“Hello Lago, how are you?”. The greeting we address to a person we care about. His or her state of health. The idea to humanise Lake Garda was launched during one of the highlights of the 48th General Meeting of the members of Federalberghi Garda Veneto, which called together more than 400 people from the sector and beyond.

The conference hall of the TH Hotel in Lazise


For the first time, in fact, the annual convocation became an open-door event “Il turismo che vorrei” (The tourism I would like to see), allowing access to all those who care about Garda and its future. And so it was that, in addition to numerous administrators and authorities, crowding the conference hall of the TH Hotel in Lazise were also numerous students and young people in search of prospects and opportunities. The intention to consider Lake Garda as an individual was explained in detail by Federalberghi Garda Veneto President, Ivan De Beni. To start considering every issue concerning Italy’s largest lake mirror as an organ of the same body to be monitored in order to remain healthy. The inspiration comes from what has already been done in New Zealand to save the Whanganui River from pollution and unregulated exploitation. The invitation is to subscribe to the petition on the Change.org platform (https://www.change.org/p/iosonolagodigarda?source_location=search) and to regularly use the awareness hashtag #iosonolagodigarda (sounds like #iamlakegarda).


Federalberghi Garda Veneto, a category association representing more than 400 hotel facilities on the Veronese shore of Lake Garda and its hinterland (21 thousand beds), has chosen to share some of the hot topics through the academic view of top experts in the sector and, in parallel, that of Federalberghi. Between criticality and potential. On the table for the Lake Garda tourism sector: short-term rentals, overtourism, sustainability, the health of the lake, young people, and working in the incoming world.

Ivan De Beni, Federalberghi Garda Veneto President

The speakers and topics addressed. During the 48th General Assembly of the members of Federalberghi Garda Veneto, economist and professor at the University of Florence, Antonio Preiti, offered insights on overtourism between perception and reality, the president of CISET and associate professor at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Michele Tamma, illustrated the topic of young people and work in the tourism sector, while Professor Vania Vigolo from the Department of Management at the University of Verona and researcher at the University of Bergamo, Rossella Baratta, described the developments of short-stay rentals through data and images. Other speakers included the Managing Director of Gabetti Property Solutions, Roberto Busso, on the hotel asset value of Lake Garda, the founder of the portal Gardasee.de (the German “bible” when it comes to Lake Garda destinations) Hubert Kiebler, and the Secretary General of the Garda Community Pierlucio Ceresa for the point on lake levels and sustainability.


More information about Federalberghi Garda Veneto here: https://www.federalberghigardaveneto.it/