Venice Introduces New Rules for Tourists

By Boniface Ihiasota, USA

Venice has introduced new regulations banning loudspeakers and limiting tour group sizes to 25 people, aiming to mitigate the impact of over-tourism, city officials announced.

These measures, Excel Magazine International gathered, are the latest in a series of steps designed to preserve Venice’s historic and cultural heritage.

Known for its iconic canals, Venice remains one of Europe’s most visited cities.

Earlier this year, Venice implemented a €5 (£4) daily entry fee, following a 2021 ban on cruise ships docking in the historic quarter.

These efforts address the city’s ongoing struggle with over-tourism, a pressing issue for the city of approximately 250,000 residents, which hosted over 13 million visitors in 2019.

While visitor numbers dropped during the pandemic, they are projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels in the near future.

This surge has led to concerns among local residents, prompting many to leave the city due to fears that tourists could overwhelm the island.

Ocio, a citizen’s association monitoring housing, reported that the historic quarter offers around 49,000 tourist beds—exceeding the number available for residents. This imbalance highlights the pressure on local infrastructure and the housing market.

Excel Magazine observes the new tourism rules follow warnings from UNESCO experts last year.

They cautioned that Venice could be added to the list of world heritage sites in danger, citing threats from climate change and mass tourism.

Although UNESCO ultimately did not add Venice to the list, it acknowledged the city’s efforts, including an anti-flooding system and initiatives to mitigate the effects of mass tourism.