back to previous screen
Current Implications
Measures to avoid the current impact of tourism
the Expo 2000 case
Venice was among three cities being considered to hold Expo 2000, a four month world exposition welcoming
in the new century. The exposition would bring in an estimated 200,000 visitors per day. There was
question, however, as to whether Expo 2000 would be a net economic stimulus for Venice or whether the
event's environmental impact would cause irreparable ecological damage. The Venetian regional
government spent approximately $750,000 on a feasibility study,whose conclusions left city officials opposed hosting Expo 2000.
Italy's foreign minister, Gianni De Michelis, in 1990, led the campaign to host Expo 2000. The advocates of
the plan, the Venice 2000 Consortium, was led by Mr. De Michelis's brother Cesare, and backed by 40
companies including Fiat, Benetton, Olivetti, and Coca-Cola and Ferruzzi Finanziaria S.p.A. They argued that
this would held Venice's economic revival, including improvements in telecommunication and transportation
infrastructure. Further, they also proposed a computerized
system to regulate the flow of tourists into Venice and argued that visitors should be charged for a "Venice-
card" to enter the city, thereby bringing revenue.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Mayor of Venice, backed by residents, art historians, and
preservationists world-wide, led the opposition to holding the Expo. Even without the Expo, Venice is
inundated each summer with roughly 100,000 tourists per day. The result: overcrowding of the streets,
excessive garbage, and destruction of monuments, causing residents to flee the island at an alarming rate of
1,500 per year. The exposition would double the amount of peak season tourism in Venice, more than likely,
doubling the problems associated with tourism.
The Italian government made the decision to withdraw Venice's candidacy from the Expo 2000. Had they not
withdrawn the application, the final decision would have been entrusted with the International Bureau of
Expositions (BIE), a Paris based Intergovernmental Agency, to vote on a site for Expo 2000. At the same
time, the European Parliament voted in May of 1990 to call Italy to withdraw its candidacy. The European
Community Environment Commissioner, Italian Carlo Ripa di Mean, demanded full environmental studies for
the plan. These and other environmental groups pressured the Italian government into their decision.
Although the Italian government made the decision, many countries were affected. City residents and
government officials of Venice were affected the most as were all of the 47 members of the International
Bureau of Expositions (B.I.E.) were effected and Hannover and Toronto, two other cities competing to host
the Expo. Local and other businesses, particularly those in the Venice 2000 Consortium, (Fiat,
Benetton and Ferruzzi Finanziaria), lost potential profits. On the other hand, private organisations working
through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Save Venice, Inc., Venice in
Peril Fund, World Monuments Fund, etc.) won a small victory for their efforts to preserve Venice's priceless
monuments and artwork.
Although this measure did not ban tourists, it would not attract the same level of visitors to Venice as the
Expo.
The decision to withdraw Venice as a candidate for Expo 2000 affected future tourism in Venice. The tourism
industry brings in tremendous amounts of revenue to the city. Further environmental damage and
overcrowding would have hurt Venice's image as a tourist destination. It could also led to a greater impact on
the physical environment, perhaps contributing to the sinking of Venice.
When looking at the isolated case of the Expo 2000, trade was effectively prohibited because business
opportunities were eliminated. On the other hand, one could argue that over the long run trade was actually
enhanced by protecting the Venetian environment. Expo 2000 could have severely damaged the physical
environment, warding off much of Venice's potential future tourism industry.
Although the Expo 2000 case was resolved, the everyday problem of excessive tourism in Venice remains.
The groups working to preserve the integrity of Venice still have much to do. The questions raised by the
Expo, such as providing a subway to Venice, requiring visitor cards and using the revenue to preserve
Venice, still have to be answered. The pollution problems in Venice from mass tourism and lagoon pollution
are still critical issues that require long term planning.
Summary and suggestions to overcome the mentioned problems
It is possible to envisage certain applications to a number of instruments to tourism, for the reason already
stated that, as a major industry with respect to the consumption of productive and energy resources,
generation of waste and use of unpriced natural and man-made resources, it has a substantial environmental
impact. (Stabler, 1997) The imposition of charges on the use of inputs and production of waste will make both
more expensive and encourage businesses to economise, for example taxes on packaged products, deposit-
refund schemes for the use of recyclable materials and charges for the use of water. With respect to natural
and man-made environments, the application of taxes and user charges, perhaps in form of permits or simply
regulation of quotas, can be applied to restrict access to certain areas to the tourism resource base. Those
implications needs to be considered, however, carefully as it should be avoided to scare away customers into
areas which do not levy charges.
Tourism business, in common with many other economic enterprises, are mainly concerned with their self
interest. Response to penalties or incentives will only be positive if there is a net gain. For example, given the
choice between a charge, or investment to meet a specific environmental target, which would be effectively
eliminate the problem, the charge would be chosen if it proves to be the cheaper option.
Looking at the problems Venice is encountering with damage due to tourism and the cost involved, it seems
natural to charge tourists for the use of the resources. Due to the fact that tourists are entering the city mainly
via three points, by boat via San Zaccaria (Piazza San Marco) and F.te Nove or by road and rail via P.le
Rome, this charge could be levied as a special tax on tickets or roadtax for the use of the bridge linking
Venice with the main land. Ferrytickets from the mainland into Venice are currently priced at about 4 £ for a
return ticket, a tax of 2 £ which is linked directly with a fund for the restoration and preservation could be
considered feasible amounting to about 14 million £ per annum for the conservation of Venice.
Increasing costs for wastedisposal in the area seems more the adequate considering the amount of waste
produced by tourists. Comparing the amount of waste produced for Venice and the beachresorts to areas
less used by tourists show a difference of 400% higher amount of waste in coastal areas. Tax on waste can
be levied in different ways of which a tax levied at the wasteproducer seems to be the most feasible. Doing
this, hotels would be forced to minimise their amount of waste by reducing the use of single portion packs as
well as the use of recyclable containers for foodstuff and other goods. Tourists staying on campsites and in
apartments would have to pay for their waste as it is already common in other countries, for example
Switzerland were wastedisposal has to be paid for by volume. This would force tourists to use the, already in
the area existing, facilities for recycling or minimise potential waste, such as packaging material, already
when shopping.
Problems with waste are also increasing with the increased amount of fast food outlets, for example
McDonald's which did not exist in Venice just three years ago. Today there are at least for outlets of this
chain in the centre of Venice. Traditional finger food or snacks were served in small trattorias and bars not
using more than a single tissue are toothpicks for handling. Drinks are served in glasses or cups which are
reused and therefore do not increase the volume of waste in the city. Fast food as it is provided by the chains
is wrapped several times and drinks are served, without alternative, in plastified papercups. Those wrappers
increase the amount of waste which, at certain times can not be controlled at all resulting in overflowing bins
and finally waste ending up in the canals creating special problems.
The Venice approach
Since 1998, and also earlier, a code of conduct for tourism has been set up which can be enforced within city
limits. As already mentioned earlier, main day to day issues in Venice are the amount of waste. For this
reason the city set up a catalogue of on-spot fines relating to this issue. Dropping cigarette-boxes into canals
can be fined up to the equivalent of one thousand pounds while littering any squares will cost hundred pound
on the spot.
Another problem within Venice is traffic congestions caused by the number of tourists every day. Tour-guides
are not allowed to take groups into certain parts of the city and have to avoid blocking small roads. As all
guides need to be licensed, the withdrawal of the licence is common practice for trespassers.
The introduction of a 'Venice-card', already often discussed in the Regione Veneto and the City council over
the last years, will be made by the year 2000 costing up to 8 Pounds a day.
Plans for the Caorle and Venice lagoon
A grassroots initiative of more than 6.000 citizens of the Veneto Region is asking in a bill, forwarded to the
Regione Veneto early 1998, for the introduction of a natural and cultural park in the lagoon of Venice and the
Cavallino Littoral. This bill is motivated by the need to defend the lagoon environment (Consorzio Cavallino
Assocamp, 1998b). The creation of a special Park authority should lead to a global management of the
lagoon, reviewing the requisites of environmental protection with the requirements of productive and
residential use in this densely populated area. The bill has already begun its progress, it is however unlikely to
be decided swiftly as the debate on the nature of the park is more than animated. Particular involved in this
debate are touroperators who should benefit from the scheme with an improved image and financial returns,
for example, with the extension of the season beyond the summer month with a tourism based on natural
history. Many counterarguments are brought forward by groups interests in the economic exploitation of the
waterways in the lagoon, such as the Consorzio Idrovia Litoranea Veneta, the consortium for venetian
waterways. Their interest is mainly to increase the amount of tourist using the waterways in the
lagoon.
The debate is open and there are a number of ideas still to be discussed. Some points are however clear.
First there is a consent that in the park, the local population and human resources must play a central role,
given the high number of inhabitants in the area. The second concern is the need to establish a rigorous limit
to the tourist consumption in this extremely fragile territory. If the Veneto Region takes on board the proposal
to create this park, than the tourist offer of Cavallino will be enhanced. By exploiting the lagoon more
efficiently and still preserving the environment, the possibilities for presenting this area with its natural
characteristics and cultural heritage to visitors will be multiplied.
A similar approach is already made with the lagoon of Caorle which, similar to the lagoon of Venice,
represents an unique environment for flora and fauna. As of 1999 the access to the lagoon is heavily
restricted in several measures. Access to the shallow water areas are permitted only with permissions only
available to locals with economic interest in those areas, for example fishing. All other areas are restricted to
non-motorised boats or excursions into the lagoon and only opened to the general public on days of special
interest, such as Marie Assumption or Ferragosto, a major holiday in Italy on which processions on water are
traditional held. Using a wide campaign to promote this, the project is well accepted within the area.
Rail-link Jesolo - Punta Sabbioni
As already mentioned earlier one of the main problems for the Cavallino peninsular is the trafficcongestion
along the main road. Starting already in 1998 a new traffic concept has been developed, trying to get the
vehicles with the Punta Sabbioni / Venice destination on to a side road along the lagoon, leaving access to
the tourist facilities and local businesses along the main road. This concept has been introduces first by
signposting and it can be expected that the main road will be blocked near Punta Sabbioni by means of traffic
regulations. Another idea, brought op by a consortium of enterprises around Sig. Ballarin, owner of some
major tourist facilities, along the peninsular is, to build a rail-link between Jesolo and Punta Sabbioni, taking
public transport of the road and reducing the general congestion. This idea, however, is still in planning and
will require some extra land along the main road, with some local farmers reluctant to give this up. The
discussion about this proposal is heated, and an introduction of a rail-link to the area can not be seen in the
near future.
Take nothing but photographs;
leave nothing but footprints;
kill nothing but time.
(Tourist motto, Croall, 1995)
Demands towards a sustainable tourism
Much has been said about the environmental impact of longhaul tourism and all inclusive resorts overseas.
This does, however not mean that tourism into other areas and using other concepts do not have an
impact.
Considering the fact that every kind of tourism will have an impact on the environment, a few demands
should brought forward to the travel industry and the individual tourist to minimise adverse effects.
The travel industry, under the roof of the WTO, should look out for a feasible option to devise an
environmentally responsible way to deal with the amount of tourists carried. The minimum expectation,
borrowing from pollution control approaches and consistent with the polluter principle, should be based on the
'best practicable' or 'best available' technology (Stabler, 1997). This is now interpreted as the best practical
environmental option, in which all environmental media and the option provided should provide the most
benefit or cause the least damage to the environment as a whole at acceptable cost in the long term as well
as the short term. Such an approach, applied at the level of the individual tourism enterprise will be consistent
with the concepts of economic efficiency and opportunity costs. Conformance to such standards will mitigate
environmentally damaging consequences of tourism but will not necessarily eliminate them. Critical nature
capital, such as the stratospheric ozone layer, will still be eroded by tourism travel, non-renewable resources
will still be consumed in tourism infrastructaral developments, renewable resources, such as water, may be
strained beyond their maximum sustainable yield in certain destination, and the cost of correcting current
damaging activities, such as the disposal of untreated sewage, may be judged unacceptable in some
destinations. This does however do not bail out operators of their responsibility to develop a sustainable
tourism
The following points are among those made in some of the many 'good tourist' codes that are being devised
in different countries and focused at the individual tourist. (Croall, 1995).
Using public transport, or other means of travel that are environmental friendly, such as cycling or best of all,
walking, helps to lessen traffic congestion in popular places, as well as reduce the amount of pollution caused
by car use. Looking at the special problems in Venice the use of water-taxis should also be avoided by all
means.
Avoiding the peak times of the year or the week for a visit or holiday helps to ease overcrowding, and
lessens any physical damage to the environment. This can also help to extend the season in tourism
resorts.
Avoiding the honeypot areas can often provide an equally pleasurable experience, since there are many
places of the beaten track that can match such attractions, while offering more space to the visitor. Up to now
most tourists in the Veneto area are merely interested in Venice, not considering places of interest in a similar
travel distance such as Verona.
Treating the physical environment with care means not leaving litter behind, keeping off areas not open to the
public, staying on footpaths or bridleways in the countryside and dunes, and being sensible to the presence of
wildlife.
Considering the needs and rights of people living in the area involves respecting their privacy and their
property, and their desire to live without interference from curios, noisy or insensitive visitors.
Learning about the culture, language, history and geography of the place visited can make it easier to make
contact with local people, which can help to reduce the hostility which can build up between them and
visitors
Such hostility can also be avoided or reduced by a recognition and tolerance of the different customs, codes
of dress and behaviour of the local community. This means for example not entering churches in
inappropriate dress or restaurants in bathing shorts. (it happens not only on campsites)
Buying local products and eating in locally owned cafes and restaurants can help to support the local
economy, and ensure that more of the proceeds from tourism stay in the area, rather than go to outside
individuals or companies. This demand dismisses any type of all inclusive holidays with the negative impact
on the environment it has.
Using local resources sparingly means that more of them is available to local people during the rest of the
year.
Respecting the culture of a locality involves separating the authentic artistic experiences being offered from
the adapted ones created merely for tourists.
Annotations
Et in Arcadia ego, the German translation of this was used on the titelpages of the first two editions of
Goethes "Italian Voyage", published in 1816 and 1819, however it was omitted in the edition of last hand
(Ausgabe letzter Hand). The origin of the words is uncertain but could be attributed to Vergil. Arcadia as an
imaginary landscape of outstanding beauty, happiness and peace. The motto was later used in several
paintings such as of Guercinos (1591-1666) in Rom or Nicolas Poussin (1593-1665), now in Chatsworth,
Devonshire Collection.
For statistical reasons the Regione del Veneto, Direzione Regionale Tourismo, separates the Veneto into 5
areas. Those areas are Citta' d' Arte, which include Venice, Verona and Padova, Lago, which is mainly
concerned with tourism on the Venetoside of Lake Garda, Mare, the seaside resorts along the Adriatic coast.
Terme includes the eugean thermal resort as well as new established thermal spas, for example in Bibione,
while Montagne is covering the mountain areas of the Veneto Area which stretches in the north into the
dolomites. For this project I have concentrated on the seaside resorts as they attract the largest number of
tourists and Venice as the main Cita' d' Arte in the area. Statistical movement of tourists can be found in the
appendix.
Appendix
Reference and Bibliography
ACTV, SERVIZIO NAVIGAZIONE E BUS DI LIDO, 1998, Orari estivi,
Venezia; Actv
AGENZIA DI PROMOZIONE TOURISTICA DI VENEZIA, 1998, Venezia,
Hotels, Campings, 1998, Venezia, APT
ASPIV, (AZIENDA SERVIZI PUBBLICI IDRAULICI E VARI VENEZIA),
1998, Carta del servizio idrico integrato, Venezia
AZIENDA DI PROMOZIONE TOURISTICA DI VENEZIA, 1997, Statistica
degli esercizi ricettivi, Venezia, APT
AZIENDA DI PROMOZIONE TURISTICA, 1998, Jesolo, mappa, Jesolo;
APT
BERGAMO, E., 1998a, Emergenza aqua potabile, Il Gazzetino (Venezia),
15
August 1998
BERGAMO, E., 1998b, I campeggi restano senza acqua, Il Gazzetino
(Venezia) 15 August 1998
BRITISH AIRWAYS, 1997, For the Environment, Annual Environmental
Report 1997, Hounslow, Midas Press
BRITISH AIRWAYS, no date, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, Recognising
environmental responsibilities in the tourism Industry, Harmondsworth, BA
Environment Branch
CATER, E., LOWMANN, G., (ed.) 1994, Ecotourism, A sustainable
Option?, Chichester; John Wiley & Sond Ltd
CONSORZIO CAVALLINO ASSOCAMPING, 1998a, A natural park in the
Venice lagoon and the Cavallino Littoral, Forum estate, Anno 5, No.33,
Cavallino, Edizione del Veneto di Vacanze e Natura Sas
CONSORZIO CAVALLINO ASSOCAMPING, 1998b,Cavallino celebrates
460 years, Forum estate, Anno 5, No.33, Cavallino, Edizione del Veneto di
Vacanze e Natura Sas
CONSORZIO IDROVIA LITORANEA VENETA E DIRAMAZIONI, (ed.)
1998, Litoranea Veneta, Mirano; CILVD
CROLL, J., 1995, Preserve or destroy, Tourism and the Environment,
London; Calouste Gulbikian Foundation
ENEL, 1998, Analisi dell'Utenza, Venezia, ENEL
FABBRI, F., 1995, Morte a Venezia, Greenpeace denuncia livelli record di
diossine e composti cancerogeni in Laguna, Roma, Greenpeace
FERROVIA DELLO STATO, 1998, Arrivals in Venice by train,
Venice
FIEDLER, T., 1989, Auf der Suche nach dem verlorenen Meer, Stern, 20
July 1989, Hamburg, Gruner+Jahr
FIEDLER, T., 1990, Schaumkampf auf italienisch, Stern, 26 April 1990,
Hamburg, Gruner+Jahr
GOETHE, J.W., 1981, Italienische Reise, 4. edition, Muenchen,
DTV
HUNTER, C., Green, H., 1995, Tourism and the Environment, A
sustainable relationship?, London; Routledge
KEIFFENHEIM, M., 1998, Tourismus als Therapie, interview with Jost
Krippendorf, p.19, Greenpeace, Magazin fuer Umwelt und Politik, July -
August, 01/98, Hamburg
KRAEGENOW, T., 1998, Zu Tode geliebt von Touristen, Greenpeace,
Magazin fuer Umwelt und Politik, July - August, 04/98, Hamburg
MEISTER, M., 1998, Grosse glitsch Algen, Stern, 17 August 1989,
Hamburg, Gruner+Jahr
NITSCHKE, H., 1998, Why Cavallino?, Forum estate, Anno 5, No.33,
Cavallino, Edizione del Veneto di Vacanze e Natura Sas
REGIONE DEL VENETO ASSESSORATO ALLE POLITICHE
AMBIENTALI, 1997, Situazion del recupero edelle fraziono organice per la
produzione di compost nella regione Veneto, Venezia , Regione del
Veneto
REGIONE DEL VENETO, ASSESSORATO ALLE POLITICE PER
L'AMBIENTE, 1998, Situazione della produzione, raccolta differenziata e
frazione indifferenziata del R.S.U. nella regione Veneto, Anno 1997,
Venezia, Regione del Veneto
REGIONE DEL VENETO, GIUNTA REGIONALE DIREZIONE
REGIONALE TURISMO, 1998, Rilevazione sul movimento turistico
riepilogo regionale, periodo gennaio / dicembre, 1995-1997, Venezia;
SIRT
SIEVERT, T., 1998, Uebernachtungen im Zelt/Caravan, Hamburg,
Eurocamp Travel Ltd
STABLER, M.J., (ed.) 1997, Tourism and Sustainability, Principles to
Practice, Wallingford; CAB International
home