Separated from the rest of Italy by high mountain peaks, Livigno is a small slice of paradise just a stone’s throw from Switzerland. To reach this town, perched at 1,800 meters along a small river, travelers must cross the Foscagno Pass, which peaks at 2,291 meters. “When the whole world has seen our landscapes on TV, there will be a tidal wave,” said Luca Moretti, director of the local tourist office, on the eve of the Milan Cortina Olympic Games, which conclude on Sunday, February 22. The tourism professional hoped to take advantage of this new fame by “choosing visitors who are in line with the spirit of the place. But without tipping over into overtourism,” he told Le Monde before the competitions began.
Like other competition sites, Livigno is seeking to maximize its Olympic “legacy.” The concept, crafted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the 2000s, promises that local residents will benefit from the infrastructure built for the Games after the event. It is intended to counter growing criticism about the cost, social repercussions and environmental impact of hosting the competitions. Legacy has become one of the pillars of contemporary Olympism, a key argument for legitimacy.
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