Ban on tourist groups

Venice, one of the cities in Italy where the effects of mass tourism are most severely felt, has banned guided tourist groups of more than 25 people and the use of megaphones.

The decision taken by the Venice Municipality will be implemented starting June 1, 2024. The municipality announced that the decision aims to "promote sustainable tourism" while also "protecting city residents." According to a report by Övgü Pınar from BBC Türkçe, guided tourist groups of more than 25 people will not be allowed to tour the historic city center of Venice, as well as the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.

The 25-person limit is already applied in municipal museums in the city. This number corresponds to approximately half the capacity of standard tourist buses.

High-volume guidance services such as megaphones have also been banned on the grounds that they cause "confusion and disturbance." The population loss in Venice, exacerbated by the impact of mass tourism, is creating concerns that the city is "turning into an amusement park."

CITY RESIDENTS IN A DIFFICULT POSITION

The fact that residential properties in the city center are increasingly turning into tourist accommodation facilities, leading to an increase in real estate prices, is making the city unlivable for its residents.

While the population in the center of Venice was around 175 thousand 70 years ago, it has now fallen below 50 thousand. Last September, it was announced that the number of beds for tourist accommodation in the city had exceeded the population.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) stated last summer that Venice is at risk of being subjected to "irreversible changes in its universal value" due to problems stemming from mass tourism. For this reason, UNESCO had warned that the city could be added to the 'heritage in danger' list.

With the influence of warnings and calls from international organizations, including UNESCO, and local associations, the city administration has taken a series of measures in recent years to mitigate the negative effects of mass tourism. In this context, the entry of large cruise ships into the city center was banned, and certain criteria were introduced for short-term rentals.

ENTRY FEE SYSTEM STARTS IN APRIL

The long-debated "entry fee" system will also begin to be tested in April 2024. Starting April 25, a fee of 5 euros will be charged for day-trippers entering the city during peak periods.

The entry fee will not be charged to those staying in hotels and accommodation facilities in the city. The municipality also collects taxes for each day spent in these facilities. Partly due to such measures, Venice was not included in the list of heritage in danger by UNESCO this year.

News Source: 12punto