Garmisch tourism faces pressure from day visitors

Garmisch-Partenkirchen remains popular, but crowded roads, full car parks and visitor surges are putting pressure on the resort on some summer days, BR reports. The town’s mayor says day tourism, rather than overnight stays, is the main problem.

Overnight stays rose by about 30,000 in the first half of summer compared with the same period last year. Mayor Daniel Schimmer said, however, that the increase only offset a decline of 30,000 overnight stays in March and April.

Seeking calm away from the crowds

Visitors looking to avoid the crowds can find quieter experiences on the Wank, a panoramic mountain above Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Climate therapist Simone Reiter takes guests away from the busy paths, where they can look towards the Wetterstein mountains and the Zugspitze.

Her sessions focus on experiencing nature, exercise and breathing techniques. Participants relax on large sun loungers and take part in specialised breathing and movement exercises. The therapeutic climate created by altitude, air, light and the mountain panorama is intended to improve fitness and promote a positive mood.

Reiter said her guests came to feel comfortable and recover, not because of the presence of other visitors. She said that was different from so-called overtourism.

Day visitors create the greatest pressure

On fine summer days, the strain on the region becomes clear. Roads to the Zugspitze and Eibsee fill up, parking spaces near the ski stadium become scarce, and large numbers of visitors sometimes gather at the Partnachklamm.

Schimmer said the municipality had its overnight tourism under control but faced a problem with day tourism because it was difficult to manage. Many people arrive spontaneously for a day trip to the mountains. They use roads, parking spaces and other infrastructure without staying overnight, creating additional pressure for the municipality.

Spreading tourism throughout the year

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is trying to attract new groups of visitors and distribute demand more evenly throughout the year. Trail running is intended to become more established, with mountain-running events potentially scheduled for periods when the region is less busy.

Other plans include yoga days in winter. The aim is to spread tourism across the year instead of directing more visitors towards already crowded summer weeks.

The municipality also wants visitors to stay longer, turning day trips into holidays lasting several days. Discussions are under way on better public transport links, less car traffic and affordable housing. Visitor flows at popular places such as the Partnachklamm are also expected to be managed more effectively.

Reiter said Garmisch-Partenkirchen was not yet an example of overtourism. There were days and places with particularly large numbers of visitors, she said, but this did not happen everywhere or continuously.

On the Wank, the high season can still be experienced with wide views over the mountains and away from the largest crowds.