At that time, the entrance will be tested on a trial basis for 20 particularly busy days in the city, according to a city government spokesman. Venice, however, is not the only place in Italy that is implementing measures to manage tourist crowds.
This summer, in the Sardinian municipality of Baunei, access to some of the most sought-after beaches is being strictly regulated, as reported by the daily Il Messaggero. There are a limited number of places per day at these beaches, which must be reserved and paid for in advance.
Italy is experiencing an unprecedented influx of vacationers this summer. According to the market research institute Demoskopika, the country will break a new tourism record in 2023. The number of visitors is expected to reach 68 million people, almost three million more than before the 2019 pandemic. The rush is causing problems in many places, including the country's smaller islands, where rental car traffic clogs the streets in the summer months.
As a result, tourists are now banned from bringing their own vehicles to the islands of Lampedusa and Linosa, located between Sicily and North Africa. The same applies to the island of Procida in the Gulf of Naples.
This summer, access to Lake Pragser Wildsee in the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park in the northern Italian province of South Tyrol is also controlled. Access will only be possible if you book a ticket online in advance, use public transport, travel by bicycle or on foot. This is intended to limit the growing number of visitors. In addition, South Tyrol has also imposed a limit on the number of beds in tourist accommodations.
In the seaside resort of Portofino on the Italian Riviera, not far from Genoa, the town's mayor has taken measures to combat excessive tourism.
On summer days, thousands of vacationers crowd the narrow streets surrounding the port.
To prevent total chaos from breaking out in the picturesque town, a new regulation in effect this summer allows police officers to fine tourists up to €275 ($303) for "lingering" to take selfies in certain Instagram-famous areas, which are now marked as red zones or "no waiting" areas.