Venice Will Limit Tour Groups to 25 People

Starting in June, tourists wishing to see Venice via a tour will only be able to do so in groups of 25 or less. Additionally, the city is banning the use of loudspeakers by tour leaders.

According to an article on NPR, Venice tourism councilor Simone Venturini explained that the new policies are “part of a broader framework of interventions aimed at improving and better managing tourism in Venice…”

The new municipal resolution, which encompasses both the tour group size limit and loudspeaker ban, will apply to the historic center of Venice, as well as the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello. It still needs to be formally approved before it can take effect. 

It is unclear at this time whether the group size limit applies only to walking groups actively touring or to the full size of groups staying in Venice. Most bus tours have closer to 50 people than 25.  

UNESCO has been pressuring Venice for several years to find ways to control the impact that tourism is having on the city, threatening its World Heritage status. Among the measures the city has already taken are a ban on large cruise ships and a tourist tax for day-trippers.

Travel Market Report reached out to some packaged travel operators to find out if they are worried about the group size cap. 

“If this proposal is approved, it will not create a problem for Globus or Cosmos guests,” said Steve Born, chief marketing officer for the Globus family of brands. “We already use personal listening devices while visiting Venice. Creating smaller groups with local guides is also something we are accustomed to doing in Venice while visiting Doge’s Palace, for example. We can generate smaller groups for more experiences across Venice, should it become necessary.”

Steve Perillo, the third generation owner of Perillo Tours, said: “We continue to be in close communication with our partners in Rome regarding the developments in Venice.  Currently, there are not a lot of details available and nothing official has been announced. Right now, Perillo Tours operates at a max of 40 passengers. There are various solutions that we can implement to address groups of 25 or less…”