Venice to separate tourists and locals over busy May Day weekend

By Francesca Street, CNN
Updated 10:50 PM EDT, Fri April 27, 2018
<strong>Flooded by tourists: </strong> Experts say Venice is receiving more tourism -- about 30 million visitors a year -- than it can cope with.
Flooded by tourists: Experts say Venice is receiving more tourism -- about 30 million visitors a year -- than it can cope with.
Marco Secchi/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
<strong>Unsustainable: </strong>"Venice now has a third of the inhabitants that it did in the 18th century -- just 50,000 -- yet it receives 30 million tourists a year," says Andrea Carandini, the head of the Italian Environment Fund.
Unsustainable: "Venice now has a third of the inhabitants that it did in the 18th century -- just 50,000 -- yet it receives 30 million tourists a year," says Andrea Carandini, the head of the Italian Environment Fund.
Ian Gavan/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
<strong>Cruise ban: </strong>In 2015, a popular island-wide vote to ban cruise ships sailing along Venice's picturesque Guidecca Canal was overturned by the Regional Administrative Court, just three months after it came into law.
Cruise ban: In 2015, a popular island-wide vote to ban cruise ships sailing along Venice's picturesque Guidecca Canal was overturned by the Regional Administrative Court, just three months after it came into law.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
<strong>Protest against cruise ships: </strong>Locals believe that cruise shops and their passengers are ruining the canals and the city. This picture was taken during a protest in September 2013. Protesters use a boat to block cruise ships sailing through the Giudecca Canal.
Protest against cruise ships: Locals believe that cruise shops and their passengers are ruining the canals and the city. This picture was taken during a protest in September 2013. Protesters use a boat to block cruise ships sailing through the Giudecca Canal.
Marco Secchi/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
<strong>Anti-tourism demonstration: </strong>People hold suitcases and signs in a protest against the increasing number of tourists in Venice in November 2016. It wasn't the first demonstration by the Venetians who are concerned about the overwhelming numbers of tourists in the city.
Anti-tourism demonstration: People hold suitcases and signs in a protest against the increasing number of tourists in Venice in November 2016. It wasn't the first demonstration by the Venetians who are concerned about the overwhelming numbers of tourists in the city.
MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Proposed action: </strong>One of the solutions proposed by city mayor Luigi Brugnaro was to lure tourists away from areas that receive too many tourists like Riva degli Schiavoni, the historic quayside on which foreign visitors to Venice arrived until the railway bridge was built in 1846.
Proposed action: One of the solutions proposed by city mayor Luigi Brugnaro was to lure tourists away from areas that receive too many tourists like Riva degli Schiavoni, the historic quayside on which foreign visitors to Venice arrived until the railway bridge was built in 1846.
GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Too expensive to live in: </strong>"Living in Venice is becoming more and more difficult," says Elena Scara who runs a hotel in Venice. "Shops such as grocery stores, butchers, bakeries and book shops are closing to leave space for souvenir shops, and because Venice is becoming more and more expensive."
Too expensive to live in: "Living in Venice is becoming more and more difficult," says Elena Scara who runs a hotel in Venice. "Shops such as grocery stores, butchers, bakeries and book shops are closing to leave space for souvenir shops, and because Venice is becoming more and more expensive."
AFP/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Avoid overcrowding:</strong> Cristiano Fortuna, general manager of L'Orologio Hotel on the Grand Canal, says a more effective way to control tourism is to encourage visitors to come on weekdays instead of just the weekends when overcrowding is particularly bad.
Avoid overcrowding: Cristiano Fortuna, general manager of L'Orologio Hotel on the Grand Canal, says a more effective way to control tourism is to encourage visitors to come on weekdays instead of just the weekends when overcrowding is particularly bad.
AFP/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Supporting Venetians</strong>: "The plan should be to manage tourism, impose higher tourist taxes, introduce tax breaks for small businesses and favour affordable housing: Venice needs the feet of residents on the ground, children playing in the campi, old codgers on benches -- a proper Italian city as we know it," says Jonathan Keates, chairman of the British charity Venice in Peril.
Supporting Venetians: "The plan should be to manage tourism, impose higher tourist taxes, introduce tax breaks for small businesses and favour affordable housing: Venice needs the feet of residents on the ground, children playing in the campi, old codgers on benches -- a proper Italian city as we know it," says Jonathan Keates, chairman of the British charity Venice in Peril.
OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Big decisions ahead: </strong>The<strong> </strong>preservation of Venice will be discussed in July by the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.
Big decisions ahead: The preservation of Venice will be discussed in July by the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.
ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Can Venice save itself from its own popularity?
CNN  — 

Venice has come up with a new plan to cope with the huge numbers of visitors that continue to strain its infrastructure: segregating locals and tourists.

Ahead of one of the biggest holiday weekends of the year, this popular city in Italy is implementing new measures that will restrict the movement of visitors and turn away some motorists.

The extraordinary move is the latest step by Venice to manage high levels of tourism that in recent years have led to calls to ban cruise ships and restrict visitor numbers.

Can Venice turn the tide on 'tourist trap' restaurants?

With large crowds expect to descend on the city from April 28 to May 1, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro says “urgent measures to guarantee public safety, security and liveability” will be implemented.

Temporary regulations are being introduced to manage pedestrian and water traffic that will redirect the travel crowd away from locals, according to an official statement.

Redirecting tourists

The overcrowded Grand Canal during the masquerade parade during Venice Carnival in February 2017.
The overcrowded Grand Canal during the masquerade parade during Venice Carnival in February 2017.
AFP/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

“All tourists know that if they are respecting the city, they are welcome,” explains Brugnaro. “At the same time, however, we have the task of safeguarding Venice.”

Restrictions include redirecting tourist flows to popular landmarks such as the Piazzale Roma and the Strada Nuova.

Certain areas will only be accessible to residents and regular visitors of the city (those with a Venezia Unica card).

Tourists block the bridges in Venice.
Tourists block the bridges in Venice.
Marco Secchi/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images

Tourists coming from the water will be prevented from disembarking on the usual landings of Riva degli Schiavoni (in front of the Cornoldi barracks) and will instead be handled at special facility set up at the Fondamente Nuove.

Those driving into the city could be turned away if they haven’t reserved a space in one of the city’s parking lots.

Coping mechanisms

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The UNESCO World Heritage Site has been monitoring its influx of visitors for the past couple of years. In 2015, head of the Italian Environment Fund, Andrea Carandini, said Venice was being negatively affected by mass tourism.

“Venice now has 50,000 inhabitants – a third of what it did in the 18th century – and yet it receives 30 million tourists a year,” Carandini said.

Can Venice save itself from its own popularity?

Campaigns such as #EnjoyRespectVenezia have attempted to promote sustainable tourism in city, but its feared that Venice’s beautiful canals and historic buildings are still too much of a draw.

There are also concerns that the increase in the number of Airbnb homes is driving locals out and turning the city into a museum.

Brugnaro described the May Day holiday regulations as an “experiment with a new tourism management system” which could mean such measures becoming the norm on busy summer weekends.

Locals and visitors are being urged to monitor the City of Venice Facebook and Twitter profiles for updates over the course of the weekend.

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