Challenges Faced by Venice Due to Mass Tourism and Private Rentals

Venice is described as a romantic and captivating city, known for its historical beauty. Tourists flock to this destination, feeling like they have traveled back in time. The city's more than ten thousand year history and unique ambience exceed expectations, attracting visitors from around the world.

Venice faces challenges such as overcrowding due to the influx of tourists and the presence of giant cruise ships that impact the city's monuments. Additionally, the proliferation of cheap souvenir trinkets and the erosion of the city's quality of life for residents due to catastrophic housing conditions and shuttered shops are notable issues.

The impact of tourism on Venetians is evident in the struggle for affordable housing. Venetians face difficulties in finding apartments as owners prefer to rent to tourists on a short-term basis for higher profits. Matteo Seki and his family, facing eviction, highlight the challenges of finding affordable housing in Venice, with Matteo paying 900 euros for just 50 square meters.

Accommodation options in Venice range from traditional hotels to private apartments. Staying in a private apartment is seen as a more authentic experience, allowing interaction with local residents. The cost of a private apartment is highlighted at 270 euros a night, offering a cheaper alternative to hotels.

Tourism in Venice has led to economic opportunities for Venetians who own property, with private rentals becoming a lucrative source of income. Demand from tourists is high, driving business growth. However, this economic boom has created challenges for non-homeowners who struggle to find affordable housing amidst rising rental prices.

Matteo, a local in Venice working in the tourism industry, faces the risk of losing his job at the end of the season due to the increasing challenges in the sector. He expresses concerns about the lack of space in his home, especially for his daughter who now needs her own room as she grows older.

The tourism boom in Venice has led to a significant increase in privately operated tourist lodgings compared to traditional hotels. This shift has resulted in a shortage of affordable housing for locals, with many properties being bought by foreigners as investment opportunities for renting to tourists. The high rental income from tourist accommodations, reaching up to 8% per year, has made it challenging for residents to find affordable housing.

Giuseppe Tatara, an economics professor in Venice, highlights that a substantial portion of income generated from private accommodations for tourists is undeclared. This undeclared revenue, which could contribute to the city's coffers, poses a challenge for regulating the housing market and ensuring fair practices. Many property owners offer discounts to tourists in exchange for not providing invoices, leading to a lack of transparency in the rental market.

The lack of regulation in Venice's housing market, particularly in the tourist accommodation sector, has allowed for unethical practices such as undeclared income and lack of transparency. The absence of strict regulations has made it difficult for authorities to monitor and control the influx of tourists renting private accommodations, impacting the availability of affordable housing for residents.

Silvia Gala, a Venetian resident, expresses her decision to leave Venice due to the city's mounting problems, including high living costs and challenges in accessing goods. Silvia highlights the increased expenses in Venice, particularly for essential items like vegetables and meat, attributing it to the complex transportation logistics required to deliver goods to the island city. She showcases her emptying apartment as she prepares to move out.

Foreigners buying apartments in Venice and the transformation of social housing are reshaping the city's housing landscape. Elderly residents living in social housing are facing changes as more foreigners invest in properties. Silvia points out the conversion of a post office into a hotel, symbolizing the shift in property ownership and usage in Venice.

The residents of Venice, particularly the elderly, face challenges due to the deteriorating infrastructure and lack of essential services. Many elderly residents have to walk long distances to collect their pensions from post offices, leading some to move away from the area. The increase in souvenir stores and private accommodations has replaced essential services like doctors, small shops, and municipal regulations.

The rise of private short-term rentals, particularly through platforms like Airbnb, has had a significant impact on the local housing market in Venice. With approximately 7,000 private hosts offering almost three times the number of hotel listings, the market is flooded with commercial enterprises posing as private home-sharing. Some hosts have multiple properties, with one host having 27 listings and another with 90, indicating a lucrative business model that may contribute to housing shortages for locals.

Airbnb's exponential growth raises concerns about the lack of regulation for commercial listings on the platform. While Airbnb claims to support unique approaches for each city and country, there are calls for stronger regulations at regional, national, and city levels. The need for tailored solutions to combat unlicensed commercial enterprises like those in Venice is evident, with suggestions that City Council intervention could address the issue.

Venice, along with other major tourism centers in Italy, is facing challenges related to short-term rentals and tourism. The city's head of tourism, Palomar, highlights the need to negotiate with platforms like Airbnb to address the impact on the local housing market. While banning such rentals may not be feasible, the city aims to make renting to tourists less lucrative than to locals or students, although specific strategies for implementation remain unclear.

Residents like Mateo Seki struggle with housing affordability in Venice, where property prices are exorbitant. Mateo, a night porter, faces challenges in finding a suitable apartment for his family due to high costs, with properties reaching up to 200,000 euros. The housing market poses a significant barrier for families like Mateo's, raising concerns about the future affordability and accessibility of living in Venice.

Silvia Gala's decision to move to the mainland reflects a growing trend of Venetians seeking better quality of life outside the historic city. With rents on the mainland being significantly lower than in Venice, residents like Silvia find more spacious and affordable accommodations. The move offers a better quality of life with amenities like spacious kitchens and terraces, highlighting the trade-offs between historic charm and practical living conditions.

In 2007, a citizens action group called Venecia Calm was founded to protest against commercialization and mass tourism in Venice. The group aimed to showcase Venice as a park rather than a city, emphasizing the decline of Venetian culture and activities for residents.

A campaign was initiated to promote tourist respect in Venice. Tourists were warned not to litter the streets, with the threat of being filmed and exposed on social media platforms like YouTube for their disrespectful behavior.

The Venice city council implemented regulations to curb tourist misbehavior, including fines of up to 500 euros for offenses like eating in public squares, bathing in canals, and feeding pigeons. Despite these rules, many visitors continued to ignore them.

Some tourists engaged in inappropriate behavior, such as making videos of couples having sex in public areas like the Rialto Bridge. This behavior, along with excessive noise at night, disrupted the lives of Venetian residents.

St. Mark's Square faced overcrowding issues, with the number of daily visitors exceeding the resident population of Venice. The square, a popular tourist attraction, attracted large groups of tourists, causing inconvenience to locals and licensed tour guides.

The presence of illegal tour guides in Venice posed a significant problem, with around 7 illegal guides for every licensed guide. This illegal activity resulted in millions of euros in damages for official guides and the city, impacting the tourism industry negatively.

Venice faced a housing crisis, with middle-class residents struggling to afford skyrocketing rents. Chiara Bharati's group assisted Venetians in finding unoccupied living spaces when they could no longer afford rent, highlighting the challenges faced by residents in securing affordable housing.

Abandoned public housing in Venice, like the apartment in the Indian neighborhood, posed challenges for the city. The lack of tenants in these properties led to deterioration and maintenance issues, impacting the overall condition of the neighborhood.

The housing crisis in Venice has led to skyrocketing rents, making it unaffordable for average wage earners, single parents, and young families. People resort to occupying abandoned houses due to the lack of affordable housing options. The city is 800 million euros in debt, limiting its ability to provide subsidies or assistance to those in need.

Many locals in Venice take matters into their own hands by repairing abandoned houses and moving in as illegal squatters. The city prefers to close off abandoned houses rather than allocate them to families due to the costs involved in renovation. Evictions are common, with around six people being kicked out of their apartments daily.

Illegal squatters like Patricia, a masseuse, renovate abandoned apartments and resist eviction attempts every six months. The municipality struggles to address the housing crisis, leading to thousands of people facing housing problems in Venice. Evictions, though frequent, are not always carried out with police involvement, as some families choose to leave before being forcibly removed.

Cruise ships pose a significant threat to Venice, with over 500 large ships docking annually, bringing in crowds of tourists and environmental problems. The waves generated by these ships erode the foundations of the city, leading to structural damage. Toxic fumes emitted by the cruise liners further contribute to pollution levels, impacting the health and well-being of residents.

Environmental groups like Nabu monitor pollution levels caused by cruise ships in Venice. The toxic fumes emitted by these massive vessels pose a serious health risk to residents. Pollution levels in Venice exceed those typically found in heavily trafficked city centers, highlighting the urgent need for environmental regulations and sustainable tourism practices.

Particulate matter from ship emissions in Venice is linked to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, dementia, and obesity. The emissions, containing sulfur and nitrogen oxides, pose a significant health risk to residents living in heavily polluted areas.

The cruise industry in Venice generates four to five thousand jobs, but critics argue that the industry's profits primarily come from ticket sales and onboard shopping, leaving little economic benefit for the city. The focus on business over public health and environmental concerns is a point of contention.

The high levels of pollution in Venice, caused by ship emissions, pose a threat to the city's environment and historical monuments. The emissions corrode limestone, leading to erosion and structural damage that requires costly repairs to prevent collapse. The need for cleaner fuels and exhaust technology to reduce pollution levels is emphasized.

Private companies, including VTP (Venice Terminal Passenger), profit significantly from cruise ship operations in Venice, with each stop potentially generating tens of thousands of euros. The ownership structure, involving foreign companies like a Turkish financial firm, raises concerns about the distribution of profits and the impact on the local economy.

Activists in Venice, led by groups like 'No Grandi Navi,' protest against large cruise ships, highlighting the negative impact on the city's environment, economy, and residents. Despite facing challenges like police intervention and legal battles, activists remain committed to their cause, advocating for sustainable tourism and local interests.

Silvia Ghana is facing a doubled workload due to projects in Venice and Mogera. Demonstrators in Venice, supported by 18,000 locals, blocked cruise ships from entering the city. The protest, ongoing for over five hours, led to an initial victory as ships delayed departure until nighttime, offering refunds to passengers. Protesters used boats to block canals, showing determination against big ships.

Matteo Seki, celebrating job security, struggles to find housing for his family. Venetians, feeling like a tight-knit family, value their city's unique lifestyle. Residents have defended Venice against water for 1600 years, with the Italian government banning cruise ships from the historic center in 2019, but facing challenges in diverting them to Mogera.