Wearing helmets and throwing smoke bombs, the group displayed banners reading ‘Speculation in progress’ and ‘Florence is dying of wild tourism and speculation’.
“It’s our non-welcome to the seven greats of the planet,” said the organisers.
“We know well in Florence the effects of tourism as a driver of economic growth.
“Overtourism has led to an uncontrolled expansion of short-term rentals, the surge in real estate and rental costs, the sell-off of public assets,” said Chiara Giunti, a member of the organising committee.
There were other initiatives of the Salviamo Firenze per viverci (Let’s Save Florence To Live There) “blitz” at the weekend, such as campaigners putting stickers on the key boxes of apartments intended for tourist rentals.
“These stickers have worked miracles, and what had been at a standstill for years has had a huge acceleration,” said Massimo Torelli.
Torelli was referencing a resolution of the city council at Palazzo Vecchio council that on Tuesday banned key boxes on the facades of buildings in the central UNESCO listed area.
“However, they have not understood that there is not only a UNESCO area [to be protected, but] the rest of Florence.
“These restrictions must apply to the entire city.
“The paradigm must change; Florence cannot support this flow of tourists and the real estate speculation that former mayor [Dario] Nardella has attracted to this city in the last decade.
“Every city,” concluded Torelli in reply to Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè who defined overtourism as a ‘non-problem’, “must be able to support a tolerable number of tourists along with residents and those who work there”.
ANSA
