THE INDEPENDENT
A village in Switzerland has voted to ban tour ists from taking pho tos. The decision taken by the commune of Bergün Bravuogn is apparently aimed at making people “happier“, reports European news portal `The Local’.Locals believe that their village is so beautiful that visitors’ pictures of it will make other people miserable. “It is scientifically proven that beautiful holiday photos on social media make the viewer unhappy because they cannot be there themselves,“ said a statement from the tourist office. The village plans to P impose a symbolic ¤5 (approx. Rs 360) fine on those caught breaking the new rule.

Some questioned whether the move came from the heart or was simply a publicity stunt, and the village’s director of tourism, Marc-Andrea Barandun, admitted that the measure was partly a marketing ploy . “… Everyone is talking about Bergün. So it’s a combination of both.“ He add ed that it was unlikely the fine would actually be imposed on anyone. Meanwhile, the tourist office has removed photos of the village from its Facebook and Twitter accounts, and declared its intention to remove them from the Bergün website too.

The “ban“ has evoked a mixed reaction on social media. Some approved, but not everyone is a fan. One woman posted on Facebook: “This will put off your poten tial guests, attract angry reac tions and make you look ridic ulous…“ Others compared the ban to North Korea. Bergün’s tourist board responded: “Publicising how beautiful our village is needs to be done in bold ways.“