Venice fed up with mass tourism: ban large groups and speakers | outside

The new measure will take effect starting June, according to a statement from the city. Loudspeakers are no longer welcome because they can “cause confusion and inconvenience.” Official Elisabetta Pesce told the BBC that the new policy should ensure that large group trips and tours in the historic center remain manageable.

Day trippers will also have to pay €5 to enter the old centre. Up to 100,000 people come to the city daily to see the famous canals and Piazza San Marco. Tourists who sleep in one of the city's hotels do not need to buy a ticket, because they are staying for several days. Children under 14 do not have to pay either. The experiment will be conducted over thirty days during 2024, especially on holidays and busy weekends.

The entry ticket plan had been announced earlier, but was later postponed for fear of a decline in revenues and because it would restrict people's freedom of movement. However, critics believe the system will not help reduce visitor numbers and see it as merely a symbolic measure.

Venice is one of the most visited cities in Europe: in 2019 the city received nearly 13 million tourists. This number is expected to increase in the coming years. Experts said last summer UNESCO The city should be added to the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. According to them, the impact of climate change and mass tourism would cause irreversible changes. Ultimately, the World Heritage Committee did not add the city to the list.

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