SVS

Education Tourism Experiment

Venice is one of the most popular holiday destinations worldwide. The data on its tourism performance are impressive.

Arrivals by airports and naval ports 2017

Residents, Airbnb, restaurants and bars, shops

How the tourist accommodation has changed

Monthly tourist overnight stays in the historic centre 2017

But for over 25 years, Venice has been threatened by the consequences of the so-called overtourism that is seriously endangering the delicate social, environmental and cultural balance of this centuries-old city.

The reduction in the number of residents 1951-2017

Overtourism consequences: uncontrolled waste

Overtourism consequences: heritage protection

Overtourism consequences: overcrowding

From the end of the 80s, the sustainability of tourism development in Venice has been strongly linked with the concept of the tourist carrying capacity. Simulations show that the optimal number of visitors for Venice is very far from the observed one especially during the high season because of the number of excursionists.

Annual tourism carrying capacity of Venice – historical centre 2017

How far we are from the optimal number of visitors
in the historic center of Venice 2017

Nowadays, for the city of Venice, it is becoming a priority to start a new approach of coexistence with tourism, which is also aimed at promoting new and more sustainable itineraries, promoting the city during the low season, and paying more attention to the preservation of its social and cultural identity.

Tourists can contribute to a fundamental way to support a new Renaissance of Venice.