Franconia Beer Message Board

Too much tourism
Posted by Jason on 2017-08-14 02:26:17
I think if you spent longer here in summer you would see that the world is quite aware of Franconia (certainly Bamberg). And whilst I was a tourist here once I think the balance between tourists and locals (especially where pubs are concerned) is very important. Spezial was heaving last night and the number of tourists waiting to be seated was a little annoying for all concerned. Unfortunatley it's not something you can regulate - once you open the flood gates there's no closing them. 

As for places like Waischenfeld, I would hate for it to become frequented by beer tickers and general beer related tourists - it's charm lies in it being relatively undiscovered and a place for locals to escape the tourists of the Franconian Switzerland - it's not a rural backwater it's actually a charming little town with a lot of visitors / campers / hikers / cyclists and bikers. Those that are well prepared and make the effort to reach it should respectfully enter, take a beer or two and then quietly leave. Excessive photography should also be kept to a minimum - these aren't zoos. 

Tourism won't keep the brewing scene healthy - that's the job of those who live here. I know the sentiment comes from the right place but look what has happened in Windischeschenbach and Neuhaus - the open day in Neuhaus cancelled due to over attendance and drunken tourists. Of course Zoigl has become a cult thing and I'm sure the brewers are doing well out of it but at what cost? No more do you enter someone's living room for beer; they are professional enterprises now. Still great but some of it's soul has been lost. Bamberg on Saturdays takes on a slightly unconfortable atmosphere due to non residents coming from round about to get drunk in places like faessla. People wonder why Spezial (and Keesmann) shut on a Saturday afternoon. Festivals are being scrutinised and critiscised for being the source of drunken behaviour - there were many reasons Kerwa was cancelled this year but some of the locals are fed up with the resulting mayhem. Schlenkerla has had to put in place 'standing lanes' outside because so many people are blocking the road. I should add it's not only tourists but every place has it's ecosystem that can be upset by excessive visitors - and there's no going back.

To sum up, some Americans (a fact, not a judgement) came into Spezial yesterday and were still drinking bottles of beer they'd brought in whilst sitting inside the pub. They had to be confiscated. A rare occurance but it made me dream slightly of the colder months when Bambergers get their city back. 
 
Followups:
                 Too much tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-14 05:53:09
                   Too much tourism  by moleha4 on  2017-08-14 06:20:39
                     Too much tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-14 07:04:57
                     Too much tourism  by Jason on  2017-08-14 07:32:49
                   Too much tourism  by Jason on  2017-08-14 07:36:39
                     Too much tourism  by JohnRatcliffe on  2017-08-14 07:53:50
                 Too much tourism  by Andrew H on  2017-08-14 09:07:58
                 Too much tourism  by Mark Andersen on  2017-08-14 13:33:02
                     Too much tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-15 01:24:58
                       Too much tourism  by Mark Andersen on  2017-08-15 07:36:54
                 Too much tourism  by Jeff Romain on  2017-08-15 08:16:03
                 Too much tourism  by barry on  2017-08-16 04:48:47
                   Too much tourism  by Mark Andersen on  2017-08-16 12:25:15
                   Too much tourism  by Jason on  2017-08-17 01:53:18
                     Too much tourism  by barry on  2017-08-17 03:06:36
                     Too much tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-17 03:19:40
                 Too much tourism  by Andrew H on  2017-08-17 10:03:59
                 Too much tourism  by Mark Andersen on  2017-08-17 11:44:47
                   Too much tourism  by barry on  2017-08-17 11:50:26
                   Too much tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-17 12:31:15
                       Too much tourism  by Jason  on  2017-08-17 16:03:11
                         Too much tourism  by Mark Andersen on  2017-08-18 03:39:39
                           Too much tourism  by JohnRatcliffe on  2017-08-18 09:35:03
                     Too much tourism  by Mark Andersen on  2017-08-18 09:47:45
                       Too much tourism  by barry on  2017-08-18 13:46:49
                         Too much tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-19 03:04:36
                         Too much tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-19 05:16:52
                     Too much tourism  by Andrew H on  2017-08-19 05:37:02
                           Too much tourism  by barry on  2017-08-19 06:29:45
                             Too much tourism  by Andrew H on  2017-08-19 11:23:37
                       Too much Kentish tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-20 02:59:36
                             Too much tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-20 03:02:33
                               Too much tourism  by barry on  2017-08-20 04:19:25
                         Too much Kentish tourism  by Andrew H on  2017-08-21 03:26:29
                           Too much Kentish tourism  by barry on  2017-08-21 04:15:51
                             Too much Kentish tourism  by Andrew H on  2017-08-21 07:10:47
                               Too much Kentish tourism  by barry on  2017-08-21 09:38:49
                               Too much Kentish weather by Nick B. on  2017-08-22 00:26:30
                           Too much Kentish tourism  by Nick B. on  2017-08-22 00:39:04
                                 Too much Kentish weather by barry on  2017-08-22 11:16:00
                                   Too much Kentish weather by Nick B. on  2017-08-23 02:02:02
                                     Too much Kentish weather...fixed post format by Nick B. on  2017-08-23 02:06:05
                                       Too much Kentish weather...fixed post format by Jason  on  2017-08-23 03:04:32
                                         Too much Kentish weather...fixed post format by Andrew H on  2017-08-23 08:21:03
                                         Too much Kentish weather...fixed post format by barry on  2017-08-23 09:09:40
                             Too much Kentish tourism  by Barry on  2017-08-24 01:14:51
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