Beautiful European city bans key part of guided tours in latest measure to limit tourists
The measure, approved unanimously on 1 February, is aimed at preserving "the needs of residents and the promotion of pedestrian mobility" both in the city of Venice and on the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.
A beautiful European city has banned an important part of guided tours to tackle overtourism. Venice in Italy has limited the guided tour groups to 25 people, it has been reported.
From August 1, guides were also banned from using loudspeakers to explain the tour of Venice to visitors.
The measure, approved unanimously on February 1, is aimed at preserving "the needs of residents and the promotion of pedestrian mobility" both in the city of Venice and on the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello, the Venetian city council explains on its website.
The statement read: "Among the objectives of the provision is also the fight against the phenomena of abusive exercise of the tourist professions."
The resolution states that tourist groups may not exceed 25 people "or half of the passengers on a tourist bus", which does not include minors up to the age of two, according to Spanish news outlet Onda Cero.
These groups are also prohibited from standing in locations that obstruct pedestrian traffic, particularly on bridges and their access ramps, which are designated for people with disabilities.
If multiple groups converge in the same area, the guides are responsible for moving their group away from others to avoid creating any significant obstacles for pedestrians.
The use of loudspeakers by guides for explanations is also prohibited, as they "may cause confusion and disturbance" to passers-by.
These restrictions do not apply to student groups on tours or educational trips, nor to the boarding and disembarking operations of land or nautical vehicles where explanations are provided inside the vehicles.
With this measure, Venice is intensifying its efforts against overtourism, including an entrance "toll" of €5 that was piloted from April 25 to July 14, raising around €2.25 million from around 450,000 tourists.
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The City Council is now considering increasing the city access fee to €10 by 2025.
Under this plan, tourists who book in advance would have to pay a basic entrance fee of €3, which could rise to €10 on peak days.
Simone Venturini, Venice City Council's Councillor for Tourism, said: "These are measures introduced for a better coexistence between the tourist use of the city and those who instead live it.
"The administration's commitment," Venturini added, "is to raise the quality of group tourism in Venice, limiting the stress caused by excessive pedestrian flow in certain areas, which impacts on the quality of life of residents and workers."
