Capri focuses on peace and quiet for tourists. Direct street solicitation is no longer permitted thanks to the new "anti-harassment ordinance".
"Would you like a boat trip, signora?" or "Enjoy the best fish in our restaurant!" is what visitors to Capri hear on many corners of the popular island. A new "anti-harassment ordinance" issued by the local authority aims to put an end to direct advertising and barking campaigns in future.
Capri is so beautiful! The island in the Gulf of Naples is one of the most famous and most visited vacation destinations in Italy. Vacationers love its villas and the rugged rocky coastline with the "Blue Grotto". Around 13,000 people live on Capri, and in summer tens of thousands of day visitors from Naples and the Amalfi Coast come here every day.
To ensure that the paradise remains dreamlike and is not swallowed up by mass tourism, the municipality has already introduced several regulations this year, as Falstaff TRAVEL reported. Now they also want to improve the behaviour of the locals.
A new regulation stipulates: "Commercial operators and owners of agencies for tourist services are strictly prohibited from using intrusive and persistent methods to attract customers on public or publicly used land." This was reported by the daily newspaper La Repubblica.
"We understand the need to convey advertising messages, but this should be done with the sensitivity and elegance that Capri stands for," explains Mayor Paolo Falco to the Italian newspaper.
In future, anyone who approaches tourists on the street in order to lure them into restaurants or offer them excursions will face fines of between 25 and 500 euros. There is a particular focus on "intrusive and persistent methods", as the regulation states.
This is the island's response to growing discontent among visitors. Especially in the heavily frequented areas around the port and old town, many travelers recently felt disturbed by aggressive speech. The aim is to improve the appearance of the town and relieve the public space.
