This security system can track the direction of visitors, even the speed of their movement.
After issuing a policy for visitors to Venice including charging fees, requiring reservations and controlling the number of people entering the city, the Venetian government continued to add more specific solutions to avoid overcrowding. tourist load. Specifically, the city uses 468 CCTV cameras, optical sensors and mobile phone tracking systems to distinguish visitors from locals, Italians and foreigners. This security system can monitor the direction of visitors and even the speed of their movement.
Every 15 minutes, authorities get a snapshot of the city's density, the number of gondolas sailing on the canal. In it, they also observed which boats exceeded the allowed speed and whether the canal water rose to dangerous levels.
Visitors to Venice from next summer will have to pay a fee of 3-10 euros and be monitored by security cameras. Photo: Reuters
The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, said the aim of the new policies was to make tourism more sustainable in a city estimated to receive 25 million visitors a year. But he admitted, receiving negative feedback, even protests and lawsuits is inevitable.
In addition, Brugnaro also said that the privacy of visitors will be guaranteed. The data obtained from the tracking system will be anonymized. However, his message is also very clear, which is not only controlling the number of people entering the city, but also asking visitors to behave properly. "There will be conditions attached to getting priority bookings and discounts. You can't go to Venice in a swimsuit, jump into the canal from bridges, or get drunk. Whoever comes here has to come here. respect the city," he said.
The new policies are met with many comments from visitors. Marc Schieber, from Germany, said: "I felt something was wrong when I heard that I needed to pay to enter Venice. I thought it was a new way for them to make more money." However, a longtime resident of the city like Stefanno Verratti is supportive of these policies. "I've lived here for 30 years and the city used to be very different. Nowadays, many tourists just come to buy kebabs, take a quick selfie on the Rialto bridge and then rush to board the train. I don't know if they really take advantage of it. enjoy this city," he said.
