Mount Etna faces environmental pressure from rising tourism

Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, is facing significant challenges due to a shift in tourism patterns. Experts note that the volcano has transitioned from a difficult trek requiring days of effort to a destination accessible within hours via cable cars, buses, and cars.

Vulcanological guide Mirko Messina, formerly a researcher at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), warns that this accessibility has led to “mordi e fuggi” (hit-and-run) tourism. This trend, amplified by social media, has resulted in overtourism and increased environmental pressure. The concentration of visitors in specific areas is causing damage to trails, stressing local flora and fauna, and contributing to pollution through waste and diesel vehicle use.

Messina emphasizes that the management of Etna must differ from models used in places like Iceland, noting that the current level of mass tourism requires greater visitor awareness to mitigate the loss of the volcano’s primordial beauty and protect its ecosystem.