Around 10,000 visitors arrived in Roccaraso for a day trip on Sunday. CNN
A quiet Sunday in Roccaraso, one of Italy’s most beloved ski resorts, turned into a chaotic scene after viral influencer posts led to an overwhelming influx of day-trippers. The posts, showcasing bumper snowfalls and picturesque winter landscapes, sparked a frenzy, and thousands of tourists descended on the resort, bringing traffic jams, overcrowded slopes, and complaints of disruptive behavior.
The problem began when Rita De Crescenzo, a popular influencer from Naples, shared videos on TikTok and other platforms showcasing the beauty of Roccaraso. These posts, showing stunning snow scenes, quickly captured the attention of many, particularly those looking for a winter escape. In response, budget tour companies in Naples began offering day trips to the resort, with some quoting De Crescenzo’s videos to promote the tours.
On Sunday, 220 tour buses packed with excited tourists, along with numerous cars, traveled the two-hour, 130-kilometer route from Naples to Roccaraso. The buses, along with the visitors’ vehicles, caused traffic snarls and blocked the narrow roads leading to the resort, frustrating the 1,500 residents of the town.
The tourists, who paid as little as $20 for the trip (including a sandwich), were accused of causing mayhem on the slopes. Ski etiquette was ignored, and many visitors, unfamiliar with the sport, used improvised sleds made from items like saucepans. Some even set up barbecues on the slopes to cook food and keep warm, while others left behind trash.
This led to emergency measures being introduced in the area, including restrictions on tour buses and additional crowd control. Roccaraso’s mayor, Francesco di Donato, described the situation as a “real assault” on the area, causing a “hellish” experience for both locals and tourists with season passes. He added that the resort typically hosts around 20,000 skiers and 15,000 non-skiing visitors on a regular weekend. But the addition of 10,000 extra day-trippers on Sunday created serious overcrowding and posed a security risk.
De Crescenzo, responding to the backlash, defended herself in a post, claiming that it wasn’t her fault that the roads were blocked and emphasizing that she was simply sharing her experience in Roccaraso. “I made such a beautiful advertisement for Roccaraso,” she wrote, “and the crowd went crazy because I put up wonderful videos.”
The mayor said that the influx of day-trippers could potentially double next weekend, as tour companies have already sold twice the number of tickets for the following Sunday. To prevent further chaos, he has requested additional traffic police and security personnel from the regional authorities.
Meanwhile, local officials and politicians expressed frustration with the day-trippers’ behavior. Francesco Emilio Borrelli, a Green Party politician from Naples, posted a video criticizing the visitors. He condemned the lack of respect for the environment and the ski resort, calling out the disregard for the rules.
Despite the anger, some day-trippers defended their actions, claiming they were being unfairly blamed for simply seeking a fun day out. There were even accusations of discrimination against visitors from Naples, which Roccaraso’s mayor denied, saying the issue was not about where the tourists were from but about overcrowding and disrespectful behavior.
Roccaraso remains committed to attracting more tourists, but local officials stress that it must be done in a civil, orderly manner. As the weekend approaches, authorities are bracing for another busy day at the resort and are taking measures to ensure better management.
