Balanced Tourism - Region Pyhrn-Priel
Integrated mobility and visitor management

Motivation und initial situation

The initiative was submitted to systematically counteract the increasing visitor overload in the alpine-rural region of Pyhrn-Priel. Earlier attempts at regional parking space management had already demonstrated the urgent need for coordinated, holistic solutions, but these were only partially implemented. Seasonal peak times and high visitor numbers due to weather conditions regularly lead to overcrowding at popular destinations such as the Hengstpass, Pyhrnpass, Gleinkersee, Dr. Vogelgesangklamm, Schiederweiher, Gowilalm and the Wurzeralm. This so-called overcrowding problem causes considerable ecological and social burdens: traffic jams, illegal parking, litter problems, algae blooms in the lake due to faecal contamination and increasing conflicts between visitors and the local population.

The current challenges can be summarised as follows:

• Overcrowded car parks and hotspots impair both the visitor experience and the quality of life of local residents.

• Lack of alternative mobility options, especially last-mile connections.

• Lack of integrated information and communication strategies, which makes it difficult to guide visitors in a targeted manner.

• No comprehensive, data-based management of visitor flows, which means that measures are often reactive rather than preventive.

Comprehensive, integrated mobility and visitor management is therefore necessary – with accurate data, targeted measures and a focus on sustainable acceptance by the population and the tourism industry. The Pyhrn-Priel region, as a model region for the IN UNSERER NATUR! initiative for natural space concepts and digital visitor guidance and information, offers ideal conditions for the implementation and transfer of solutions.

Pilot sites

Schiederweiher: Known from the TV programme ‘9 Plätze – 9 Schätze’ (9 places – 9 treasures), existing mobility and parking concept in place, but still high visitor numbers, inadequate management and visitor-unfriendly signage.

Gleinkersee: Popular swimming spot and starting point for hikes, location at the end of a valley causes heavy traffic, no public transport connections yet.

Key milestones

• Development of a structured process and establishment of a regional project steering group with regular exchanges.

• Establishment of a viable basis for discussion with key stakeholders, including early involvement of landowners.

• Evaluation of visitor frequency and length of stay based on mobile phone data from IN UNSERER NATUR! showed a need for hourly services on summer weekends and public holidays.

• Initial successes through the analysis of mobile phone data from the IN UNSERER NATUR! project, e.g. the implementation of an hourly bus service on weekends from 2026/27 to ease visitor peaks and provide public transport for the last mile.

• Identification of two urgent hotspots – Gleinkersee and Schiederweiher – together with stakeholders.

• On-site inspections and observations at both hotspots with relevant stakeholders to define specific measures.

• Exchange of experiences with other regions in Upper Austria regarding parking space management.

• Vision workshops and definition of the next steps for implementation after the end of the project.