Protesters out in force as Venice welcomes first cruise ship
Venice welcomed its first major cruise ship call in more than a year with protesters out in force opposing it.
The visit of the MSC Orchestra reignited long time tensions as it was circled by demonstrators in small motorboats.
"Cruise ships bring a hit and run tourism that actually brings little benefit to Venice," said one protester.
MSC Orchestra set sail with less than 1,000 passengers marking the return of cruise ships to the city after nearly 18 months.
The government has vowed to remove cruise ships from Venice lagoon to a new dock but a new permanent home for cruise ships could take years.
CLIA claims Venice’s economy had lost about €1 billion due to the pandemic
"We don’t want to be a corporate villain," said Francesco Galietti, of Cruise Lines International Italy.
"We don’t feel we should be treated as such. We feel we are good to the communities."
The government said it will issue a request for proposals soon for bids to construct a terminal outside the lagoon, while a temporary dock will not be ready until at least next year.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports