Italy: Venice to ban large tourist groups and loudspeakers from June

Officials hope new rules will help improve movement through Venice's historic centre
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Venice is famed for its waterways and canals
AFP via Getty Images
Josh Salisbury30 December 2023

Venice will ban tourist groups of more than 25 people from June in its latest bid to combat over-tourism on the world-famous canal city.

The move announced on Saturday will come into effect from June, and will limit groups to 25 people.

The use of loudspeakers on tours, "which can generate confusion and disturbances", will be banned, the city said in a statement.

The city official charged with security, Elisabetta Pesce, said the policies were aimed at improving the movement of groups through Venice's historic centre as well as the heavily visited islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.

The city previously announced plans to test a new day-tripper fee this year.

The five euro (£4.34) per person fee will be applied on 29 peak days between April and mid-July, including most weekends.

Officials hope it will help to regulate crowds, encourage longer visits and improve the quality of life for Venice residents.

On some days during the high season, visitors outnumber the locals by more than two to one, according to estimates.

The UN cultural agency cited tourism's impact on the fragile lagoon city as a major factor in it twice considering placing Venice on Unesco's list of heritage sites in danger.

The city escaped being added the first time by limiting the arrival of large cruise ships through the Giudecca Canal. 

It dodged being added again in September when it announced the roll-out of the day-tripper charge, which had been delayed when tourism declined during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Italian tourist attraction is just 2.7 square miles in size but attracted 13 million visitors in 2019, with numbers expected to eclipse that in coming years.

The huge levels of tourism causes problems for locals as the accommodation for visitors can often outweigh that available for residents.

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