“The Overwhelmed City”: Physical and Social Over-Capacities of Global Tourism in Venice

Venice faces severe physical and social over-capacities due to global tourism. A study comparing 2008 and 2019 reveals a dramatic expansion of tourism infrastructure: bed places in accommodations surged by 497%, while restaurants increased by 160% across all districts, contrasting with a 13% population decline. Despite a slight 4% rise in shops, the city's residential fabric is under immense pressure, reshaping daily life for locals and fueling anti-tourism movements. The research translates tourist practices—eating, sleeping, buying—into spatial and temporal analysis to assess sustainability and urban transformation. A 2019 residents' survey further illuminates depopulation motives and societal reactions, highlighting the need for balanced tourism management to preserve Venice's cultural integrity.

Bertocchi, D., & Visentin, F. (2019). “The Overwhelmed City”: Physical and Social Over-Capacities of Global Tourism in Venice. Sustainability, 11(24), 6937. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11246937