Wallenfels viral video lifts bookings without triggering a tourist rush
Saturday 31st October 2026 on 06:15 in
Bavaria
A viral video of a raft ride in Wallenfels has raised interest in the Upper Franconian town, but has not yet caused a surge of visitors, BR reports. The Instagram clip, viewed 450 million times, shows a wooden raft rushing through a narrow opening on the Wilden Rodach river.
Mayor Jens Korn said 1,100 people have registered for the rides so far, more than in previous years, with demand particularly strong for dates at the edges of the season. Wallenfels has 4,200 places available for the 2027 season. Korn said the town wanted to stay grounded rather than treat bookings like tickets for an Oasis concert.
Social media attention has brought problems elsewhere. At the Reitsberger Hof in Vaterstetten, a farm with a petting zoo, around 600 people arrived one weekend in August, although the property can accommodate only 300 to 400. Landlady Anna Link said the crowd was too much for the animals after influencers publicised the free petting zoo.
The outdoor bar Kosmos unter Null in Munich’s Schwabing district also found itself overwhelmed after an influencer posted about it shortly after it opened in early 2025. Around 600 people turned up, said owner Florian Schönhofer. Many were looking for a party, while the bar aims to offer a quieter place to sit outdoors for people from the neighbourhood.
The Reitsberger Hof has put up signs asking influencers to coordinate with the owners before posting. Link said the farm had recently turned down two requests because the attention had become too much. Schönhofer instead reduced staffing at the bar, leaving partygoers to face longer waits. He said this helped keep them away, and influencers stopped coming afterward.
Oktoberfest organisers also have rules for influencers. The city charges licence fees to those who make money using the Oktoberfest name and prohibits livestreaming from the festival grounds. Munich tourism chief Benedikt Brandmeier said streams can draw crowds, which the city wants to avoid at an already busy festival.