Policy responses to overtourism: Insights from Italy

Nicola Bellini

doi:10.35295/osls.iisl.2645

Authors

Nicola Bellini Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Interdisciplinary Center on Sustainability and Climate https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2155-1365

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35295/osls.iisl.2645

Keywords:

Overtourism, anti-tourism, tourism demarketing

Abstract

Overtourism has emerged as one of the most debated challenges affecting major tourist destinations, with Italy frequently cited as a prominent case. This paper examines the policy responses to overtourism in Italy, focusing on how institutional arrangements, interest groups, and public discourse shape the management of tourism growth. Drawing on existing literature and emblematic cases - most notably Venice and Florence - the study argues that overtourism cannot be understood solely as the outcome of excessive visitor numbers. Instead, it results from long-term structural transformations, including demographic decline in historic centers, real estate dynamics, and policy choices that have reshaped urban economies around tourism. The paper analyzes the policy “toolbox” available to public authorities, ranging from regulatory measures to demarketing and nudging, and discusses the challenges of implementing them within complex systems of multi-level governance. Attention is given to conflicts among stakeholders and to the political incentives that often hinder effective intervention. The paper concludes by outlining different paths of evolution of the overtourism debate.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Global Statistics

0 Views	0 Downloads
0 Total

References

Amore, A., and Adie, B. A., 2020. Global importance, local problems: Degrowth in Italian World Heritage destinations. In: C. M. Hall, L. Lundmark and J. J. Zhang, eds., Degrowth and tourism: New perspectives on tourism entrepreneurship, destinations and policy [online]. 1st ed. London: Routledge. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429320590

Augusto Da Costa, R., et al., 2025. Identifying social value in tourism: The role of sociocultural indicators. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management [online], 62, 148–162. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2025.01.006

Back, A., Lundmark, L., and Zachrisson, A., 2025. Bridging (over)tourism geographies: Proposing a systems approach in overtourism research. Tourism Geographies [online], 27(2), 293–312. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2025.2502507

Baldin, A., Bertocchi, D., and Camatti, N., 2025. Crowding-in and (temporary) crowding-out in Venice. The effect of cultural events on residents. Tourism Economics [online], 31(5), 984–1005. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/13548166241233773

Bang, D., and Jang, S., 2025. Reframing carrying capacity: A visitor-oriented approach. Annals of Tourism Research [online], 115, 104022. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2025.104022

Bazzanella, A., Beritelli, P., and Grigolli, P., eds., 2020. Destination management (r)evolution: Il Trentino come laboratorio di innovazione turistica (2002-2020). Milan: Franco Angeli.

Bei, G., and Celata, F., 2023. Challenges and effects of short-term rentals regulation. Annals of Tourism Research [online], 101, 103605. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2023.103605

Bertocchi, D., and Visentin, F., 2019. “The overwhelmed city”: Physical and social over-capacities of global tourism in Venice. Sustainability [online], 11(24), 6937. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11246937

Briguglio, L., Avellino, M., and Butcher, J., eds., 2026. Overtourism in cities and small islands. 1st ed. London: Routledge.

Buhalis, D., and Amaranggana, A., 2015. Smart tourism destinations enhancing tourism experience through personalisation of services. In: I. Tussyadiah and A. Inversini, eds., Information and communication technologies in tourism 2015 [online]. Cham: Springer, 377–389. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14343-9_28

Burlando, C., et al., 2025. A proposal for an overtourism index. Annals of Tourism Research [online], 115, 104042. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2025.104042

Butler, R. W., and Dodds, R., 2022. Overcoming overtourism: A review of failure. Tourism Review [online], 77(1), 35–53. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-04-2021-0215

Butler, R. W., and Dodds, R., eds., 2026. A research agenda for overtourism: Origins, problems, resolutions [online]. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035355341

Capocchi, A., et al., 2019. Overtourism: A literature review to assess implications and future perspectives. Sustainability [online], 11(12), 3303. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123303

Carta, M., 2018. The quality of public space and tourist specialization phenomena: The historical centers of Florence and Fes. In: G. Setti and C. Toccafondi, eds., CHANCES: Practices, spaces and critique of capitalism. Firenze University Press.

Celata, F., and Romano, A., 2022. Overtourism and online short-term rental platforms in Italian cities. Journal of Sustainable Tourism [online], 30(5), 1020–1039. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1788568

Ceschin, F. M., 2024. Economia dei visitatori. Movability Books.

Choi, J., Jeon, H., and Asperin, A., 2025. Popularity paradox in Venice, Italy: A battle of priorities. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases [online], 13(3), 159–168. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/21649987241281375

Coconi, A., et al., 2024. The effect of overtourism upon the ecology of Florence’s historic centre. In: K. Berr, L. Koegst and O. Kühne, eds., Landscape conflicts [online]. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, 229–243. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-43352-9_13

Cullwick, D., 1975. Positioning demarketing strategy. Journal of Marketing [online], 39(2), 51–57. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002224297503900209

D’Eramo, M., 2021. The world in a selfie: An inquiry into the tourist age. London: Verso Books.

D’Eramo, M., 2022. Il selfie del mondo. Milan: Feltrinelli.

De Felice, G., and Guiggiani, R., 2025. Bellezza Italia. Manuale d’uso per il turismo che vogliamo. Florence: Primamedia.

De Marchi, D., Becarelli, R., and Di Sarli, L., 2022. Tourism sustainability index: Measuring tourism sustainability based on the ETIS toolkit, by exploring tourist satisfaction via sentiment analysis. Sustainability [online], 14(13), 8049. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138049

Decaro, C., and Piccirilli, G., 2017. Istituzioni e politiche del turismo. LUISS University Press.

Del Chiappa, G., Checchinato, F., and Atzeni, M., 2021. Residents’ perceptions of cruise tourism in an overcrowded city: The case of Venice. In: A. Decrop et al., eds., Sustainable and collaborative tourism in a digital world [online]. Oxford: Goodfellow, 180–199. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.28209955

del Soldato, E., and Ceschin, F. M., 2025. Nudgers. Movability Books.

Della Lucia, M., and Giudici, E., eds., 2020. Humanistic tourism: Values, norms, and dignity [online]. 1st ed. New York: Routledge. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003108993

Ferri, C., and Lusiani, M., 2025. Autenticità e artigianato in una destinazione caratterizzata da overtourism: Una questione di “equilibrismi.” Annali Del Turismo [online], 13, 87108. Available at: https://doi.org/10.20373/2283-3102/168

Frey, B. S., 2021. Overcoming overtourism: Creating revived originals. Cham: Springer International.

Gainsforth, S., 2023. Oltre il turismo: Esiste un turismo sostenibile? 2nd ed. New York: Eris.

Garau, G., Carboni, D., and Karim El Meligi, A., 2022. Economic and environmental impact of the tourism carrying capacity: A local-based approach. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research [online], 46(7), 1257–1273. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480211031426

Getz, D., 1983. Capacity to absorb tourism: Concepts and implications for strategic planning. Annals of Tourism Research [online], 10(2), 239–263. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-7383(83)90028-2

Giuzio, A., 2023. Troppo turismo. Il Mulino [online], 4 July. Available at: https://www.rivistailmulino.it/a/troppo-turismo

Giuzio, A., 2024. Turismo insostenibile: Per una nuova ecologia degli spazi del tempo libero. Milan: Altreconomia.

Gorji, A. S., and Seyfi, S., 2026. Theorizing wounded destinations: Rethinking tourism harms. Annals of Tourism Research [online], 116, 104076. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2025.104076

Gotham, K. F., 2026. Rethinking tourism gentrification [online]. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035318063

Hall, C. M., and Wood, K. J., 2021. Demarketing tourism for sustainability: Degrowing tourism or moving the deckchairs on the Titanic? Sustainability [online], 13(3), 1585. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031585

Honey, M., and Frenkiel, K., eds., 2021. Overtourism: Lessons for a better future. Washington, DC: Island Press.

Hristov, D., 2015. Tourism versus the visitor economy and the shifting landscape of destination management. Tourismos: An International Multidisciplinary Journal of Tourism, 10(1), 219–234.

ISTAT, 2022. Classificazione dei Comuni in base alla densità turistica come indicato dalla Legge17 luglio 2020, n. 77, art. 182 [online]. 19 January. Available at: https://www.istat.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/classificazione-turistica-comuni.Istat_.pdf

Jafari, J., 1987. Tourism models: The sociocultural aspects. Tourism Management [online], 8(2), 151–159. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/0261-5177(87)90023-9

Kaval, A., 2023. Naples craint de devenir une «deuxième Barcelone». Le Monde [online], 17 July. Available at: https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2023/07/17/gentrification-a-naples-la-crainte-de-devenir-une-deuxieme-barcelone_6182358_3234.html

Kennel, J., 2024. Carrying capacity. In: J. Jafari and H. Xiao, eds., Encyclopedia of tourism. Cham: Springer, 139–140.

Kim, Y. R., Liu, A., and Williams, A. M., 2022. Competitiveness in the visitor economy: A systematic literature review. Tourism Economics [online], 28(3), 817–842. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/13548166211034437

Lara-Hernandez, J. A., 2026. Urban identity and resilience: The impact of overtourism on Venice. In: V. C. Sharma et al., eds., Architectural vision of overtourism [online]. Springer Nature Singapore, 57–73. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-5794-0_4

Lawrence, J., and Mekoth, N., 2023. Demarketing for sustainability: A review and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies [online], 47(6), 2157–2180. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12904

Li, G., and Liu, A., 2022. Editorial of the special issue on competitiveness in the visitor economy: New trends, issues, and perspectives. Tourism Economics [online], 28(3), 661–664. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/13548166211065257

Liberatore, G., Biagioni, P., and Talia, V., 2018. Studio sulla capacità di carico del Centro Storico del Comune di Firenze. Università degli Studi di Firenze.

Liberatore, G., et al., 2023. Dealing with uncertainty, from overtourism to overcapacity: A decision support model for art cities: the case of UNESCO WHCC of Florence. Current Issues in Tourism [online], 26(7), 1067–1081. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2022.2046712

Maggi, R., 2025. Presenza turistica e qualità di vita dei residenti—Lucca a un bivio? Unpublished research report. Lucca: Fondazione Campus.

Magius Møgelhøi, H. von, 2021. Overtourism: The role of effective destination management. 1st ed. New York: Business Expert Press.

McKinsey & Co. and World Travel & Tourism Council, 2017. Coping with success. Managing overcrowding in tourism destinations.

Medway, D., Warnaby, G., and Dharni, S., 2010. Demarketing places: Rationales and strategies. Journal of Marketing Management [online], 27(1–2), 124–142. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02672571003719096

Miccini, R., Ciappei, C., and Liberatore, G., 2026. To regulate or not to regulate: The destination management dilemma in handling the intensity of tourism. Tourism Management [online], 115, 105399. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2026.105399

Milano, C., Novelli, M., and Cheer, J. M., 2019. Overtourism and tourismphobia: A journey through four decades of tourism development, planning and local concerns. Tourism Planning & Development [online], 16(4), 353–357. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/21568316.2019.1599604

Milano, C., Novelli, M., and Russo, A. P., 2024. Anti-tourism activism and the inconvenient truths about mass tourism, touristification and overtourism. Tourism Geographies [online], 26(8), 1313–1337. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2024.2391388

Minoia, P., 2017. Venice reshaped? Tourist gentrification and sense of place. In: N. Bellini and C. Pasquinelli, eds., Tourism in the city [online]. Springer International, 261–274. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26877-4_18

Musselli, L., 2022. La disciplina multilivello del turismo: Fra interdipendenze globali e aspirazioni locali. Nuovi Autoritarismi e Democrazie: Diritto, Istituzioni, Società (NAD-DIS) [online], 4(2). Available at: https://doi.org/10.54103/2612-6672/19474

Nadotti, C., 2025. Il turismo che non paga. Milan: Edizioni Ambiente.

Nieuwland, S., Lavanga, M., and Koens, K., 2025. Using adaptive cycles and panarchy to understand processes of touristification and gentrification in Valencia, Spain. Tourism Management [online], 106, 105011. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2024.105011

Novy, J., and Colomb, C., 2019. Urban tourism as a source of contention and social mobilisations: A critical review. Tourism Planning & Development [online], 16(4), 358–375. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/21568316.2019.1577293

O’Regan, M., 2023. The metaphoric rise of overtourism and why we shouldstop using the phrase. Geography Directions [online], 13 March. Available at: https://blog.geographydirections.com/2023/03/13/the-metaphoric-rise-of-overtourism-and-why-we-should-stop-using-the-phrase/

O’Regan, M., et al., 2022. Unpacking overtourism as a discursive formation through interdiscursivity. Tourism Review [online], 77(1), 54–71. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-12-2020-0594

Papadopoulou, N. M., Ribeiro, M. A., and Prayag, G., 2023. Psychological determinants of tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty: The influence of perceived overcrowding and overtourism. Journal of Travel Research [online], 62(3), 644–662. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875221089049

Pasquinelli, C., 2017. Tourism connectivity and spatial complexity: A widening bi-dimensional arena of urban tourism research. In: N. Bellini and C. Pasquinelli, eds., Tourism in the city [online]. Cham: Springer International, 29–50. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26877-4_2

Pasquinelli, C., and Trunfio, M., 2020. Reframing urban overtourism through the smart-city lens. Cities [online], 102, 102729. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2020.102729

Pasquinelli, C., and Trunfio, M., 2023. Sustainability-oriented innovation in smart tourism: Challenges and pitfalls of technology deployment for sustainable destinations [online]. Cham: Springer International. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33677-5

Pasquinelli, C., et al., 2021. Sustainability in overtouristified cities? A social media insight into Italian branding responses to COVID-19 crisis. Sustainability 2021, Vol. 13, Page 1848 [online], 13(4), 1848. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/SU13041848

Pasquinelli, C., et al., 2022. Reimagining urban destinations: Adaptive and transformative city brand attributes and values in the pandemic crisis. Cities [online], 124, 103621. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2022.103621

Pavlić, I., and Portolan, A., 2015. Irritation index, tourism. In: J. Jafari and H. Xiao, eds., Encyclopedia of tourism [online]. Cham: Springer International, 1–2. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_564-1

Pfeijffer, I. L., 2018. Grand Hotel Europa. Amsterdam: De Arbeiderspers.

Popp, M., 2012. Positive and negative urban tourist crowding: Florence, Italy. Tourism Geographies [online], 14(1), 50–72. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2011.597421

Priante, A., 2025. La ricostituzione del Ministero del Turismo e il principio di autonomia regionale: Profili giuridico-amministrativi e il ruolo della promozione turistica. Ratio Iuris [online], 20(230). Available at: https://ratioiuris.it/la-ricostituzione-del-ministero-del-turismo-e-il-principio-di-autonomia-regionale-profili-giuridico-amministrativi-e-il-ruolo-della-promozi/

Pulido-Fernández, J. I., et al., 2025. Assessing social carrying capacity of tourists in protected natural areas. Current Issues in Tourism [online], 28(7), 1062–1078. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2024.2320865

Sala, I. M., 2024. My beloved Italian city has turned into tourist hell. Must we really travel like this? The New York Times [online], 9 August. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/09/opinion/italy-tourists-bologna-mortadella.html

Santagata, R., 2025. Diritto del turismo. 6th ed. Milan: UTET giuridica.

Schemmer, J., 2022. Social resistance and spatial knowledge: Protest against cruise ships in Venice. NTM Zeitschrift Für Geschichte Der Wissenschaften, Technik Und Medizin [online], 30(3), 377–406. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00048-022-00340-z

Séraphin, H., Gladkikh, T., and Vo Thanh, T., eds., 2020. Overtourism: Causes, implications and solutions [online]. Cham: Springer International. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42458-9

Settis, S., 2014. Se Venezia muore. Turin: Giulio Einaudi.

Spinelli, R., and Zanini, A., eds., 2025. Overtourism e nuovi equilibri del turismo contemporaneo: Una prospettiva multidisciplinare. Milan: FrancoAngeli.

Thaler, R. H., and Sunstein, C. R., 2021. Nudge: The final edition. Penguin.

The European House Ambrosetti (TEHA), 2024. Dalle radici alle nuove tendenze: L’evoluzione del Turismo Sostenibile nei territori italiani.

Trunfio, M., et al., 2025. Trasformazione e sostenibilità nelle destinazioni urbane. Lo sviluppo turistico della città di Napoli (SLIOB Research Reports). DISAQ - Università degli Studi di Bapoli Parthenope.

Vegas-Macias, J., Jørgensen, M. T., and Sørensen, F., 2026. Enterprise-mediated social value creation through tourist-resident interaction in regenerative tourism experiences: The case of CopenPay. Journal of Sustainable Tourism [online], 1–28. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2026.2614536

Verri, P., and Colombo, E., 2025. Più turismo per tutti? Milan: Egea.

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 2018. “Overtourism”? – Understanding and managing urban tourism growth beyond perceptions [online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284419999

Yusoh, M. P. B., et al., 2021. Tourism carrying capacity and social carrying capacity: A literature review. SHS Web of Conferences [online], 124, 02004. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112402004

Zhang, J., and Miklós-Thal, J., 2011. Strategic demarketing [online]. Working Paper Nos. 4814–10; MIT Sloan School Working Paper. Available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1611368

Zilli, S., and Modaffari, G., 2021. A city without territory. Trade, tourism and the use of the sea: The case of Trieste. Bollettino della Società Geografica Italiana [online], 175–185. Available at: https://doi.org/10.36253/bsgi-1003