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Venice Slaps Fines on Sloppy, Shirtless Tourists

"Hostesses" patrol the sidewalks and canals, looking for litterers

By Dan Schlossberg
ConsumerAffairs.com

September 10, 2007

Casting a disparaging eye on the 20 million tourists who provide their livelihood, the City of Water has decided it no longer wants to be the City of Garbage.

It has not only created a branch of government called the Office of Decorum but started slapping tourists with fines for infractions that seem relatively minor.

Offenses cited this summer included dropping soda cans and food wrappers on the ground, dipping feet into the fabled canals, sleeping in the shady alleys, picnicking on ancient paving stones, and even walking around without a shirt. If going topless is indecent behavior for men, it’s almost unimaginable to contemplate how the city might react to a shirtless woman!

To soften the blow on the omnipresent tourists, Venice has hired a small army of multi-lingual young women to enforce the rules of behavior. Officially called "hostesses," they carry badges, copies of the new rules, and cellphones to call for reinforcements when necessary.

Patrolling popular St. Mark’s Square is their main assignment.

The new laws, which carry fines ranging from 50-500 euros, were actually on the books before 2007 but were never enforced. But that was before Mayor Massimo Cacciari, a philosophy professor, reacted to pressure from several aldermen on the city council.

Officials say they are aiming at European day-trippers who often bring their own food, rather than vacationers who patronize Venetian hotels, restaurants, and shops. But all are feeling the sting.

Before this year, various plans to tame tourists have included setting quotas for visitors without sleeping accommodations, making all visitors buy tickets to visit the lagoon city, or imposing a special tourist tax. All have failed for one reason or another.

The trick for Venice is to control tourist behavior without alienating potential tourists.

Diplomacy needs to be part of the equation.

Beyond tourist misbehavior, Venice has many more serious problems, including polluted water, sinking buildings, and a declining number of fulltime residents.

Perhaps careless tourists are driving them away.

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