Introduction
Italy has launched an aggressive crackdown on overtourism in some of its most popular cities. In particular, Italian authorities are introducing stricter rules and regulations in Florence, Rome, and Venice, amid a massive influx of visitors.
Apart from curbing overtourism, the move also aims to safeguard cultural heritage and local life, while promoting sustainable tourism practices.
Overtourism Background
Overtourism has taken a toll on these famed cities over the years. Previously, the amount of visitors surged, but without adequate planning or control from the government.
As a result, it strained local infrastructure. Specifically, residents’ daily life suffered from congestion and noise. Furthermore, the constant foot traffic led to the deterioration of cultural sites. Hence, residents expressed growing frustration with the overly crowded streets.
Moreover, experts warned of long-term damage to historical landmarks because of overtourism. As a result, policymakers concluded it was urgent and necessary to introduce reform.
With more short-term rentals sprouting across Italian cities, locals have expressed concern that these are dominating neighborhoods. Hence, protesters have been marking key boxes with a red cross to express their dismay.
Furthermore, Italian authorities believe key boxes pose a security threat, as it removes the need for guests’ identity verification.
“The automated management of check-in and entry to a property without visual identification of guests” signifies it “could be occupied by one or more individuals whose identities remain unknown to the relevant police authorities, posing a potential danger to the community,” a statement read from Italy’s interior ministry.
Moving forward, owners and managers of such rental properties must meet their guests personally and check their identity documents. This will be the new standard operating procedure prior to the check-in process.
New Measures to Curb Overtourism
Florence now bans check-ins via keyboxes to in a bid to manage overtourism. Likewise, Rome enforces strict booking regulations and imposes fines for non-compliance. In contrast, Venice implements measures to regulate visitor flows in vulnerable areas. Specifically, tour groups must pre-register their visits.
Local councils are collaborating with law enforcement to monitor hotspots. For instance, advanced visitor management systems now track real-time crowd levels. Additionally, city officials hold regular briefings to update the public on policy changes. Experts hope such changes will improve the quality of life for residents.
Tourist Taxes
This 2025, authorities are increasing the number of days which requires tourists to pay tourist taxes. For instance, in Venice, tourists must pay the fees every Friday to Sunday, as well as on holidays from April 18 to July 27.
To help curb overtourism, the rule also doubles the tax to EUR 10 for last-minute arrivals. In 2024, tourists only spending the day in Venice had to pay EUR 5 in taxes. The government hopes such a move will encourage longer stays in the city to improve the quality of life for residents.
Similarly, Rome also has an overnight fee ranging from EUR 3 to EUR 7, depending on tourists’ type of acommodation. Meanwhile, Milan’s tourist taxes range from EUR 2 to EUR 5. There are talks of possibly increasing the tax to a maximum of EUR 25 for pricier hotel rooms.
Photo by Carmen Laezza on Unsplash
