Italy’s iconic city plans to limit the size of tour groups as part of its mission to control large crowds and improve the lives of local residents.
advertisementThe Italian city of Venice has announced new restrictions on tourist group sizes. This is the latest measure to ease the pressure of mass tourism on the famous canal city.
The city announced in a statement 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 may cause chaos or disturbance” will be prohibited.
Elisabetta Pesce, the city official in charge of security, said the policy aims to improve the movement of groups through Venice’s historic center and the heavily visited islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. said.
The city previously announced plans to test new day trip fees. The fee of 5 euros per person applies on the 29th of peak days from April to mid-July, including most weekends. The aim is 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.