Tourist crackdown continues, Venice bans new hotels

After restricting the tourist's entry to Piazza San Marco, the authorities of Venice are now planning to ban all the openings of new hotels in La Serenissima.

According to The Independent, the ban, which is expected to be confirmed this week, will prevent all the developers from converting buildings into tourist accommodation or making extensions to those already in existence.

Massimiliano De Martin, the assessor, while talking to a local daily said, "The situation is fairly weighty. It is a key resolution for our mandate, and puts us in line with Unesco policy."

However, this plan will not cover any island beyond the city centre.

The ruling does not include private rentals such as Airbnb, which are increasingly controversial in a city which is haemorrhaging locals.

It should be noted that, UNESCO is expected to call a moratorium next month over adding Venice to its "at risk" list, where it would join the likes of Aleppo and Damascus.

The city's fate will be discussed in July by the World Heritage Committee.

-ANI