Mountain turnstiles and limited access on the beach: Italy's overtourist summer.

This isn't Ibiza. Nor is it Santorini, the Greek island whose population nearly doubled in a single day in July. In the space of 24 hours, 11,000 tourists arrived where 15,000 people normally live. So much so that the island's mayor advised residents to stay indoors. Much the same thing is happening in Italy. This summer, 2025, residents and administrators, not only of the most iconic holiday destinations, but also of places until recently unknown to mass tourism (like Seceda, in Val Gardena), are still battling overtourism . Tired of overcrowding that impedes daily life and has led to rising prices—from house rentals to restaurants—now geared toward foreign guests. Appeals for sustainable tourism are futile; ordinances continue to be issued. These are increasingly imaginative and some are difficult to enforce.

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Transforming tourism into opportunity

In this context , World Tourism Day will be celebrated on September 27 , with this year's central theme being "Tourism and Sustainable Transformation." The main event in 2025, the World Tourism Conference, will be held in Melaka, a UNESCO World Heritage city and Malaysia's international hub for sustainable tourism. Among the open issues: inclusivity and sustainability, recognizing tourism's key role. in the processes of global change. The data speaks for itself. 2025 is the golden year for tourism. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council 's (WTTC) Economic Impact Research (EIR), the sector will contribute $11.7 trillion to the global economy, equal to 10.3% of global GDP, while international visitor spending will reach $2.1 trillion, or 371 million worldwide. Not only that. The WTTC also estimates that by 2035, the travel and tourism sector will be worth $16.5 trillion to the global economy, equal to 11.5% of global GDP. All things considered, how will Italy weather the shockwave, given that our country is among the five most visited in the world, not to mention the global appeal of major art cities like Rome, Venice, and Florence? Some have already implemented some strategies this summer. The goal: to protect the sustainability of the environment and its inhabitants. To "survive" July and August, restrictions, beach closures, even alley closures, high-altitude turnstiles, and much more have emerged. Here are a few examples.

Just a selfie on social media and you're immediately in line

The " Seceda case," a peak above the town of Ortisei, arose from a series of selfies posted on the profiles of influencers with tens of thousands of followers . It didn't take long for thousands of tourists to arrive in Val Gardena, lining up at the cable car station. Many videos captured a human snake in the mountains, and they went viral. At the top, after hours of waiting in the sun, there was no trekking, just the mountains as a backdrop, a postcard-perfect frame, just time for a selfie. A few days later, turnstiles appeared on a mountain pasture, like a challenge: 5 euros per person to get through. A mandatory reservation system is now being considered, following the example of Lake Braies (the setting of a TV series) to manage overcrowding and protect the ecosystem. The same situation occurred in Ayas , in the Aosta Valley on the slopes of Monte Rosa, and in the Pian del Re - Sources of the Po natural area, where daily entry limits have been introduced. Tourists don't give up and get in line.

Same beach, same sea, new bans

Sardinia is adopting increasingly stringent rules to limit the onslaught of tourists. A few examples. The Municipality of Villasimius has set a maximum limit of 600 people per day at Punta Molentis beach, until October 31st, at a cost of one euro per person, plus a 10 euro parking fee. Only 1,500 bathers are allowed on the famous La Pelosa beach in Stintino: 3.50 euros per person, plus 2 euros for parking per hour. Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu , pearls of the Municipality of San Teodoro, can accommodate 1,447 and 3,352 "guests," respectively: the ticket is 2 and 2.50 euros. In Baunei , the most beautiful sea in Italy according to Legambiente and Touring Club, places are sold out at 250, and in Goloritzè , where you pay 6 euros to walk along the assisted path – the only way to the sea – and park at the top. And now limited entry is also available at Le Piscine in Cannigione, Cala Luna in Nuoro, and Rena Bianca in Santa Teresa Gallura.

In the Cinque Terre area, a limited traffic zone (ZTL) has been introduced along the coast to regulate tourist traffic, along with one-way paths. In Portofino, an anti-selfie ordinance has been introduced: stopping to take photos is prohibited in pedestrian areas, while new signs prohibit transit, stopping, and parking, including for pedestrians, on the edge of the dock at Molo Umberto I. It is also forbidden to eat food, including the legendary focaccia, while sitting on the walls along the streets, squares, porticoes, gardens, and the port.

Swimming is prohibited in the Aeolian Islands in summer

Tourists, operators, and skippers have protested following the publication of the ordinance by which the Municipality of Lipari banned swimming along approximately 47 kilometers of its 117-kilometer coastline. The measure affects all islands in the archipelago except Salina , which has its own autonomous administration. The ordinance includes many of the most popular and picturesque areas of the Aeolian Islands within the restricted area. In the Egadi Islands , to combat uncontrolled anchoring and seabed plowing that damages the Posidonia oceanica meadows, anchoring buoys have been installed in the most popular coves, which can only be booked online. Also in Puglia, a regional rule has been introduced prohibiting loud music from boats within 500 meters of the coast. These had become veritable nightclubs.

Not enemies, but guests

Even the lakes are suffering. In Sirmione on Lake Garda, street tutors have appeared this year, a sort of traffic police for pedestrians, similar to those in Venice during Carnival. And then in Tuscany, where there has always been a limited number of people on the beaches of the Maremma Regional Park , including the famous Cala Violina. The roundup couldn't fail to include the beach of Isola dei Conigli in Lampedusa, a haven for sea turtles, where this year there were queues to enter and street food . And Venice is the first city in the world to have introduced a tax on daily tourist access: €5 for those entering the city until 4 pm. Anyone who dives into the canals is also fined: €1,000. But has all this prohibition, price hikes, fines, and closing off stretches of coastline helped? Not much, Italian mayors and councilors now say. Perhaps, instead of ordinances and increased taxes, parking fees, and sky-high rents, the time has come to consider a strategy to protect the environment and artistic heritage, as well as the quality of life of residents. And also to defend the right of tourists to visit a city or lie on a beach without being considered "enemies" by the inhabitants. But simply guests to be welcomed and welcomed.