'Frozen' Fans Are Overwhelming This Small Austrian Village
If you’ve ever wanted to step into the magical setting of a Disney movie, you’re not alone. Frozen fans are traveling en masse to the picturesque town of Hallstatt because they think it looks like the film's winter kingdom of Arendelle. But there are so many fans visiting the small village that they’re overwhelming the Austrian locals, The New York Times reports.
Though Arendelle was inspired by towns in Norway, fans still travel to Hallstatt to live out their Disney dreams. An idyllic lakeside village surrounded by lush mountains, Hallstatt does closely resemble Arendelle. Before Frozen premiered, the quaint town had long been a sought-after destination—so much so that China built an exact replica of the entire town.
Every year, more than one million tourists travel to Hallstatt, a 16th-century village that has a population of just 780 residents. While tourism can boost the local economies, small towns like Hallstatt don’t have the infrastructure or resources to handle a high number of visitors.
In an attempt to decrease the number of short-term travelers, Hallstatt officials plan on focusing on quality tourism that promotes spending more time in the village. According to The New York Times, tour busses will have to register with the tourism office, and the maximum number of daily tour busses will be limited to 50 (on the busiest days there are up to 90). To encourage a lengthy visit rather than just a quick Instagram photoshoot, groups that plan on eating at local restaurants, going on boat cruises, or visiting salt mines will have preference. Tourists will also be asked to stay for more than two hours so they shop at local businesses.
“Many visitors only have a short time and only come to take some pictures,” office manager for Hallstatt’s tourism board Michelle Knoll told The New York Times in an email. “The number of tourists is simply too much.”
So if you want to build a snowman in Hallstatt, you should probably visit a salt mine, too.
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