Venice has announced it is banning two major things in a bid to prevent tourists running the historic powerhouse into the ground. The landmark ruling will kick into place from June next year.
The iconic city has said groups of more than 25 will no longer be allowed to wander around, while loudspeakers are also not permitted any more because they can “generate confusion and disturbances”.
The stunning canal city has long been suffering from mass tourism, and is one of the most visited places in Europe. Elisabetta Pesce, Venice’s official for city security, said the two new rules are “aimed at improving the management of groups organised in the historic centre”.
The two policies are the latest in a list of efforts to try to cut back on too many people being in the small city at one time. The 2.7 square mile city (7.6 square km) hosted 13 million tourists in 2019, according to the BBC, and numbers have only got bigger since then.
In September, Venice also approved the trial of a daily fee for visitors. Tourists will now have to pay €5, equivalent to £4.30, for the privilege of spending a day in the city. Meanwhile, in 2021, large cruise ships were banned from entering the historic centre of Venice via the Giudecca canal following the crashing of one into the harbour.
The huge ships were already criticised for the pollution they were causing – the 218 cruise ships operating in Europe last year emitted more than four times more sulphur oxides than all the continent’s cars combined, according to The Guardian. Short-term exposure makes it more difficult to breathe – particularly for those already suffering from asthma – while long-term exposure (ie for those living near ports) can seriously affect lung function and heart health.
Earlier this year, UNESCO said Venice should be added to a list of world heritage sites in danger, because of the irreversible impacts of mass tourism and climate change. Man-made climate change, caused by the burning of fossil fuels and destruction of nature, is affecting Venice as sea levels will rise, meaning vast swathes of the city will become uninhabitable.
