Venice fights mass tourism: capping tour groups at 25 and banning loudspeakers

These actions by Venice authorities aim to reduce mass tourism's negative impacts on residents' lives. The primary issues are noise and crowdedness due to the large number of visitors.

Previously, the Venice authorities decided to implement an admission fee to the city starting this spring, which is $6. This measure is intended to limit so-called "hit and run" tourism, comprising visits for several hours of sightseeing without an overnight stay in a hotel. This kind of tourism often contributes to strain on the city's infrastructure. However, employees and students who commute to the city daily will be exempt from this fee.

The ticket requirement will take effect on April 25, Italian Liberation Day, and will be in force for 29 days during the peak tourist season.

The following measure introduces a rule limiting tour groups to 25 people. It disallows guides from using loudspeakers during tours to the historic center and the Murano, Burano, and Torcello islands. The proposal for the new rules has been presented to the city council and is set to come into force on June 1 of the following year.

Elisabetta Pesce from the Venice administration underlined that these measures are an essential step towards promoting sustainable tourism and ensuring the protection and safety of the city. She pointed out that these steps result from consideration for Venice's residents' needs.

Source: PAP