On the St. mark's square, a Seagull snatches a little boy in the tin foil wrapped Sandwich out of his Hand. He laughs in fright, his mother pulls him more. With a higher probability of being the one who gets stolen by a hungry bird to eat, is probably one of the disadvantages, if you are one of the most famous attractions in Venice and more or less alone.

Normally, the place people from all corners of the world, pushing on the mark, some treat yourself to an overpriced coffee in a Local or a Souvenir, on which the word "Venezia" is emblazoned. Others, it pulls in one of the prestigious museums. Others, again, shoot a Selfie.

this is normal in Venice, just nothing. If also normal as before 3. June. The day, since EU citizens no longer need to be in a two-week long quarantine when you travel to Italy.

And also the date the block usher in a kind of everyday - after months of hard and strict output. Italy was the country that was hit first in Europe, from the Corona-crisis. And the country that has particularly complain about many Deaths.

Venice could was a breath

But so difficult the situation was - and still is - COVID-19 has given Venice a little respite. According to official data, over-12.5 million people spent the night here last year, an estimated 15 to 16 million have stopped by for a day trip.

to find a Lot of many, Jane da Mosto. It comes on this Sunday morning, the Rialto bridge for a bit. A few tourists are already there, photographing the front of hindümpel the boats on the Grand Canal that winds through the lagoon city. Da Mosto was born in South Africa and has lived for 25 years in Venice with her husband, a Venetian, and their four children.

Mosto of your home speaks When there, describes it as a lemon, which is the local government "squeezed". Or as a cow, "milked" is. With her Initiative, "We are here Venice" fight against cruise ships, generally opposed to mass tourism that destroys the character of Venice. Particularly furious, she makes that only a few people want to live in the lagoon city - or can. A little more than 51,000 are at the Moment. For many landlords it is rent much more lucrative to tourists than to families with a normal income.

Jane da Mosto calls from the local government to create incentives so that Venetians can be found in other industries outside of tourism Jobs. "My four children love the city and want to have a future," said da Mosto.

stay Longer, and more

Nicolo Bortolato spend, although, as 65 percent of all people living in the Venice of visitors depending on the wishes, but for a Hotel of a similar target audience as Jane da Mosto for the city. People who come to Venice, because they are interested in, want to immerse yourself in the thousand year old history.

ten years Ago, Bortolato has converted, together with others in Venice, well-known Palazzetto Pisani in a Hotel. Who descends here, not only paid for bed and Breakfast, but Venezia gets Flair included. Everywhere paintings hang, there is a Salon with old wooden furniture, where guests can sit together and chat.

these are the kind of Tourist who can afford a few euros more to spend, the wish to be in Venice.

Even the one in Venice, the responsibility to attract as many visitors as possible in the city, says that it can't go on as before. Paola Mar, the Commissioner for tourism in the lagoon city, stands on one of the many bridges of Venice. Actually, they wanted to introduce, in July, entry fees, and then Corona came and now will delay everything.

Mar lives on the mainland. Your critics say that the tourism Officers don't understand how it is to need to on the way to work through crowds of people pushing or to be every single day startled by Airbnb guests, the pounding on doors, because you have the wrong apartment.

Venice has also to fight with other problems

If you talk to Paola Mar a upper limit for tourists - how you can Mosto calls about activist here - is your voice loud, almost a bit angry. How should this be implemented? Mar will rather rely on compulsory reservations, in order to get the tourist crowds in the future under control.

Many of the Venetians is not enough. Your city is not only suffering from too many visitors, but also that the foundations are sinking. In November, a high-water put Venice to a halt and was in many houses a tremendous amount of damage.

On the Canal Grande shows gondolier, how high is the water at that time filed. He is one of those who benefit from tourism, and now particularly hit by the crisis. Of his more than 400 colleagues, many at the Moment, still unemployed. He hope that visitors will come back soon, he says.

Similarly, Hossein, Ismail, Manager of the café Aurora at St. mark's square to see it. He's chatting with the colleagues, a stroll in between the turquoise chairs-and-forth. All are empty, until eventually, two women from Germany and the Vaporettos complain: The Venetian water buses to its already crowded.

author: Marina Strauss

*The contribution of "mass and class: What has been published is Venice hoped for now from tourism" of the German wave. Contact with the executives here.

Deutsche Welle

Date Of Update: 15 June 2020, 22:26