Boom 70

A Touriseum special exhibition in the coach house of Trauttmansdorff Castle

07/03/2025 Special exhibition

South Tyrol Museum of Tourism

The 1970s and 1980s: South Tyrol is undergoing profound change and experiencing a period of economic growth. Modern travellers arrive by car, making even the most remote regions accessible. Overnight stays soar from ten to twenty million, marking the arrival of mass tourism. In the 2025 special exhibition, eyewitnesses recount the encounters—and at times the clashes—between very different worlds.

The special exhibition at the Touriseum invites visitors to relive this exciting time of change through the memories of contemporary witnesses. At six themed islands, they report on the clash of opposing worlds: industry versus tourism, poverty versus modernity, church versus bikini – as well as the needs of the guests, which often contrasted with those of the children. The stories provide insight into the decisions that led to the promotion of tourism in rural areas, the first encounters with guests that opened up a new role as hosts for women, and the friendly relationships with people from big cities that offered farming families a "window to the world."

And they also report on the challenges brought by the tourism boom: At the same time, they address the challenges of the tourism boom: the loss of privacy, the influence of new lifestyles, rapid construction activity, and exploitative working conditions. The interview excerpts come from over 70 conversations conducted in 2024 and 2025 as part of the research project "Tourism in South Tyrol 1961 to 1983" for the Touriseum. The comprehensive results are published in the fall of 2025 in the publication „Wilde Jahre. Tourismus in Südtirol 1961 - 1983“ that delves deeper into the exhibition's theme.