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Cute Fall Town Was Overrun by Influencers, So It Banned Them
Fortune
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12/23/2024
Around late September, the leaves on the maple trees in Vermont are turning from a verdant green to near-iridescent orange and red, attracting hordes of tourists to the area each year. This year, the locals are hoping for fewer visitors.
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00:00
A rural town in Vermont that's a popular peak foliage photo ops for influencers is now closing
00:05
its doors to non-residents for the second year in a row. Each autumn for the past five years,
00:09
Pomfret, a town of only 900 residents, has been flooded with influencers and photo enthusiasts
00:15
who are eager to pose with the state's stunning foliage, leading to traffic jams and trespassing
00:20
in locals' private property. This road is a gravel and dirt road that is not maintained for the level
00:27
of traffic that it gets. Remember that Vermont has had disastrous flooding, which makes care
00:34
of these gravel roads worse. On one single lane winding path called Cloudland Road, a resident
00:39
told Fortune he'd see, quote, lines of cars pulled over to the side of the road, dozens long, 20, 30,
00:45
40 cars per row. The town took action last year by closing Cloudland Road to non-locals and raising
00:51
$22,000 to hire patrols during busy hours to only allow locals to pass through. This year,
00:56
the road will close again starting September 25th to address resident safety concerns. Beth
01:02
Finlayson of Woodstock Chamber of Commerce told Fortune, quote, it's a very small one-lane dirt
01:07
road. If there are two cars parked on it, an ambulance or fire truck wouldn't be able to get
01:11
through. And Vermont isn't alone. Since the pandemic, influencer-driven tourism is booming
01:16
worldwide, from quaint cafes to iconic landmarks. Affordable flights have made travel more
01:22
accessible for people who prioritize experiences over luxury purchases. Plus, the influencer
01:27
marketing industry is expected to reach $24 billion this year, with content creators adding
01:33
to a never-ending bucket list. Other popular destinations in Italy and Spain have considered
01:38
stricter regulations and additional visitation fees to combat over-tourism. While places like
01:43
Pomfret and surrounding towns depend on tourism for income, Select Board Chair Benjamin Brickner
01:48
notes safety has to come first. He hopes the road closure will be temporary, allowing the
01:52
town to return to its peaceful, rural roots as the initial surge of interest fades.
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