Is Tourism Killing Venice? - Update: Unesco recommends adding Venice to endangered list

Travel & Holidays Travel & Holidays: Chat / Discussions
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The Venetians trying to reclaim Venice

Some facts from the video:

26,000,000 visitors in 2017

122,000 residents in 1965 - 54,000 in 2018

Giant cruise ships dwarf the buildings and disgorge thousands of day-trippers by the hour - 1,500,000 last year

I visited Venice in 1964 (on a school trip) and I remember how few tourists there were, compared to Cattolica, where we were based - there were certainly no cruise ships but there were neighbourhood cafes and shops - everywhere was a bit grubby and “lived-in”.

For that reason, I watched “Venice 24/7”, about the emergency services, on BBC iPlayer this week:

The program bore out the video details - the residents are mostly elderly, in ancient and decaying houses, overwhelmed by tourists, pushing up prices and falling, drunk, into the canals … :shock:

The city of Venice, which is only about 3 miles by 2 miles in size, is unique, and I hope that measures to control the “traffic” are introduced … :frowning:

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I first went to visit Venice in about '79 and again in the 90’s. It was so busy the second time that it was hardly worth going. Plus the Italians love to rip us off with their over-inflated restaurant prices. Venice is a lovely and interesting place but I wouldn’t bother going back.

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I’ve never had the slightest inclination to visit Venice.
Even less so now.

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One of the worst pizzas I have ever had was bought in Venice. :cry:

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I understood that Venice was going to stop cruise liners from berthing. Apparently there can be a couple at one time. That’s probably 6/7000 people invading . That must drive the natives mad . Obviously erosion must be happening more quickly.
Ideal for water ski-ing (maybe) ! :lol:

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Yes, Tourism is killing Venice.

I went there ( again) last year and it was the worst day of our holiday ( To Croatia, we got a ferry across !)

Rammed to the gunnels with hordes upon swarms upon an infestation of humanity.

Not a pleasant experience.
It was busy when I last visited 30 years ago but nothing like it is today…And the size of those cruise ships:shock:

Croatia was wonderful, awesome, beautiful , historic and fantastic!

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I have to make some comment in this thread.

I visit Venice every year on a 17 to 19 day cruise and have done for the past 10 years.

I am currently on such a cruise and was in Venice YESTERDAY !

So some facts are in order

Firstly, Venice is a stunningly beautiful city, the very “Pearl” of the Adriatic. It is unlike anywhere else in the world and it won’t be there forever because it will eventually sink beneath the water. Now is the time to go and see this unique and stunning place.

Here is a picture of the Grand Canal with the gorgeous buildings and hustle and bustle of water craft.

Here is a picture of the famous St Marks Square and Doge’s Palace:

I never ever tire of visiting Venice.

This said I understand completely why the Venetians are not happy. The truth is they were unhappy many years before cruise ships started landing there. The regular tourists arriving via plane and train had already turned Venice into a hugely commercial place in many parts and resulted in native Venetians moving out.

Now only 1 in every 10 residents are actually Venetians.

I personally find that very regrettable but it is the case the world over that the most beautiful places become tourist attractions and thus become commercial with more shops, bars and restaurants. Tourism feeds the local economy but those who don’t participate in that cycle of course will not benefit from it.

The cruise ship berths in Venice were enhanced a few years ago. They can now very comfortably hold 6 cruise ships in that berthing area which is located at the back of Venice.

The local authorities, bowing to Venetian public pressure, have already stopped the larger cruise ships from entering from the direction of St Marks. The smaller ships such as the 1500 passenger one I am currently on, have no problems as yet.

Note however that this is jjust about the ROUTE the ship takes to get to the berthing area. The “sail in” to Venice is one of the most magical events a traveller can witness when entering a city. Entering via a cruise ship which passes St Marks Square and the Doges Palace is a sight to behold and one never forgotten.

Ultimately they will insist on ships using a different route which essentially see the ships go around the back and thus this ability for a magical sail in will be lost forever.

Venice will never imo actually stop the cruise ships from coming. It simply generates far too much money for the local authorities and for the general economy.

All they are doing is stopping ships coming in from their current route, along side St Marks.

As a regular but empathetic cruise passenger visitor to Venice I feel sorry for the Ventians and would support anything that would help them and appease their concerns.

Less frequent ship visits would be fine by me

Imposing a tourist tax would be fine by me

In the end though it’s a fantastic place and a “must see” in one’s lifetime.

Figure on how many millions of people flood into London every year to see the sights there. Do you think they will stop those people arriving? Nope.

Neither will they do so in Venice.

Visit Venice if you can, and by cruise ship if possible

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Last night’s episode:

With unprecedented access to Venice’s emergency and public services, this series goes behind the 15th-century facades to experience the real, living city. From daily emergencies to street sweeping, bridge maintenance to flood defence systems and a death-defying descent across St Mark’s Square, this is Venice as you’ve never seen it before. This is Venice 24/7.

The art world descends on Venice for the Biennale, a six-month long festival. Anish Kapoor attempts to stage his ethereal Ascension in a challenging Palladian church while another artist battles to transport a four-tonne sculpture along the canal. The Fenice theatre undergoes critical safety checks, following the devastating fire of 1996 and a 100,000-tonne cruise-liner must execute inch-perfect manoeuvres as it travels perilously close to the historic centre.

Tonight:

Venice 24/7 Episode 5 of 6

When the Boats Come In

For one day the canals are closed and fleets of row boats take to the water. As temperatures soar, Venetians and visitors turn out in their thousands to celebrate the ancient tradition of rowing. At the same time, the police try to rein in speeding motor boats while, on the city’s outskirts, an enormous anti-flood system is being built. As the team prepares to lower millions of pounds of technology weighing over 20 tons into the Venice lagoon, nerves are mounting. Without it, Venice is at risk of disappearing under the water.

Apparently, the series was made in 2012 and there may be a new series soon.

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Coincidentally (or not?), tonight Waldemar Januszczak focuses on the Rococo’s descent into madness, including the mysterious masked figures of Longhi in 18th century Venice.

Rococo: Travel, Pleasure, Madness

00:20 BBC FOUR

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Venice under water as Italy hit by fierce wind and heavy rain

Venice under water as deadly storms hit Italy - BBC News (more pics)

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In the canal city of Venice, rising floodwaters have overwhelmed many of its famed squares and walkways, with officials saying as much as 75% of the city is now submerged.

Venice’s central St Mark’s Square was closed on Monday afternoon, after the water level reached “acqua alta” (high water) of 156cm (5.1ft). It is the fourth highest level ever recorded.

And yet, many people - tourist and locals alike - appeared determined to forge ahead with business as usual.

Meteorologists are warning that the bad weather will continue.

Can’t blame the tourists for the weather … :102:

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Venice to charge tourist entry fee for short stays

Venice has won approval to introduce an entry fee of up to €10 (£9; $11.50) for short-stay tourists.

Italy’s budget for 2019 has a clause enabling Venice to impose the fee, which will especially target day-trippers arriving on cruise ships.

Tourists already pay a similar “landing tax” when they visit Italy’s tiny Aeolian Islands.

Venetians have long complained that mass tourism is swamping the city, adored for its picturesque canals.

Hundreds of cruise ships moor in Venice every year, allowing over a million passengers to see the city’s sights.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said the “landing tax” would generate much-needed income to keep the city clean.

It is expected to be set at €2.50 to €5 per person, but at peak times in the summer it could rise to €10. Venice plans to have the tax in place for the 2019 high season.

It will apply only to tourists, but it is not clear whether it will replace a city tax already levied on hotel occupants. That tax brings in about €30m annually, but the “landing tax” could generate more - an estimated €50m.

Seems fair enough … :slight_smile:

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Venice is a fascinating city and a wonderful place to visit, but I do feel sorry for the people who live there :frowning:
When I went, back in the 70’s, it was busy & prices were high but the people who live there have to make a living:!:

I do believe that Venice has a limited life and, just like all the other beautiful places on earth, we are destroying it :cry: I really hope that we are soon able to produce videos, with all the sites, smells & sounds, so people can still see it’s unique beauty after it has gone.

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The charge seems fair to me and I hope the money is used towards the preservation of the place. It is the cruise ships that are destroying Venice, along with lots of other places in the World.

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It would be ironic if that entry fee killed of tourism altogether thus starving Venice and its inhabitants of much needed income.

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That’ll never happen … :wink:

There are lots of restrictions/charges for tourists and they haven’t stopped the flood:

The city recently announced controversial plans for a ban on sitting or lying on the ground.

If that goes ahead, tourists could reportedly face fines of anywhere from €50 to €500 for sitting on an unauthorised surface.

A ban on sitting down is already enforced at the most crowded tourist spots, with officials moving those who rest on the steps in St Mark’s square - with potential fines of €200.

Other fines for tourists who do not “respect” Venice include:

[LIST]
[]€450 for swimming or diving in the canals or any other waterway
[]€200 for wearing swimwear or going topless - including men
[]€50-€200 for feeding birds, or leaving, scattering and abandoning food waste
[]€100 for using a bicycle - or even wheeling one while dismounted
[/LIST]

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I have no issue with paying a tourist tax to enter Venice, in fact it is a potentially great idea.

It comes with the typical problem though. Who will actually get the money? Where will it go?

We must understand that the cruise ships who berth there for just a single day, have to pay enormous berthing fees for the privilege. I believe berthing fees for a day in the past have been around ÂŁ80,000.

Venice purposely developed a huge new berthing area in recent years to accommodate more ships and to keep them around the back of Venice rather than around the primary areas near St Marks. It can take at least 6 large ships, maybe more. Those ships arrive just about every single day from a wide variety of cruise lines.

It’s clear then that Venice is creaming in many £millions alone just in ship berthing fees but just WHO is getting that money?

Clearly it is not the Venetian people, and that’s the problem. This is just more corporatism. The few getting wealthy at the expense of the many.

I fear that any Tourist Tax is going to go the same way. With the average cruise ship bringing say 2500 passengers and there being say an average of 4 ships in port every day then with a tax of £10 a person, that’s a luvly jubbly £100,000 in tourist tax EVERY DAY they will make.

Somehow I can’t see that money finding its way to the real people. The lion’s share will surely be creamed off by authorities and government.

Already the vast majority of real Venetians have had to move out of Venice, which is pretty sad. I’d be very supportive of anything that would restore the balance but I have little faith in authorities to put the money where it is needed.

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Huge cruise ship crashes into Venice harbour

Huge cruise ship crashes into Venice harbour - BBC News (with video)

A cruise ship has crashed into a dock in Venice, hitting a smaller vessel.

The MSC Opera, its horns blaring, ploughed into a wharf in San Basilio-Zattere.

No major injuries have been reported.

Not exactly a catastrophe of Costa Concordia proportions but scary nevertheless … :107:

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Never fell the desire to visit Venice .
I can just go and look at a Canaletto painting and see most of it .

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Just watched a vid clip taken full on and though most people on land were running away, I couldn’t believe those who stopped to film it!!!

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I have visited Venice once, done the gondola ride.

Although I liked what I saw at the time, it’s not a place I would go out of my way to visit again.