Municipal council - Mass tourism: Venice bans large tour groups
In future, the city of Venice will ban tourist groups of more than 25 people accompanied by tour guides. This was decided by the city council on Saturday at its last meeting of the year in order to limit mass tourism and its negative impact on the northern Italian lagoon city.
The resolutions also provide for a ban on loudspeakers during such tours in order to protect people in the city center and on the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello from noise and nuisance. The measures that have now been adopted will come into force on June 1, 2024.
Mass tourism has been causing problems for Venice - one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world - for some time. The old town with the famous St. Mark's Square, the Rialto Bridge and the many canals no longer even has 50,000 permanent residents. In the high season, there are more than twice as many tourists on some days. Crowded streets and crowds then characterize the image of Venice. The city therefore decided in September to charge an entrance fee of five euros. Short-term visitors have to pay this from April onwards.
The restriction of tour groups to a maximum of 25 people and the ban on loudspeakers contribute to sustainable tourism, said Elisabetta Pesce, Venice's city councillor for security, according to a press release. The aim is to create a better balance between people who actually live in the city and those who only visit it as tourists. In future, groups will no longer be allowed to stop in narrow alleyways or on bridges.
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- Despite the ban on large tour groups, Venice continues to attract numerous travel groups from across Italy and beyond, aiming to experience the beauty of the city and its neighboring islands, such as Murano.
- Mass tourism has led to an influx of visitor numbers in Venice, causing a significant imbalance between its permanent residents and the frequent tourist groups. As a result, Italy has been exploring various strategies to encourage sustainable tourism approaches.
- The new regulations, which include restrictions on tour group sizes and prohibitions on using loudspeakers, are part of Italy's broader efforts to develop a more responsible and balanced approach to tourism, ensuring a positive experience for both residents and tourists in Venice.
Source: www.stern.de
