In Italy, a small village has banned tourists from walking

To combat over-tourism and make traffic more smooth on the streets of Portofino near Genoa, visitors are now prohibited from stopping to walk in busy areas.

Every year, Portofino, a small Italian village of 400 people thirty kilometers from Genoa, sees hundreds of tourists flocking daily. Crowding has become a problem. and who pushed local elected officials to act, Italian newspaper reports Corrier della SeraBroadcast by our colleagues from Parisian.

In order to regulate pedestrian traffic, tourists are prohibited to stop walking in certain areas.

The move is “not for solo tourists, but for those disembarking from cruise ships with guides”, Justifies the mayor of the city.

The order, which was issued a few weeks ago, will remain in effect until at least October 15, 2023. Hence a ban has been imposed to stop walking in “red zones” between 10:30 am and 6 pm.

A fine of up to 275 euros

Visitors who stop to take selfies will be fined between 68 and 275 euros, although the move is primarily aimed at raising awareness rather than punishing tourists.

This is not the first time an Italian city has decided to take measures to combat mass tourism. A few years ago, Venice has floated the idea of ​​introducing an entry tax for visitors.

In southern Italy, the mayor of Sorrento issued a decree in 2022 banning tourists from walking around bare-chested once they leave the beach.

“These indecent behaviors can cause embarrassment and discomfort among citizens and visitors. It can give a negative image of Sorrento’s quality of life, with significant impacts on its reputation and its tourism”, reasoned Massimo Coppola.

The police fined tourists who did not respect this rule and had to pay fines ranging from 25 to 500 euros.