Over the Sardinia Day holiday this weekend Venice installed metal barriers to divert tourists down less populated alleyways so workers and locals didn’t have to continuously dodge tour groups and visitors with bulky suitcases. They had been installed overnight but furious locals tore them down.
The Island of Capri wants to follow Venice in bringing in crowd control measures, which saw the installation of check points in some of the most congested parts.
And Lake Garda is likewise looking to limit the number of visitors. As to why Venetians tore down the barriers meant to divert tourists, it seems that the locals believed that they would be diverted as well. They demand complete freedom to move about their city.
But it's easy enough to see why the locals are upset - these aren't cities, after all; they're villages and towns. Venice has a resident population of about 55,000 yet currently receives 25 million visitors per year, meaning that on some days, visitors outnumber residents 3 to 1. That's got to be brutal.
But it seems that if they really want to reduce the volume, the smart move would be to limit the number of lodging spaces. Voila! Fewer of those pesky folks with their bulky suitcases!
