The Italian island of Capri has implemented a new regulation imposing fines of up to £433 (€500) for aggressive street solicitation, a move that is expected to be welcomed by tourists. The ban targets intrusive behavior from tour operators, restaurant hosts, and street vendors who approach tourists in public spaces.
Details of the New Law
Under the new law, commercial operators, owners of tourist service agencies, and their employees are prohibited from engaging in customer procurement activities through intrusive and insistent methods on public or publicly used land. The minimum fine is set at £21 (€25), but repeat offenders could face fines escalating into the triple digits.
Mayor's Perspective
Mayor Paolo Falco, a proponent of better tourism management, noted that businesses pressuring tourists have a detrimental effect on the island's perception. He shared an example of tourists being stopped more than five times from disembarking to the funicular entrance with offers for trips and restaurants. Falco emphasized the need for promotional activities to be conducted with the grace and elegance befitting Capri.
Previous Measures
This is not the first change implemented on Capri this year. Earlier, the council limited tour groups to 40 people to reduce overcrowding, a move Falco described as preventing tourists from looking like 'herds of sheep'. Similar regulations have been adopted in other tourist destinations, such as Mallorca, which limited guided walking tours to 20 people per group in Palma.
Additional Rules for Tour Guides
Capri's regulations also require guides leading groups of more than 20 to use wireless earpieces instead of loudspeakers. Groups must stay together, and guides must refrain from holding up umbrellas for tourists to follow; instead, they must wear easily identifiable clothing.
These measures aim to improve the overall tourist experience and quality of life for the island's 13,000 residents, who often face congestion from the 50,000 visitors during the high season.
