Italy: Cruise Trippers Unwelcome

An average of 59,000 tourists a day visit Venice to see the old town’s romantic canals, labyrinthine alleys and, of course, St. Mark’s Square. The huge cruise ships bringing them there, however, are having an increasingly detrimental impact on the lagoon’s ecosystem. Tourists are also being blamed for the increase of souvenir shops and restaurants, which are pushing out local stores serving residents. Many Venetians are now forced to go to the mainland to do their shopping.