Italy works against mass tourism

12-08-23

As Italy prepares to welcome record numbers of tourists in 2023, cities and regions such as Venice and Sardinia are introducing bans, controls and fees to try to manage the crowds. Will they work?

In Venice, tourists are expected to be on their best behavior. The northern Italian city has been battling the negative aspects of mass tourism for years and, as a result, strict rules for holidaymakers are being enforced this summer.

It is now forbidden to walk naked through the city or bathe in the canals. Sitting or lying on sidewalks, bridges, fountains and stairs is also prohibited. Violators will be fined.

The city government also intends to limit the number of people entering Venice. In 2019, Venice counted 5.5 million visitors, which is equivalent to 100 times the city's population. The introduction of an entrance fee for non-overnight travelers, announced several years ago by the Venice city council, has not yet been implemented. It has now been postponed until 2024.

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.