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Italian alpine guides fear hotel-led tours will put tourists at risk Italian alpine guides fear hotel-led tours will put tourists at risk
(about 1 month later)
They are the professional descendants of the rugged locals who once eased British gentlefolk and German aristocrats up the Dolomites in the latter half of the 19th century – and the alpine guides of Trentino in north-eastern Italy are fiercely proud of both their history and their present.They are the professional descendants of the rugged locals who once eased British gentlefolk and German aristocrats up the Dolomites in the latter half of the 19th century – and the alpine guides of Trentino in north-eastern Italy are fiercely proud of both their history and their present.
A century and a half after they were first in demand, however, that pride has taken a blow with a new law that they claim downgrades their expertise and puts tourists at greater risk of accidents.A century and a half after they were first in demand, however, that pride has taken a blow with a new law that they claim downgrades their expertise and puts tourists at greater risk of accidents.
“Everyone should stick to their own profession. It’s a question of quality and safety,” said Cesare Cesa Bianchi, chairman of the national college of alpine guides. “It’s not about protectionism. It’s about protecting the tourists.”“Everyone should stick to their own profession. It’s a question of quality and safety,” said Cesare Cesa Bianchi, chairman of the national college of alpine guides. “It’s not about protectionism. It’s about protecting the tourists.”
The new law, which was passed by the Trento provincial council late last month, allows not only alpine guides but also hoteliers and their staff to take guests out on certain uncomplicated trips in the mountains. It reportedly stipulates that the excursions should not require mountaineering equipment. The new law, which was passed by the Trento provincial council late last month, allows not only alpine guides but also hoteliers and their relatives working in the hotels to take guests out on certain uncomplicated trips in the mountains. It reportedly stipulates that the excursions should not require mountaineering equipment.
But the alpine guides and their colleagues, local chaperones who are entitled to accompany tourists on hikes up to an altitude of 1,800 metres and are therefore likely to be most affected, are not placated.But the alpine guides and their colleagues, local chaperones who are entitled to accompany tourists on hikes up to an altitude of 1,800 metres and are therefore likely to be most affected, are not placated.
“If we look at the statistics, we see that most accidents in the mountains take place precisely during those kinds of treks,” said Cesa Bianchi, adding that many more tourists in the Alps hurt themselves on relatively simple excursions than on climbing trips or skiing off-piste.“If we look at the statistics, we see that most accidents in the mountains take place precisely during those kinds of treks,” said Cesa Bianchi, adding that many more tourists in the Alps hurt themselves on relatively simple excursions than on climbing trips or skiing off-piste.
“This means it’s very important that chaperoning is done by real professionals, not by hoteliers and their staff; [under the new law] it could be the cook, or the barman.” It would, he said, be like asking him to be the cook in a hotel “even though I don’t know how to make a simple plate of spaghetti”.“This means it’s very important that chaperoning is done by real professionals, not by hoteliers and their staff; [under the new law] it could be the cook, or the barman.” It would, he said, be like asking him to be the cook in a hotel “even though I don’t know how to make a simple plate of spaghetti”.
Trento provincial council said the new law would make little difference to the current situation and would not diminish tourists’ safety. Some hoteliers had been taking guests on “easy” excursions for some time, and the law merely aimed to “regularise that situation”, a spokesman said.Trento provincial council said the new law would make little difference to the current situation and would not diminish tourists’ safety. Some hoteliers had been taking guests on “easy” excursions for some time, and the law merely aimed to “regularise that situation”, a spokesman said.
“[The regulation] is absolutely not intended to create an alternative to mountain guides. We are not so stupid or presumptuous as to think we can replace them,” said Luca Libardi, the chairman of the Trentino hoteliers’ association. “Theirs is prestigious work.”“[The regulation] is absolutely not intended to create an alternative to mountain guides. We are not so stupid or presumptuous as to think we can replace them,” said Luca Libardi, the chairman of the Trentino hoteliers’ association. “Theirs is prestigious work.”
But, he said, the new arrangement would allow Trentino hotels to follow through their “very strong personal relationship” with their guests by taking them to parts of the province “which don’t require mountaineering expertise”.But, he said, the new arrangement would allow Trentino hotels to follow through their “very strong personal relationship” with their guests by taking them to parts of the province “which don’t require mountaineering expertise”.
The association stressed that not all hotel staff would be able to lead excursions and that it would not be “cooks or barmen” doing so.
For the local college of alpine guides, however, the law remained a threat. Martino Peterlongo, its president, was quoted in La Repubblica newspaper as saying they were “willing to fight, if necessary, the unauthorised practice of the profession”.For the local college of alpine guides, however, the law remained a threat. Martino Peterlongo, its president, was quoted in La Repubblica newspaper as saying they were “willing to fight, if necessary, the unauthorised practice of the profession”.
The Trentino college was officially created in 1994, five years after the profession of alpine guide was officially recognised under Italian law. It now has more than 200 alpine guides, who train for several years before being able to practise, and more than 130 local guides.The Trentino college was officially created in 1994, five years after the profession of alpine guide was officially recognised under Italian law. It now has more than 200 alpine guides, who train for several years before being able to practise, and more than 130 local guides.
But its history was “born with the origins themselves of mountaineering in the Dolomites, the protagonists of which were the first English, German and Austrian mountaineer-explorers”, the college says on its website. The names of the first guides appeared in a report in 1874, it adds.But its history was “born with the origins themselves of mountaineering in the Dolomites, the protagonists of which were the first English, German and Austrian mountaineer-explorers”, the college says on its website. The names of the first guides appeared in a report in 1874, it adds.
“If to begin with the activity of the alpine guide was chiefly connected with the accompaniment of rich aristocrats wanting to give their name to a peak or rock face, the alpine guide today is a professional of the mountains who is knowledgeable not only about the various technical mountain disciplines … but also about all the naturalistic and cultural aspects relating to the alpine environment and the life of man in the mountains,” it says.“If to begin with the activity of the alpine guide was chiefly connected with the accompaniment of rich aristocrats wanting to give their name to a peak or rock face, the alpine guide today is a professional of the mountains who is knowledgeable not only about the various technical mountain disciplines … but also about all the naturalistic and cultural aspects relating to the alpine environment and the life of man in the mountains,” it says.
• This article was amended on 5 December 2014 to restore a clarification, lost in the editing process, that not all hotel staff will be able to take guests on excursions, and to add a comment from the Trentino hoteliers’ association about “cooks and barmen”.