Chronicle: Now Italy has had enough of the tourists

"Don't like tourist, think tourist sad". Just as in the old Povel Ramel song it is not, Italy appreciates and needs its tourists. With over 50 million visitors a year, the country is one of the world's largest destinations and tourism is an important source of income. That is precisely why, however, it is believed that the measure is now getting roughed and fining more and more people who do not respect the rules and prohibitions.

A German couple who cooked coffee on the street at the Rialto Bridge in Venice was fined the equivalent of SEK 10,000 and was rejected from the city. Venice Mayor Luigi Brunaro boiled as much as the coffee, with anger, when he noted that disrespectful tourists may be enough. The city has problems with locals moving. Even in cities such as Rome and Florence, many of the residents feel that their everyday lives suffer from all tourists everywhere on buses and squares and when grocery stores and fruit shops are replaced with souvenir shops.

In order to safeguard all sensible tourists, more and more municipal leaders also feel that they must stop those who practice "murder and fuggy" tourism. A concept that roughly means taking a careless taste bud in a place and then moving on. This summer, a record number of tourists have been fined and classic seaside resorts such as Tropea in Calabria have put up signs and introduced zones where bikini and bodybuilding are prohibited. Those who do not respect it risk a fine of SEK 5,000 and be rejected from the area.

Some tourists protest, but more and more municipalities are following suit. In Ravenna, a ban on smoking has been introduced on the beach and has already fined a woman with 100 euros. She says in an interview that there is a risk of scaring off tourists. There were also fine fines for a Spanish family father who collected sand and white stones from a paradise beach in Sardinia, in eight bottles. The explanation to the police was "we should have the sand in our aquarium". Sand theft threatens many of Italy's most beautiful beaches.

In the cities, people bathing in the fountains are another problem, both naked and dressed. Italian television recently showed how a police officer was allowed to jump in Fontana di Trevi and appease a man who wanted to make an Anita Ekberg in the famous fountain in Rome. In Venice, a man from Austria who was bathed in the Grand Canal was fined. The excuse that he was hot didn't help. The same thing for a Canadian 23-year-old woman sunbathing in a bikini in a park, it was SEK 2,500 in fines. Tourists who even sunbathe in cemeteries or hang up their travel laundry and their hammocks in parks are a rude Italian police now handing out fines.

Sitting on stairs to famous monuments and statues and munching lunches can also be expensive. In short, in these times of mass tourism and in order to preserve Italy's beauty, both cultural, historical and beautiful nature, more and more people believe that tougher rules and fines are the right way to go. So it might be wise to remember to pack with the people's respect and respect for others in the suitcase along with the Italy guide.