Italy Sets Beach Rules as Tourist Numbers Soar

As Italy braces for an influx of tourists during a major holiday, authorities are implementing stringent measures to manage crowd control across popular destinations. With record numbers expected, regions from Sardinia to Puglia are introducing new rules and technology, including mandatory app bookings for beach access, to mitigate chaos and ensure a more organized experience for visitors. In a bid to maintain order, several beaches have enacted bans on plastics, smoking, and even personal items like towels and chairs. Sardinia has also prohibited the use of rocks for anchoring beach umbrellas, while in Sassari, music must cease by 2 a.m. The Amalfi Coast is taking further steps by regulating vehicle access, allowing only even or odd-numbered license plates on certain streets during peak hours, as reported by the local Campania tourist board. The surge in tourism is not limited to land; the cruise ship sector anticipates over 65,000 passengers in Genoa alone, with multiple ships making numerous port calls in the weeks surrounding August 15. This increase in visitors has prompted Italy’s tourism minister, Daniele Santache, to label the issue of overtourism as “blasphemy,” while emphasizing the need for effective management strategies to cope with future surges. As Italy grapples with the challenges of overtourism, the measures being put in place aim to balance the needs of local residents with the expectations of tourists, ensuring that both can coexist harmoniously during peak travel seasons.