Tourism is an important economic factor in Italy.
But the country is taking measures against the huge rush of travelers.
There are even fines.
Portofino/Munich – Walk along the beach, enjoy the sun, just switch off.
Italy is popular with tourists from all over the world.
Holidays in "Bella Italia" are high on many people's lists.
It's not a miracle.
Because in addition to the beach and the sea, the country also enchants with its traditional dishes such as pasta and pizza.
But in order to cope with the huge rush of travelers, many cities are taking tough measures.
From "red zones" and a "bed stop" to bikini bans and admission prices: an overview.
Italy is cracking down on the rush of tourists: private vehicles are not permitted on several islands
Driving in city centers is often a stressful affair.
If the cities are also very small and there are a lot of tourists, this can become a big problem.
Some Italian islands want to prevent this.
On Lampedusa, Linosa and Procida, for example, private vehicles that are not also registered in the region should no longer be allowed to drive.
So travelers have bad cards.
Dino Ambrosino, Mayor of Procida, told TV channel
tg24.sky.it
that this is the only initiative that works.
The island is very small and the most densely populated in all of Europe.
10,000 people would live on Procida.
“We have up to 600,000 visitors who come.
If only to go for a walk.”
The Italian holiday resort of Portofino has strict rules – including fines
The picturesque seaside resort of Portofino in Liguria in northern Italy also wants to counteract the rush of tourists.
Every year, the Italian city attracts masses of tourists.
Two regulations are causing a stir:
At the end of April, Mayor Matteo Viacava signed an ordinance establishing so-called “no-wait zones” in the Italian village, where people are not allowed to stand.
According to media reports, a second regulation with additional rules came into effect at the beginning of May.
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The city of Portofino has strict rules to deal with the rush of tourists.
© Imago/sergiomonti
Italy against the tourist rush: Portofino sets up "red zones".
The first decree provides for the establishment of so-called "red zones" in Portofino between the city center and the beaches.
This was reported by the
Ansa
news agency at the end of April.
In these areas, standing still or pretending to be waiting can be punished with fines of up to 275 euros.
The "red zones" are therefore mainly located where you have a particularly good view of the famous bay.
Some understood this as a selfie ban.
The news spread rapidly in the British media and on social platforms.
Many were outraged.
It is unusual for tourists to have to pay money for a selfie, for example, but it is now mandatory in a holiday resort in Switzerland.
Mayor Matteo Viacava was then upset.
"Let's not beat around the bush.
No one has banned selfies here, and even if the English write that, there's no reason to believe it,"
Ansa quoted him as saying.
The regulation only prohibits gatherings in certain areas for security reasons.
Rules for tourists in Italy: This applies according to another regulation in Portofino
As
Corriere della Sera
reported, the “red zones” are followed by other rules:
Walks in bathing suits or bikinis, shirtless or barefoot are prohibited.
Mayor Viacava also banned picnics on benches, stairs, porches or other public places, as well as outdoor naps.
According to the Italian daily, these rules have been in effect for several years.
But the new regulation now makes it possible to impose fines of between 25 and 500 euros.
The background is, among other things, the protection of the image of the village, the
Corriere della Serra
quotes the mayor as saying.
Italy against mass tourism: entrance fee for Venice due from summer 2023?
One city that has been struggling with mass tourism for years is Venice.
Millions of tourists from all over the world visit the famous city and push their way through the narrow streets.
An entrance fee for day tourists has therefore not only been up for debate since yesterday.
Originally, travelers were supposed to pay to visit from January 16, 2023.
Day tourists should pay three to ten euros per person for their Venice trip, depending on how busy the city is, as the media unanimously reported.
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The Italian city of Venice is very popular with tourists.
© IMAGO / perspective
Nothing came of the plans for the time being.
The final approval of the municipal council is missing, explained culture assessor Simone Venturini.
The entry into force was thus agreed at the end of December.
The Venice ticket could be introduced in the summer of 2023 at the earliest.
But it seems that Venice will remain free for day tourists for the time being.
Strict rules in Italy: "bed stop" in South Tyrol against the tourist rush
The Italian province of South Tyrol has meanwhile also worked intensively on measures for future-oriented and responsible tourism.
In its state tourism development concept 2030+, for example, the introduction of a bed limit is mentioned, which should not add any new beds to the existing ones in tourist businesses.
Specifically, the concept says: “The determination of a so-called upper bed limit is aimed primarily in regions that are very tourism-intensive and have a high number of guests and visitors.
The introduction of a regional upper bed limit is a clear commitment to the principle of 'quality before quantity' with the aim of restricting quantitative growth and restructuring the subsidies accordingly.” The “bed stop” was already decided last year.
However, Italy is not only struggling with tourism.
A lot will also change for travelers on Lake Garda.
The "Lago di Garda" is drier than it has been for 70 years.
(mbr)
List of rubrics: © Matthias Schrader/dpa