No cruise ships, no rickshaws and a visitor tax: How popular tourist spots like Venice are tackling overtourism
In Florence’s historic Piazza della Signoria, with the replica of Michelangelo’s famous statue of David peering over them, dozens of golf carts gathered this week in protest.
Their drivers are furious at new laws which will ban not only them, but all other novelty transport including rickshaws, from the city’s historic centre.
The move, which could be in place by September, is part of the city council’s bid to reduce congestion in the city, according to Corriere Firenze.
“This is one of the most important measures in our 10-point plan for sustainable tourism,” councillor for economic development and tourism Jacopo Vicini told the newspaper.
Florence is not alone in resorting to drastic measures to try and cut the number of visitors to their overcrowded streets.
Venice – which has outlawed cruise ships for several years – has doubled its daily tourist tax to try and dissuade the spontaneous day-tripper.
Cannes, on the French Riviera, has recently issued a decree banning ships of more than 1,000 people from mooring in the city.
Deputy mayor of Venice Simone Venturini said that after decades of debate, the city – and other iconic city breaks – had had to take serious action to manage tourist flows.
“Venice is a city as beautiful as it is fragile,” he said. “No one has a magic wand. Neither Venice nor other European cities grappling with the consequences of overtourism have one. Each place is considering its own approach.”
In many cities, residents have taken matters into their own hands. Last month, thousands gathered in major tourist destinations across southern Europe to protests against overtourism.
During the 15 June demonstrations, protesters in Barcelona fired water pistols at shop windows and at tourists and chanted “your holidays, my misery”.
Concurrent protests were held in Portugal and Italy, organised by the SET alliance of Sud d’Europa contra la Turistització, or Southern Europe against Overtourism.
In the run-up to the protests, one of the organisations in the alliance, Menys Turisme Mes Vida, claimed that tourism impoverished people, making it hard for locals to access housing and diverting focus from public sector spending.
Angry Venetians protested again when the wedding of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez drew celebrities and the world’s media to the city for the multi-day spectacle, viewed by some as a symbol of the city’s exploitation by wealthy visitors.
