions about crowd management and visitor education.

South Tyrolean authorities have not yet commented on the videos, according to available foreign reporting. The episode mirrors similar debates at other European natural sites, from Norway's Trolltunga to Switzerland's Jungfraujoch, where social media-driven tourism has overwhelmed local infrastructure.

Fox News noted that the online reaction focused on the perceived prioritisation of selfies over respect for nature. The episode underscores a broader challenge for the Trentino-Alto Adige region: how to maintain access to its most famous landscapes without degrading the experience for those who come to appreciate them quietly.