France, Spain, and Italy are combating overtourism by cracking down on cruises that sail their Mediterranean waters.
According to Travel And World Tour, officials in the three European nations have agreed on specific regulations regarding cruises going through their zones. Reportedly, the countries aim to continue generating revenue from the cruise industry while implementing ordinances to ensure sustainability and preserve the Mediterranean Sea’s beauty — both along its coastal towns and in its waters. Notably, Barcelona, Spain; Nice, France; and Venice, Italy, are all among the Mediterranean destinations that have been battling overtourism.
Reportedly, cruise ships deemed sustainable vessels in the region will have docking priority. Moreover, popular ports will prohibit cruise ships with over 3,000 passengers from docking.
The publication noted that, additionally, there will be a limit on the number of vessels that can be at the region’s ports, with “a maximum of one per day” and a total of 15 per month during the high tourist season.
What Else Is There To Know About Cruising The Mediterranean?
In addition to reducing overcrowding in the Mediterranean’s coastal towns due to foot traffic from cruisegoers, the regulations put in place also reportedly aim to support the environmental health of the region.
Back in July, Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, called out the arrival of a Royal Caribbean Group ship in Villefranche-sur-Mer, claiming it violated the cruise ship docking regulations in the region at the time. Estrosi said he called upon local maritime authorities to “order the ship’s immediate departure.”
“I intend to strictly enforce the decisions taken to combat maritime pollution, preserve air quality, and protect the living environment of residents,” he added in the caption of an Instagram post recapping the situation, translated from French.
Other towns reportedly implementing certain regulations regarding cruising the Mediterranean are Cannes, France, and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Elsewhere in Europe, Amsterdam in the Netherlands has also made efforts to limit tourism by regulating the number of cruise ships coming to its port.
