Tourist Town That Inspired ‘Frozen’ Erects Fence in Bid to Stop Selfies
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Loading... - Bertha Friedrich
- 29 May 2023
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An enchanting town nestled amidst the picturesque Salzkammergut Mountains in Austria, which has long been associated with inspiring Disney's beloved animated film Frozen, has recently implemented a measure to deter tourists from capturing selfies. Two charming wooden fences were erected last week at the base of the mountains in Hallstatt, Austria, partly obstructing the view of the town's iconic backdrop, which has become a sought-after location for selfies.
Hallstatt's captivating landscape has widely been recognized as the muse behind Arendelle, the fictional kingdom in Disney's Frozen. Ever since this connection with the popular movie spread, the town has witnessed an influx of over a million visitors annually, with many eager to capture a selfie with the famous scenery. In fact, a staggering number of over 830,000 Instagram posts are tagged with the hashtag #hallstatt.
The locals residing in Hallstatt have increasingly grown frustrated by the multitude of tourists striking poses and taking photos in the tranquil streets of their town. Consequently, Mayor Alexander Scheutz made the decision to erect wooden fences, aiming to physically obstruct the view of the renowned landscape and discourage visitors from capturing selfies. The hope was that this barrier would prevent crowds from congregating in a particularly popular selfie spot and disrupting the residents with excessive noise. However, this preventive measure faced substantial criticism online, leading to the subsequent removal of the fence.
Mayor Scheutz has now expressed his intention to replace the fence with a banner at the selfie spot, serving as a gentle reminder to tourists that Hallstatt is a place where people live and reside. Hallstatt, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, has experienced a significant surge in visitor numbers since the release of Frozen in 2013. The popularity of the idyllic Alpine area even prompted the construction of a replica of the small town in Guangdong, China, in 2011 after photos of the captivating region went viral in East Asia.
Recognizing the challenges posed by over-tourism, Hallstatt has already implemented daily limits on the number of buses and cars permitted to enter the town. Interestingly, Hallstatt is not the only European town taking precautionary measures to discourage selfie-taking tourists. In April, the Italian holiday town of Portofino introduced a fine of $300 for tourists who excessively linger to capture selfies in popular photography spots.
