Florence, the stunning capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, which attracts millions of tourists each year, is taking drastic steps to tackle overtourism.
The city’s Mayor, Sara Funaro, and her cabinet have approved a 10-point plan that includes banning certain items from the city’s historic centre, according to an announcement from City Hall.
This includes a ban on key boxes on buildings and the use of loudspeakers by tour guides.
These small boxes with digital pads, used by owners of short-term rental apartments like Airbnb to leave keys for guests, have become a symbol of local resentment towards tourists.
Despite the pandemic, the number of visitors to the city has bounced back impressively, as reported by Irish News.
This move coincides with Italy hosting the G7 tourism ministers in the Renaissance city, aiming to enhance its reputation as a top tourist destination.
Recently, locals protested by placing red ‘X’s over the keyboxes, expressing their frustration at how the stunning city centre, with its iconic palazzi and narrow streets, has been transformed into a hub of short-term holiday rentals, displacing residents and long-standing businesses.
According to ISTAT, the national statistics bureau, Italy saw its highest visitor numbers in 2023, with 134 million arrivals and 451 million people staying in hotels or other registered accommodations.
The latest figures are in and they’re official: a staggering 17 percent more tourists are opting for non-hotel accommodation compared to last year, according to the June ISTAT report.
Italy’s popular holiday destinations are thriving, with tourism contributing a significant 10.5 percent to its GDP in 2023, as per Statista reports, reports MirrorOnline.
The home of pizza, pasta, and the Colosseum is also ranked fourth globally on the UN World Tourism Barometer, just behind tourist powerhouses France, Spain, and the US.
Last year, Florence declared a halt to new short-term private rentals in the city centre, a move aimed at preventing locals from moving out.
The city’s leaders, including PM Giorgia Meloni, have been advocating for a national cap on the number of days a property can be rented out, set at 120.
On the other hand, Venice has been given the go-ahead to limit Airbnb stays, after nearly collapsing under the influx of tourists.
The city also implemented a day-tripper tax this year, in an effort to control the surge of visitors.
As G7 tourism chiefs prepare for a meeting in Florence this Wednesday, tensions over the city’s tourism could reach fever pitch.
Over the weekend, tourism minister Daniela Santanche admitted that some art cities were struggling with excessive visitor numbers.
However, she also pointed out that Italy as a whole is not fully capitalising on its tourism potential and needs an additional 50 million visitors annually.
“We can grow much more, we can develop much more and the industry of tourism can truly become the leading industry of our nation,” she confidently declared.