The number of visitors to the archaeological site of Pompeii in Italy will now be limited after a surge in tourism.
In October, a record 36,000 people visited the site in one day.
Entry was free at the time, but a £14 fee has now been imposed to control visitors’ flow.
However, the park will now limit the daily number of visitors to 20,000 as demand continues to grow.
The cap will come into force from November 15.
In 2023, four million people visited the site, a third more than in 2022. In October alone, 480,000 visitors went to the Pompeii centre.
Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the park’s director, said the new limit had been imposed for both conservation and safety reasons.
He added: “We are working on a series of projects to lift the human pressure on the site, which could pose risks both for visitors and the heritage (that is) so unique and fragile.
“The measures to manage flows and safety and the personalisation of the visits are part of this strategy.
“We are aiming for slow, sustainable, pleasant and non-mass tourism and above all widespread throughout the territory around the UNESCO site, which is full of cultural jewels to discover.”
Pompeii was destroyed over 1,000 years ago when Mount Vesuvius erupted.
It left behind destroyed buildings and corpses that can be seen at the site today.
Entry tickets to Pompeii start at €18 (£14.90; $19.30).
