Cities Take a Stand Against Tourism

Some of the world’s most visited destinations have fallen victim to their own popularity. Many are enacting new measures to contend with the ever-growing volume of tourists. The best example is Venice. The iconic Italian city and its famed canals have become inundated with visitors in recent years.

Venetian officials recently announced they are limiting the size of tour groups.

Starting in June, groups will be capped at 25 people. Loudspeakers - which are often used by large tour groups as they roam around the city - will be banned. These new rules are the latest in a series of measures aimed at mitigating the negative impacts of tourism on the community.

Beginning in the spring, tourists coming to the city on peak days will need to register online and pay a fee before entering. The so-called ‘Tourist Contribution Program’ will come into effect in April and run through mid-July. On busy weekends and select other days, visitors will be charged five euros per person to enter Venice between the hours of 8:30am and 4pm. Tourists staying in the city overnight are exempt.

You may recall, a few years ago Venice also banned large cruise ships in an effort to control big crowds. Other European cities have followed suit.

Barcelona recently closed its northern cruise port and struck a deal with cruise lines to move terminal facilities further away from the city.

This spring, Barcelona is bumping up its visitor surcharge (from 2.75 euros to 3.25 euros), which also applies to cruise passengers.

Amsterdam is raising its fees for tourists, too. Cruise passengers are going up from 8 to 11 euros. Overnight visitors will see a double-digit spike in fees. Officials in the Dutch capital have also voted to close the city’s cruise terminal. The decision must clear other levels of approval, but it would be a significant part of Amsterdam’s sustainability strategy, helping curb pollution and reduce the number of tourists descending on the city.

Meanwhile, in Greece’s capital - it’s going to be more challenging to gain access to the city’s most visited site. Officials have restricted the number of visitors to the Acropolis to 20 thousand per day. They require people to register through an online booking system.

As of April, the program will expand to include 25 different archaeological sites across Greece, forcing people to confirm a time slot before they visit.