The French Riviera resort of Cannes has become the latest famous European destination to join the growing global backlash against overtourism by imposing what its city council calls “drastic regulation” on cruise ships.
Cannes city councillors voted on Friday to introduce new limits on cruise ships in the city’s ports. Starting on January 1, only ships with fewer than 1,000 passengers will be allowed in the port, and a maximum of 6,000 passengers will be allowed to disembark daily. Larger ships will be expected to transfer passengers to smaller boats to enter Cannes.
Two cruise ships were scheduled to dock in Cannes, world-renowned for its film festival, on Sunday, each far larger than the upcoming 1,000-passenger limit with a combined capacity of more than 7,000 people.
“Cannes has become a major cruise ship destination, with real economic benefits. It’s not about banning cruise ships, but about regulating, organizing, setting guidelines for their navigation,” Mayor David Lisnard said in a statement.
Cruise operators have called such restrictions damaging for destinations and for passengers.
The nearby city of Nice announced limits on cruise ships earlier this year as have some other European cities, including Venice, Barcelona and Amsterdam.
France – which drew in 100 million visitors last year, more than any other European country and more than the country’s population – is at the forefront of efforts to balance economic benefits of tourism with environmental concerns while managing burgeoning crowds.
Cannes and Nice are not the only French cities to take action against overtourism.
On Monday in Paris, Louvre workers went on strike to protest “untenable” working conditions, “chronic understaffing” and “unmanageable crowds” caused by overtourism, which they felt the museum’s infrastructure and current staffing levels could no longer manage.
Similar protests have taken place recently in other European cities.
Demonstrations took place this weekend in Venice against Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding to highlight wealth inequality and protest against the impact of mass tourism on the city. Activists argued that the lavish three-day event exemplified the disregard for local residents’ needs, including affordable housing and essential services, in a city already struggling with mass tourism and environmental concerns.
Residents of Barcelona took a quirky approach by using water guns in protests against overtourism, aiming to highlight their frustration with how excessive visitor numbers are driving up housing costs, displacing locals and eroding the city’s unique character.
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