Influencers hide locations to curb Swiss overtourism

Influencers are increasingly avoiding precise location tags in an effort to protect natural sites from overcrowding, SRF reports. The trend, known as “nogeotag”, follows social media-driven visitor surges at destinations such as Lake Oeschinen and the Aescher restaurant.

Both places went viral on social media and were soon visited by large numbers of tourists. The idea behind “nogeotag” is to avoid making it clear where an image was taken.

Stefan Forster, who heads the tourism and sustainable development research division at Zurich University of Applied Sciences, said social media was both a benefit and a problem for tourism destinations. Places had long changed from quiet attractions into tourism hotspots, he said, citing postcards of Grindelwald, the Lonely Planet guidebook and, today, influencers promoting spectacular locations such as Lake Oeschinen.

Switzerland Tourism does not support withholding precise location information. The tourism organisation said transparency, context and traceable source and location details were more important than ever in an era of AI-generated and increasingly interchangeable content. If people wanted a place to remain a hidden tip, however, they should not tag it, said Philippe Wäger, head of huts and the environment at the Swiss Alpine Club.

The Swiss Alpine Club has already used a “nogeotag” campaign. In 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic, it sought to raise awareness about wild camping. Wäger said tagging well-known places such as the Matterhorn was not a problem, but people should avoid tagging locations they wanted to keep as lesser-known destinations. He urged users to consider whether to identify a specific place or only the wider region.

Wäger said a growing group of local residents and tourists, including climbers and hikers, was becoming more aware of the issue.

The phenomenon has also been seen abroad. After influencer Yvonne Pferrer posted on Instagram about climbing to a natural pool in Bavaria’s Berchtesgaden region, the park administration contacted her. It had initially wanted her to delete the post, but she instead modified it.

Forster said social media could also form part of the solution. Avoiding a precise location could make a place more mysterious and increase demand for it, he said. He favoured visitor management, including the use of social media rangers in some national parks who identify emerging trends early so that visitor numbers can be regulated.

Switzerland Tourism is also seeking to manage visitor flows through its “Travel Better” initiative, encouraging tourists to visit destinations beyond Lake Oeschinen and the Aescher restaurant.