Venice is using cameras and mobile phone data to manage tourist entry.
Venice is monitoring tourist movements by using nearly 500 cameras and sensors that keep track of who is entering the city. The new systems can differentiate residents from visitors, track origins and destinations and determine movement speed.
According to Reuters, the city government wants to track "every person who sets foot in the lagoon city." The number and the speed of boats and gondolas can be determined by the system at any given time. Tech company Venis built the city surveillance system.
The city is also testing turnstiles and using a mobile app for reservations. Officials expect to control the number of tourists and reduce traffic-related noise, pollution and congestion in Venice's main attractions, especially during the high season.
More importantly, by defining the patterns and movements across the city, officials will be able to close off entry if the number of tourists exceeds the carrying capacity.
