In April, Venetians raised an outcry over a new tourist entry fee that they said would make the destination less like a city and more akin to a museum or theme park attraction. Now, the Italian hot spot is making another big move to try to tamp down on overtourism—limiting the size of visiting groups to 25 people or fewer, starting Thursday, reports Reuters. NPR notes that number is about "half of the passengers on a standard tour bus." This initiative has long been known to be in the works, with an original start date in June, though it was postponed at some point until August.
There are some exceptions to the new limits: Kids up to the age of 2 don't count, nor do visiting student groups or those on educational trips. Local authorities will also be on the lookout for tour guides using loudspeakers in the city, which is also now banned to "[protect] the peace of residents." The new rules cover not only the main part of the city but also the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello. Fines for breaching the guidelines will range from close to $30 to nearly $550.
As for how the entry-fee experiment worked, it depends on who you ask. The New York Times reports the €5 fee was levied on 29 peak days that occurred between April and mid-July, and city officials said they "are convinced that we limited some peaks" though a more thorough data analysis is required. But they also said the gambit raised €2.43 million, not the €700,000 they were expecting. Critics said that's a sign of failure. "If you made that much, it means you can't control it," said one. (More Venice stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
