Popular Tourist Destination On The Italian Riviera Imposes New Fine

Travel destinations all over the world have always had to deal with visitors obstructing foot and vehicle traffic as they stop to take pictures of every interesting landmark.

 

The situation has worsened to the point that visitors now pose a risk to everyone, including one another, due to the advent of the digital media landscape and the worldwide public's ravenous drive to exhibit their wealth on the internet. Because of this, one of the gorgeous seaside communities on the Italian Riviera, which is often bustling with tourists, has instituted a new regulation to prevent people from snapping endless selfies and, perhaps, reduce the number of crowds milling around the area's most famous attractions.

Located on the shore of the Mediterranean near Genoa, the splendid town of Portofino has officially classified two of the town's most crowded sites as "red zones—no waiting" areas, along with a couple of "yellow zones." Anyone caught stopping in one of these zones for the purpose of taking a selfie or any kind of photograph will be fined.

The penalties for stopping in one of these areas were increased, as infringers will pay from €68 to €275. An article in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera states that the new laws prohibit "the parking of people in points of aggregation and meeting places for groups and cruise passengers waiting to be boarded on boats or other things."

Portofino's mayor, Matteo Viacava, also said that visitors who lingered caused "anarchic chaos," which included traffic congestion and overcrowded footpaths. To quote Viacava's remarks to the press, "allow all tourists who reach Portofino to be able to make the most of the village but also manage security in the square". The situation led to additional regulations to be put in place because of "serious obstacles and potential danger deriving from the excessive density of people."

There are only around 500 permanent residents in the little fishing community, but during the tourist season, hundreds of people flock there to marvel at its picturesque port and colourful buildings. The town's 1.2 million hashtags on Instagram posts reveal one cause of the problem's worsening in recent years: the town's expanding social media profile. Celebrity visitors are also "guilty" of helping boost the area's popularity.

The new rules, which will be fully valid between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. everyday, went into effect during the Easter holiday and will stay in place until at least October 15, 2023.

Portofino is only the latest Italian city to impose new rules on visitors in an attempt to control crowds, as many other famous destinations in the country have already changed visiting regulations with the goal of fighting over-tourism.

 

Source: travelpulse.com