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Waterfall near the Sardinian Ussassai
Photo: seraficus/Getty Images
It was too much for the authorities on the Italian island of Sardinia: More and more visitors made their way to a picturesque natural pool near the village of Ussassai.
There are now a number of photos on the Instagram platform in which people pose on the rocks in front of the small pool with crystal-clear water.
Some even shared directions to the waterhole.
But what brings in numerous likes on the online platform bothers Mayor Francesco Usai.
Authorities are now restricting access to the area.
Mayor: Tourists don't even stay for a coffee
Last weekend alone, around 300 people came there a day with various tours, Usai told the Ansa news agency.
It is "unthinkable" that the natural pool, which is part of a fragile ecosystem and can only be reached via a small path, could cope with these masses of people.
Apparently, the fact that the tourists did not support the local economy also caused trouble.
»Without these regulations, this type of travel will destroy our country without leaving a single euro on our fragile economy«.
As a result, many people didn't even stay for coffee, Mayor Usai complained.
A tour operator has already stopped the excursions.
"The reality is that likes matter more than anything else," the provider wrote on Facebook.
Usai cannot seal off the area to the west.
However, he tightened the rules of conduct by order.
Violators face a fine of up to 500 euros.
fek/dpa
