Listen to this articleA drone view shows Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy ahead of Winter Olympic Games 2026. (Photo: Reuters)ROME - As Italy prepares to host the Winter Olympics next month, Alpine communities are sounding the alarm over social media-driven tourism that is transforming sacred landscapes into selfie backdrops and ‌straining the fragile mountain ecosystem. They warn that once-quiet destinations such as the Seceda summit and Lake Sorapis have already been transformed into ‌viral hotspots overwhelmed by visitors. Geotagging has similarly transformed Lake Sorapis, whose turquoise glacial waters now make it one of the most photographed sites in the Dolomites. The 1956 Winter Olympics, the first ever to be broadcast internationally on television, had a lasting economic impact on the town.

Source: Bangkok Post January 15, 2026 11:07 UTC