Draft:Anti-tourism Movements in Italy: Difference between revisions

 

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The origins of tourism to [[Italy]] by English speakers stem from the [[Grand Tour]], a tour of [[Europe]] where Italy is a popular destination, a trip reserved for the social elite.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Black |first1=Jeremy |title=Italy and the Grand Tour: The British Experience in the Eighteenth Century |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24007464?seq=2 |journal=Annali d’Italianistica |date=1996 |volume=14 |pages=532–541 |jstor=24007464 |access-date=4 October 2025}}</ref> The itinerary of the Grand Tour was limited by the speed of the carriages. They would visit three major historical cities being: [[Venice]], [[Florence]] and [[Rome]]. Before returning home, some would venture further south to [[Naples]], visiting sites such as [[Pompeii]] and [[Herculaneum]]. Many travellers would remain in Italy for several years in order to learn the language and gain lessons on how to manage or rule over a population as well as craft diplomatic relations with other Italian aristocrats.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zinna |first1=Angelo |title=Grand Tour of Italy: How Tourists Invented “La Bella Italia” |url=https://fernwayer.com/journal/grand-tour-venice-florence-rome |website=fernwayer |access-date=6 October 2025}}</ref>

The origins of tourism to [[Italy]] by English speakers stem from the [[Grand Tour]], a tour of [[Europe]] where Italy is a popular destination, a trip reserved for the social elite.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Black |first1=Jeremy |title=Italy and the Grand Tour: The British Experience in the Eighteenth Century |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24007464?seq=2 |journal=Annali d’Italianistica |date=1996 |volume=14 |pages=532–541 |jstor=24007464 |access-date=4 October 2025}}</ref> The itinerary of the Grand Tour was limited by the speed of the carriages. They would visit three major historical cities being: [[Venice]], [[Florence]] and [[Rome]]. Before returning home, some would venture further south to [[Naples]], visiting sites such as [[Pompeii]] and [[Herculaneum]]. Many travellers would remain in Italy for several years in order to learn the language and gain lessons on how to manage or rule over a population as well as craft diplomatic relations with other Italian aristocrats.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zinna |first1=Angelo |title=Grand Tour of Italy: How Tourists Invented “La Bella Italia” |url=https://fernwayer.com/journal/grand-tour-venice-florence-rome |website=fernwayer |access-date=6 October 2025}}</ref>

During the [[Italian campaign (World War II)]] American GIs were actively encouraged to be tourists when not on active duty, with many soldiers being given the brochure, “[https://www.militariazone.com/books/ww2-british/itm43449 A Soldiers Guide to Italy]”, which explained briefly the uniqueness of each city as well as the individual appeal of each one to students of art and general tourists. In [[Naples]], the [[United States Navy|US Navy]] offered excursions to the island of [[Capri]], showing the extent to which American soldiers, who, as civilians, would not have the money to travel to Italy, were encouraged to immerse themselves in the unique and beautiful culture.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Buchanan |first1=Andrew |title=”I Felt like a Tourist Instead of a Soldier”: The Occupying Gaze- War and Tourism in Italy, 1943-1945. |journal=American Quarterly |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/26360917 |access-date=15 October 2025 |date=September 2016 |volume=68 |issue=3 |pages=593–615 |doi=10.1353/aq.2016.0055 |jstor=26360917 }}</ref> This encouragement of tourism led to a revival of [[American middle class|middle class American]] tourism to Europe, which had been in a strong decline in the pre-war years, and the growth continued after the war, reaching 250000 tourists in 1949, up from 11000 in 1940.

During the [[Italian campaign (World War II)]] American GIs were actively encouraged to be tourists when not on active duty, with many soldiers being given the brochure, “[https://www.militariazone.com/books/ww2-british/itm43449 A Soldiers Guide to Italy]”, which explained briefly the uniqueness of each city as well as the individual appeal of each one to students of art and general tourists. In [[Naples]], the [[United States Navy|US Navy]] offered excursions to the island of [[Capri]], showing the extent to which American soldiers, who, as civilians, would not have the money to travel to Italy, were encouraged to immerse themselves in the unique and beautiful culture. This encouragement of tourism led to a revival of [[American middle class|middle class American]] tourism to Europe, which had been in a strong decline in the pre-war years, and the growth continued after the war, reaching 250000 tourists in 1949, up from 11000 in 1940.

<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Buchanan |first1=Andrew |title=”I Felt like a Tourist Instead of a Soldier”: The Occupying Gaze- War and Tourism in Italy, 1943-1945. |journal=American Quarterly |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/26360917 |access-date=15 October 2025 |date=September 2016 |volume=68 |issue=3 |pages=593–615 |doi=10.1353/aq.2016.0055 |jstor=26360917 }}</ref> Following WW2, the US government continued to encourage tourism as part of the [[Marshall Plan]] where tourism was seen as an effective way to help with the reconstruction of European countries. The continued encouragement of tourism and development of cheaper and quicker modes of transport, led to the appearance of mass tourism in the 1960s. {{Citation |title=Picturing Italy: Cold War Perspectives in American Travel Writing on Italy, 1948-19601 |last=Valenzani |first=Giuliano Santangeli |date=2025-11-10 |url=https://ojs.unito.it/index.php/rsajournal/issue/view/676/427 |publication-date=Sat, 30 Sep 2023}}

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The origins of tourism to Italy by English speakers stem from the Grand Tour, a tour of Europe where Italy is a popular destination, a trip reserved for the social elite.^[1] The itinerary of the Grand Tour was limited by the speed of the carriages. They would visit three major historical cities being: Venice, Florence and Rome. Before returning home, some would venture further south to Naples, visiting sites such as Pompeii and Herculaneum. Many travellers would remain in Italy for several years in order to learn the language and gain lessons on how to manage or rule over a population as well as craft diplomatic relations with other Italian aristocrats.^[2]

During the Italian campaign (World War II) American GIs were actively encouraged to be tourists when not on active duty, with many soldiers being given the brochure, “A Soldiers Guide to Italy“, which explained briefly the uniqueness of each city as well as the individual appeal of each one to students of art and general tourists. In Naples, the US Navy offered excursions to the island of Capri, showing the extent to which American soldiers, who, as civilians, would not have the money to travel to Italy, were encouraged to immerse themselves in the unique and beautiful culture. This encouragement of tourism led to a revival of middle class American tourism to Europe, which had been in a strong decline in the pre-war years, and the growth continued after the war, reaching 250000 tourists in 1949, up from 11000 in 1940.
^[3] Following WW2, the US government continued to encourage tourism as part of the Marshall Plan where tourism was seen as an effective way to help with the reconstruction of European countries. The continued encouragement of tourism and development of cheaper and quicker modes of transport, led to the appearance of mass tourism in the 1960s. Valenzani, Giuliano Santangeli (2025-11-10), Picturing Italy: Cold War Perspectives in American Travel Writing on Italy, 1948-19601 (published Sat, 30 Sep 2023)

Several interrelating causes have contributed to the rise of the anti-tourism movement in Italy. These include:

1. Excessive tourist flows (Over tourism)
Historical cities like Venice receive far more tourists than they can sustainably handle. This leads to overcrowding in publics spaces and on infrastructure, especially during peak times.

2. Housing pressure and displacement of residents
Short-term rentals such as Airbnb and the conversion of residential housing into tourist accommodations have raised housing costs. Many locals struggling to find affordable long-term housing. In Venice, a significant number of homes have been transformed for tourist use.

3. Loss of everyday services and local character
Tourism-oriented businesses (restaurants, souvenir shops, etc.) often replace essential local services. As a result, residents experience a decline in neighborhood livability and authenticity.

4. Environmental degradation
High tourist numbers, especially from cruise ships, put strain on fragile ecosystems such as the Venetian lagoon, increase pollution, and accelerate wear on heritage sites.

5. Social stress and declining livability
Crowding, noises, and the sense of displacement have led many residents to express frustration or even consider moving away.

6. Weak regulation and delayed policy response
Limited local governance and weak enforcement of tourism policies (e.g., caps on short-term rentals or tourist taxes) have allowed unregulated growth to continue, intensifying local backlash.^[4]

On June 15, 2025, demonstrations against overtourism took place in Southern Europe, concerning countries like Portugal, Spain , or Italy. The Italian cities concerned by this movement were Genoa, Venice, Naples, Palermo and Milan. Unlike the Spanish protests, where the inhabitants protested with water pistols as well as graffiti, the one in Italy was calmer; the inhabitants were content to protest in a peaceful manner, primarily using banners to display their views.^[5]

Overtourism creates many tensions between locals and tourists. One of the reasons for these tensions is that for many years, Italy has been facing a real housing shortage, partly due to overtourism. This results in constant demonstrations by the inhabitants, notably trying to oppose short-term rentals. The inhabitants have decided to demonstrate with adhesive ribbons that they stick on the mailboxes that are intended for short-term rentals. These boxes, to the letter, develop more and more and are now found in places like caves for nothing or old buildings. Depending on the cities, the messages can be varied. In Florence, we will notably find “Espulsione forzata” while in Venice, we will find “Tu casa era mi casa”.^[6]

In order to combat this problem, which creates numerous tensions within the different tourist cities, the country plans to establish stricter rules in the coming years to follow. The municipality of Florence plans to prohibit these mailboxes. The local and national governments aim to improve the housing situation, which is currently facing a shortage of housing for locals causing prices to sky rocket ^[7], as well as reduce tensions between tourists and locals.^[8]

Venice, a city classified as a UNESCO heritage site, has been facing a wave of overtourism for several years now. A controversy has arisen since the inhabitants decided to protest against the law that is supposed to prevent what they are protesting about in the first place. There are currently more than 13 million visitors each year. To face this wave of tourists, the entries to enter Venice have become paying.

Five euros to enter the city and ten if the ticket is purchased late. But in the face of this, the disgruntled inhabitants are protesting against this law. The inhabitants believe that their city is not a museum, and that this is thus a solution that is not valid. This measure has therefore been implemented, despite the anger of the inhabitants of Venice. ^[9]

Scope and Geographic Focus

The anti-tourism movement in Italy is geographically concentrated in areas where the intensity of visitor flows intersects most sharply with local life, heritage conservation, and urban or environmental sustainability. Although Italy’s economy depends heavily on tourism, resistance is most visible in historic cities, fragile natural environments, and densely populated coastal zones.

Major Urban Hotspots
Venice has long been a symbol of overtourism in Europe. With an average of over 20 million visitors per year—many arriving from cruise ships or day trips—the city faces depopulation of its historic centre, rising housing prices, and infrastructural strain. Resident groups such as No Grandi Navi (“No Big Ships”) have campaigned for years against the presence of large cruise vessels in the Venetian Lagoon, citing environmental degradation and loss of local life. Venice also became the first major city in the world to introduce an entrance fee for day-trippers (starting in 2024) to regulate inflows and fund maintenance of the city’s fragile ecosystem.
Florence, another heavily visited Renaissance city, has experienced acute “commercialisation” of its central districts. Entire streets of the historic core have been transformed into short-term rental zones, driving residents to suburban areas. The local government has banned new tourist accommodations in the UNESCO-listed centre and introduced restrictions on self-check-in devices to control unregulated B&B operations. Protests by housing activists and students have echoed through central squares, calling for “a city for those who live here, not just for those who visit.”
Rome, the national capital, continues to attract enormous numbers of international visitors drawn by its archaeological and religious heritage. Local frustration has grown in areas such as Trastevere and around the Colosseum, where tourist apartments and souvenir shops have displaced traditional commerce. In 2024, anonymous activists sabotaged several tourist key-lockers as a symbolic protest against what they described as “hit-and-run” tourism that erodes neighbourhood identity.