How "Hit-and-Run" Tourism Is Ruining the Amalfi Coast

Why It Matters

If unchecked, transient mass tourism could erode the Amalfi Coast’s appeal and local quality of life, undermining the long-term tourism revenue it depends on; shifting to experiential, longer stays would better protect heritage, infrastructure and resident livelihoods.

Summary

Local officials and residents on Italy’s Amalfi Coast warn that “hit-and-run” tourism—brief bus-and-cruise stopovers that churn through Positano, Amalfi and Ravello—is degrading the visitor experience and straining fragile coastal towns. Interviewees express fears of rising anti-tourist sentiment seen elsewhere, while advocating for policies that promote longer, more experiential stays and better spread of visitors across the day. They point to quieter evenings as evidence that slower tourism could preserve the character and infrastructure of the towns. Tension is growing between short-term visitor volume and the sustainability of the coastal economy and public spaces.

Original Description

Italy's Amalfi Coast is marketed as the perfect Italian getaway, but any sense of Mediterranean tranquility disappears during the summer. Local residents and businesses say the region is being overwhelmed by day-trippers and are calling for change.

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