The influencer story Rita De Crescenzo, who urged his two million followers to “invade” the ski resorts of central Italy, went around the world, even landing on CNN.
The well-known American media dedicated a long article to the case, retracing the events of the last weekends, between chaos, controversy and interventions by the police.
It all started when De Crescenzo, a Neapolitan TikToker, invited her followers to reach Roccaraso, a ski resort in Abruzzo, accused of having caused disruption during a previous organized trip. The result? Over 10.000 people responded to the appeal, transforming the quiet mountain destination into a veritable theater of chaos. Inexperienced skiers, barbecues on the slopes, mountains of waste and difficulty accessing the facilities for season ticket holders: this is the result of the "invasion" that has sparked controversy and requests for intervention.
The TikToker, however, did not stop there. After rejecting accusations that she was responsible for the disorder, she urged her followers – who increased by 100.000 after the first episode – to head to Ovindoli, another ski resort in central Italy.
The police, however, intervened by blocking the buses full of tourists before they could leave Naples, thus avoiding a repetition of the scenes in Roccaraso.
CNN highlighted how the story has taken on the contours of a “war” between the influencer and the tourist resorts, with De Crescenzo even joking about the fact that he deserves compensation for the “free advertising” given to the resorts.
Meanwhile, the debate on the impact of social media on tourism and the management of mountain destinations continues to fuel discussions, both in Italy and abroad.
Article published on 12 February 2025 - 15:33
