Point of view: Let’s prioritise youth over tourism

Alpine Politics — Oct 09, 2024
Dijana Čataković

We want young people to stay on the land, but the demands of tourism, high property prices and the landscape as an object of speculation make this difficult. We talk about the fight against the climate and biodiversity crisis, all while shopping centres and business parks are being built in the countryside. Environmental protection and solutions to the housing crisis should be prioritised, as this would also be in the interests of young people, says Dijana Čataković from CIPRA Slovenia. She asks: Who else will be able to live in the Alps and afford to live there?

We repeatedly emphasise that young people are the hope for the future of the Alpine region. But their needs are usually overlooked in decision-making processes because they are not represented, or their views are not included in research. In many places, young people in the Alps are confronted with the feeling that they themselves are superfluous and hinder the further development of tourism. These are the findings of our Erasmus+-funded Alpine Compass project.

The challenges are clear. We must now listen to young people in the Alpine region and actively work to implement the demands developed in the project.

High prices and short-term bookings of holiday apartments during the peak season instead of long-term rental contracts: for the young people we interviewed, it is difficult to find a property where they can live all year round because, for owners, tourist bookings are more profitable. Only a few people can afford to buy a place. The high prices in many Alpine regions primarily attract those who aim to build hotels or speculate on land.

Our results show what else, apart from housing, is important for young people: for example, well-developed public transport to enable car-free mobility. Equally important are soft factors, such as the promotion of mental health or the opportunity to express personal convictions without being marginalised. Young people also want a good balance between work and leisure.

Alpine identity and respect for the mountain world cannot be bought. They can be communicated – but that takes time in these areas, not just occasional visits. If we want to keep the Alpine regions alive, it is the needs of young people in local populations, not those of tourists, that we need to prioritise.

 

All the demands developed as part of the “Alpine Compass” project can be read online: www.cipra.org/en/alpinecompass