MILAN (AP) – The Italian city of Venice on Saturday announced new restrictions on the size of tourist groups. This is the latest measure to ease the pressure of mass tourism on the famous canal city.
In a statement, the city announced that starting in June, the number of group participants will be limited to 25 people, about half the capacity of a tour bus, and the use of loudspeakers that “could cause chaos or disturbance” will also be prohibited.
Elisabetta Pesce, the city official in charge of security, said the policy was aimed at improving the movement of groups through Venice’s historic center and the heavily visited islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. Stated.
The city previously announced plans to test new day-tripper fees this year. The fee of 5 euros ($5.45) per person applies on his 29th peak day from April to mid-July, including most weekends. It aims to control crowding, encourage longer stays and improve the quality of life for Venice residents.
The United Nations cultural agency cited the impact tourism is having on the fragile lagoon city as a key factor in second-guessing Venice’s status on the UNESCO heritage list.
The city once got away with restricting the arrival of large cruise ships through the Giudecca Canal, but in September it announced the introduction of day trip fees, which had been postponed due to a drop in tourists due to the coronavirus pandemic. Then, we took action again.