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Citizens' initiative fights: village instead of holiday resort in Rust!
In Rust, resistance is forming against mass tourism and the increase in illegal holiday apartments. Citizens demand preservation of the village.
Citizens' initiative fights: village instead of holiday resort in Rust!
In Rust, a charming community in the Ortenau district of Baden-Württemberg, there is a lot of activity. Around 900 holiday apartments, run by around 250 hosts, characterize the village, and this causes unrest among the residents. The citizens' initiative “Village instead of holiday resort” was founded to take action against the increasing flood of holiday apartments and the associated mass tourism. How baden24.de reports, with the construction of new holiday apartments, the displacement of long-term rentals to locals is becoming more and more noticeable.
Gerhard Link, the initiator of the citizens' initiative, expresses concern that social cohesion in Rust is being endangered. The ever-increasing number of tourists not only brings advantages; Negative side effects such as noise, traffic chaos and garbage are also a big issue. The initiative has created a brochure that draws attention to this issue and tries to mobilize the population on social media. “We want to keep Rust as a village worth living in,” says Link.
Community and citizens' initiative in dialogue
The unease among the residents cannot be denied and has also awakened the community and the local council. The municipality's press spokesman, Mirko Masen, emphasizes the desire to limit the number of holiday apartments and prevent overdevelopment. “We don’t want any development that could take away Rust’s character,” Masen said in an interview with local reporters. This is a point that the citizens' initiative also supports, and both sides are now striving for joint action to improve the situation. Tagesschau.de adds that illegal holiday apartments are also problematic and that action should be taken against these practices with the Ortenaukreis district office.
The challenges facing the community are growing as Europa-Park, as one of the main attractions in the region, increases its importance in the tourism sector. The developments around the park have attracted numerous investors, making the situation even more complicated. The question of whether the holiday apartment providers come from Rust or from outside remains unanswered. However, the municipality has a clear intention to ensure transparency and respond to the needs of locals.
The citizens' initiative and the constructive dialogue with the community show that the citizens of Rust are ready to stand up for their village. The desire for harmonious coexistence and concern for the social structure are clearly noticeable. In times when there is a strong focus on mass tourism, Rust will be in demand as a village worth living in beyond its borders - even if the road there may still be rocky.