Venice to limit size of tourist groups in bid to ease pressure of huge crowds

The Italian city of Venice is to limit the size of tourist groups.

The restrictions were announced on Saturday in a bid to reduce the pressure of mass tourism on the canal city.

June will see groups limited to 25 people – roughly half the capacity of a tourist bus.

The use of loudspeakers will also be banned, the city said in a statement, amid “confusion and disturbances”.

Elisabetta Pesce, the official with responsibility for the city’s security, said the policies were aimed at improving the movement of groups.

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Venice has already announced plans to trial a new fee for day-trippers.

Each person will be charged a fee of five euros on 29 peak days between April and mid-July.

With those days set to include most weekends, the aim is to regulate crowds and encourage longer visits.

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The impact of tourism was cited by the UN cultural agency as a major factor when it twice considered placing Venice on UNESCO’s list of heritage sites in danger.

The rollout of the day-tripper fees was initially delayed when tourism declined during the COVID pandemic.