Sibiu Municipality’s water infrastructure to be upgraded with 175 million euros
Local and national authorities worked tirelessly together to make the investment possible
Hallstatt in Upper Austria is reportedly the inspiration for the kingdom of Arendelle in the Disney movie “Frozen”
Welcome to Hallstatt, Austria – a town of just 780 citizens, situated in the Salzkammergut in the region of Upper Austria. The town is not only a World Heritage Site but has also been named one of the Most Instagrammable Places in the World. Thanks to its international renown, Hallstatt has reaped the fruits of a booming tourism industry with over 3500 visitors per day.
But as it turns out, one can actually have too much of a good thing. After the premiere of the sequel to Disney’s animated hit “Frozen”, tourist visits to Hallstatt skyrocketed. Why? Because, reportedly, the town is the inspiration for the central location of the series – the fantasy kingdom of Arendelle.
The revelation presented by a Chinese newspaper has sent the local administration scrambling. The massive rise of tourists has wreaked havoc on the small town’s public transport network and locals are getting tired of the whole ordeal.
According to the mayor of Hallstatt Alexander Scheutz, Hallstatt has profited much from the tourist industry – but recent developments are proving too much for the town to handle. With most tourists arriving to Hallstatt by bus, the public transport network within the town has come under heavy strain and locals have been demanding action.
To remedy the newly surfaced issues, local authorities reached an unpalatable but necessary solution. Starting from May 2020, new measures will come into force, which demands arriving tourist buses to register prior to entry into the town. A total of 54 buses will be allowed to enter each day.
To make life easier, the local government has launched a mobile app that displays the available parking spaces in Hallstatt and makes registering for entry easier.
According to Mayor Scheutz the decision to limit the number of arrivals was not an easy one – but the municipality was ready to suffer the economic blowback in order to protect the quality of life and the interests of locals.
The first edition of what is to become an annual event is taking place today and tomorrow online
The initiative is aimed at capturing a new type of tourist – the digital nomad
This month saw the kick-off meeting on the issue between CoR and EU Commission representatives
Locals can report problems through the app and pitch their suggestions for improvement to their officials
The city’s mayor wants the local government to become more efficient and digital in order to better support its citizens
Its launch was announced by the Lisbon Metropolitan Area
Ironically, this is actually a good time to promote these sustainable initiatives
Work on the site began earlier this week and was welcomed by the city’s mayor
Usually the event is hosted by the city of Valmiera
The planned ice arena will feature two hockey fields, a skating rink, warm-up and figure skating choreography halls
That is, unsure of who they want to become in the near future
A new book presenting the city in a manner suitable for toddlers has been developed with the input of local children
The plan is to do this with the historical train that runs the Vouga line in summers
Its design follows the concept of famous landscape architects Shiro and Yukihiro Nakane
Two of the city’s largest districts will be made greener, healthier and more pleasant to live in
The plan is to do this with the historical train that runs the Vouga line in summers
Its design follows the concept of famous landscape architects Shiro and Yukihiro Nakane
Two of the city’s largest districts will be made greener, healthier and more pleasant to live in
Some 222 million euros will be provided by the Commission under its Cohesion Policy
The planned ice arena will feature two hockey fields, a skating rink, warm-up and figure skating choreography halls
All of its offices have already been filled, as well as more than half of common workspaces