Are in Danger of Becoming a Stage Without Actors:" Contextualizing Contemporary Overtourism in Venice, Italy

Venice’s overtourism debate continues to frame the city’s tension between visitors and residents, with the article tracing how the backlash evolved over decades. It notes that in 2025 CNN described tourism as “hollowed out by vacation rentals,” while in 2024 the BBC said Venice introduced a daily entry fee, banned loudspeakers, and limited tour group sizes to reduce negative impacts on the community. The piece also recounts the author’s 2024 visit, including prominent “Tourists Go Home” messaging and stickers with hostile anti-tourist themes. It argues that officials have long pursued tourism for economic reasons, pointing to postwar plans in the 1940s and criticism published by Douglas Wilkie in 1949. Later, in 1959, focus shifted to the Lido beach as tourism efforts expanded.