Fury in Switzerland as tourists charged £4.55 just to take picture of nice view | World | News
Tourists are being charged £4.55 to take a picture at a popular beauty spot in Europe. They have to pass through a turnstile, like at a football ground, to access a jetty to take the sought-after snap.
Switzerland has long been popular with tourists as it offers natural beauty and a rich culture. The tiny village of Iseltwad, on Lake Brienz, has seen a surge in visitors after featuring on a Netflix series. The South Korean show Crash Landing on You, which aired six years ago, has left a huge number of Asian fans wanting to visit the scenic location.
After a rise in visitors, Iseltwad decided to start charging visitors for pictures. A turnstile was installed in front of the jetty that was used in a scene in the show, costing 5 Swiss Francs (£4.55) to pass through.
As reported by the Daily Mail, social media users have described it as “wild” that people were being asked to pay for the natural view.
One wrote: “Charging me for something nature created is wild.” A second put: “Be charging for air to breathe soon”.
However, locals in the town have protested about overtourism in recent years. They have branded it “rubbish tourism” and are displeased about the number of visitors the show has attracted to the area.
One person said on Instagram: “I live near this small town up and until the last two years there were nothing like this. But the place became famous thanks to Crash Landing on You series and there were too many tourists! That’s why they took this step.”
One person, who worked in a supermarket told publication SwissInfo.ch in 2022: “Iseltwald is a quiet village with a population of 420. The local residents are not happy with this wave of tourists.”
Bans on people trying to get selfies at popular tourist spots have been put in place across the globe over the recent years. Last summer, a road in Vermont was closed to visitors during fall foliage season.
The area had become overrun with tourists after appearances in commercials and the film Forrest Gump. It soon became a popular spot for people to picture autumn’s changing colours.
