Press
Tourism is both a joy and a sorrow for Italy. From Venice to the Amalfi Coast, they want to combat mass tourism with strict rules.
Rome – Tourism in Italy is not only an important economic sector, it also shapes the country. But not always in a positive way. The negative effects of tourism were recently not only noticeable on the beach in Lignano on the Adriatic coast, which was flooded by around 90,000 party tourists from Germany and Austria, but can also be seen in many Italian holiday destinations. Reason enough for numerous regions to once again impose strict rules for holidays in Italy.
Between the Amalfi Coast and the Adriatic, some strict rules apply to holidays in Italy
Portofino (Liguria): In Portofino, Mayor Matteo Viacava signed a decree in April 2023 establishing a “red zone” between the city center and the surrounding beaches. Tour groups are simply not allowed to stop here during peak season.
This means that from morning until 6 p.m., tourists are allowed to walk, shop and eat in restaurants on Portofino’s main square, Piazza Martiri dell’Olivetta. However, they are not allowed to hold gatherings, as otherwise the square in front of the small harbor will be full in no time. It is noticeable that failure to comply can result in fines of between 65 and 275 euros. In addition, some Ligurian beaches will only be accessible upon payment of a fee.
Tourism in Italy
As figures from the Centro Studi Turistici di Firenze showed, Italy recorded more than 445 million overnight stays last year, 2023. This corresponds to growth of more than twelve percent compared to 2022, which helped the Mediterranean country to exceed the level of the years before the corona pandemic for the first time, reported the business newspaper ilsole24ore.com. But tourists don’t just bring money into an economically extremely important industry. They also generate garbage, clog up the streets and cause noise for local residents. Not every tourist treats monuments and sights appropriately.
Strict holiday rules in Italy: one-way system for hiking trails
Cinque Terre (Liguria): The “Via dell’Amore” hiking trail, which connects the villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola along the coast of the “Cinque Terre”, is very well known and popular with tourists. The six-kilometer train ride along the nearby railway line between the two villages now costs ten euros instead of the previous five euros for one.
But that’s not all: The administration of the “Cinque Terre” National Park is also considering a one-way system for the equally busy hiking trail “Sentiero Verde Azzurro”, which connects all five villages – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. This means that on certain days, hikers are only allowed to walk in one direction in order to avoid traffic jams and blockages on the route caused by crowds of people who cannot pass each other. Tourists can find out which days these are on the National Park website experience.
Holiday on Capri: Campania island charges an entrance fee
Capri (Campania): On the island of Capri, the entrance fee for the island in the Campanian archipelago has been increased from 2.50 to five euros. The price is charged with the fee for the boat transfer. According to the ADAC in its online travel guide, the local authorities hope this will generate additional income of four million euros per year.
This money is to be used for unspecified projects to better manage the flow of visitors to the island. It is also intended to encourage tourists to come to the island in the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Naples, perhaps outside of the main season. This is also intended to counteract the mass influx.
Holidays on the Amalfi Coast: Amalfitana to Positano is limited again
Amalfi (Campania): According to the ADAC and the Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club (ÖAMTC), driving bans will again apply this summer on the legendary Amalfitana on the Amalfi Coast (Campania region). The winding and sometimes steep coastal road stretches for over 50 kilometers in the Gulf of Salerno, connecting the city of the same name and the popular holiday resorts on the Amalfi Coast – namely Vietri sul Mare, Maiori, Minori, Atrani, Amalfi, Praiano and Positano to Sorrento in the west.
Between July 15 and 30 and from October 1 to 30, a license plate system will be in place again on weekends, regulating who is allowed to use the busy route and when. The Italian region of Campania hopes to use this system to reduce the sometimes extremely high volume of traffic.
In concrete terms, this means that on odd days in the calendar, vehicle owners with cars whose license plates end in an odd number are not allowed to drive on the road – for example on the 15th, 17th, 19th, 21st and so on. The same applies to even days and even numbers at the end of the license plates. According to the ADAC, the rules apply daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and therefore on all weekdays in August and September.
Holidays in Venice: Italian city imposes an entrance tax
Venice (Veneto): In April, an entrance tax was introduced in Venice to at least somewhat curb the tourist crowds. Specifically: Day trippers have to pay five euros between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. if they do not stay in a hotel in the city with its approximately 262,000 inhabitants.
Day trippers are asked to buy an entrance ticket on the website www.cda.ve.it before visiting the city, which can be paid for by PayPal or credit card. They will then receive a QR code that they must show in the city if necessary. Anyone who cannot show a code faces fines of between 50 and 300 euros in Venice. (pm/jm)
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