Managing Overtourism in a Rapidly Growing Region: The Case of Lombardy, Italy, on the Path to the 2026 Winter Olympics

This chapter explores whether and how the Lombardy Regional Government, in preparing for the 2026 Winter Olympics, is tackling a potential risk of overtourism related to the mega-event. By scrutinizing official documents, policy guidelines and local stakeholder accounts, we uncover the strategies Lombardy is deploying to avoid the potential pitfalls described in previous literature. The analysis shows that local administrators do not consider overtourism as a niche concern; instead, they see it as a pressing issue that demands proactive solutions encompassing infrastructural upgrades, social engagement and technological innovation. Building on lessons from past events, such as the Milan Expo 2015, public authorities seem to recognize that multi-level governance, transparent community engagement and real-time monitoring platforms (including those adapted from the region’s E015 digital ecosystem) are pivotal to manage overtourism before it takes hold.