On Saturday, the city of Venice, Italy, announced that they are setting restrictions on the magnitude of tourist companies. This is the latest step taken to reduce the strain caused by the influx of too many visitors in the renowned canalside metropolis.

Come June, the maximum amount of individuals allowed in a group will be cut to 25, which is around half the size of a typical sightseeing bus, and the usage of loudspeakers, which could cause disruption, will no longer be approved, the city government declared in a statement.

Elisabetta Pesce, the city official responsible for safety, asserted that the policies were designed to facilitate the passage of groups through Venice’s old town and the popularly visited Murano, Burano, and Torcello islands.

Venice has declared their intention to trial a new day-tripper fee of $5.45 per individual on 29 peak days between April and mid-July, which includes most weekends. This fee is intended to manage the influx of visitors, encourage longer stays, and improve the quality of life for those living in the city.

The United Nations’ cultural arm stated that tourism’s effect on the vulnerable lagoon city was a critical element in their decision to consider twice if Venice ought to be included in UNESCO’s list of sites of cultural significance in jeopardy.

The city was able to avoid a negative impact on the first occasion by restricting the number of large cruise ships that passed through the Giudecca Canal. They again took action in September by initiating the levy for day-trippers, which had been postponed due to the decrease in tourism caused by the COVID-19 crisis.