Flotilla of small boats smoke-bomb cruise ships in Venice
Locals protest see video: HERE
Hundreds of local protesters took to the water in Venice in a fight against the rising number of cruise ships and tourist numbers that visit the city daily.
Despite tourism having been the city’s lifeblood for hundreds of years – now the negative effect it is having on local life is causing bad feeling.
Posters with slogans such as, "Tourists, Go Away!" and "You Are Destroying This Area" have been appearing on walls locally to convey sentiments felt by a growing number of citizens.
Recently, a new anti-tourism demonstration took place with protesters waving fire-flares and shouting chants on gondolas and small boats to prevent the large cruise ships from entering the bay.
It is said that a growing number of local residents in Venice are feeling angry about how tourism is affecting their daily lives both culturally and in terms of the local environment.
The livelihood of many independent businesses is also being affected as they are experiencing rising living costs. The number of giant cruise ships that visit the city, especially during peak season is a concern for locals as they are known for flooding the city’s streets during the day.
The cruise companies provide all-inclusive packages to tourists which means they do not eat and drink locally and often make little contribution to the local economy by buying souvenirs made in China.
Demonstrating against this cheapskate tourism all over the city, residents have started posting banners reading "No Grandi Navi" ("No Large Ships").
In addition to the anger against cruise operators, the effect shared accommodation sites such as Airbnb are having on local hotel units is also causing local concern. Shared accommodation means that there is less available to locals, and at much higher prices. This means that fewer and fewer local families can afford to live in Venice itself.
In 2015, UNESCO added Venice and its lagoon to its list of world heritage sites in danger of damage as a result of the effects of tourism. The recent protests by those living locally simply highlights further the reality of the concern on the ground.
Said Sputnik News: "In response to the growing number of protests, local authorities, as well as the many large cruise ship companies, dismiss the negative effects outlined and instead, emphasize how both the ships and tourism as a whole provide the local area with thousands of jobs, without which it would not survive."
The website continues "It’s the double-edged sword that many top tourist spots in the world are all being forced to address. Preserving local character, traditions and culture versus the big economy and the giant corporations who wish to continue profiting with little concern for the lives that are affected locally."
Valere Tjolle
@ValereTjolle [email protected]
Valere
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