European Popular Tourist City Imposes New Ban on Tourist Groups

Venice, famous for its distinctive water-based transportation system, is widely recognized as one of Italy’s top tourist destinations.

However, the city’s tourism industry has sparked ongoing debates, mainly due to the controversial introduction of a new entry fee that has stirred up tensions among locals and visitors.

Not everyone is thrilled by the measures (Picture: Getty Images)

In an effort to manage the influx of tourists, Venice has recently implemented additional regulations.

Guided tour groups heading to the World Heritage Site and the neighbouring islands of Burano, Murano, and Torcello are now restricted to a maximum of 25 participants. This limitation is roughly half the capacity of a standard tour bus, which typically accommodates around 50 individuals.

Venice is famous for its gondolas (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The primary objective of this rule is to alleviate pedestrian congestion in highly frequented areas like Piazza San Marco and Murano’s Via del Giudecca.

The use of loudspeakers, deemed to cause ‘confusion and disturbances’ by city officials, has also been prohibited.

Despite attracting an estimated 30 million tourists annually, Venice is home to only around 260,000 permanent residents. This significant disparity has led to growing discontent among locals, who are increasingly frustrated with the negative impacts of over-tourism on their daily lives.

A recent discussion on Reddit highlighted these concerns, with users expressing their dissatisfaction with the current situation.

Some residents emphasised the need for sustainable solutions to address the challenges posed by excessive tourism, suggesting that other cities in Italy, including those in the Veneto region, could benefit from a more balanced distribution of visitors.

Burano in the Venetian lagoon has introduced the same rules as Venice (Picture: Getty Images)

The implementation of the €5 (£4.26) entry fee was initiated to combat over-tourism in Venice, despite not all locals being in favor of it.

In an interview with The Guardian, Matteo Secchi expressed his discontent, stating that the majority of the city opposes the fee. He believes that imposing an entrance fee on a city will only turn it into a tourist attraction, tarnishing Venice’s reputation.

Similarly, former mayor Massimo Cacciari criticized the fee, claiming that tourists already pay for various expenses and advising them to avoid paying it altogether.

Therefore, if you plan on enjoying a gondola ride or exploring Venice this summer, remember to include the tourist tax in your budget.