Venice is taking more steps to soften the impact of overtourism.
The city said it will ban loudspeakers and tourist groups of more than 25 people (about one-half the size of a typical tourist bus) as a way to ease the impact of mass tourism on the popular Italian city.
CNN reports that groups “will also be prohibited from stopping in narrow streets, on bridges or in passageways.”
The new rules begin in June.
The city said it was banning loudspeakers as they can “generate confusion and disturbances.”
Venice is one of several cities in Europe that have taken measures to reduce overtourism, or limit the impact of too many visitors. In September, Venice approved the trial of a 4 Euro daily fee (a little less than $6 CAD) for visitors.
The city official charged with security, Elisabetta Pesce, said the policies were aimed at improving the movement of groups through Venice’s historic centre, as well as the heavily visited islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, Euronews reports.
“It is an important measure aimed at improving the management of groups in the historic centre and on the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello,” Pesce said. “It’s about promoting sustainable tourism and guaranteeing the protection and safety of the city.”
The Guardian reports that Venice, once the heart of a powerful maritime republic, has been on the Unesco world heritage list since 1987 as an “extraordinary architectural masterpiece”. But Unesco has since warned that tourism’s impact on the fragile lagoon city is a major issue and has twice considered placing Venice on its list of heritage sites that are in danger.
To avoid being put on the danger list, the city has moved to reduce the impact of tourism. It limited the arrival of large cruise ships through the Giudecca canal. Cruise ships, which once dropped off thousands of visitors a day, have now been rerouted to an industrial port.
