The artistic capital of Italy has found new ways to rid itself of tourists.

Florence implements measures against overtourism

The city of Florence, known as Italy's 'artistic capital,' is taking new measures to combat overtourism. This is happening at the same time the Italian government selects tourism ministers from the 'G7.'

Local authorities are responding to the rapid increase in the number of tourists and complaints from local residents. The office of Mayor Sara Funaro has approved a 10-point plan to address this issue.

'We plan to fight against apartment owners who use lockboxes to rent their homes to tourists. Such 'lockers' for keys significantly spoil the historical appearance of the city,' the city council stated.

Code-lock safes, which owners use for convenient guest check-ins, are now banned in the city center, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Recently, safes have become targets of vandalism, and locals are trying to cover them with red crosses.

Furthermore, local authorities have decided to restrict the movement of 'non-typical vehicles,' such as golf carts, which are becoming increasingly popular among tour guides. These vehicles are used to navigate in parts of the city where car traffic is limited. The use of amplifiers and loudspeakers during tours is also prohibited.

According to data from the national statistics bureau ISTAT, in 2023 Italy saw the highest number of tourists in history. 134 million people arrived, and 451 million stayed in hotels or other accommodations.

Additionally, the number of tourists who chose accommodations outside hotels increased by almost 17% compared to 2022, according to the ISTAT report.

Italy ranks fourth in the UN's World Tourism Barometer list of international tourist destinations, behind France, Spain, and the USA.

It should be noted that the municipality of Venice has announced an increase in the entry fee for tourists. According to plans, the excursion tax will rise next year, and the duration of days for which this tax will be levied will be extended.