How to cruise responsibly in over-touristed destinations across Europe
In Venice, where large ships over 25,000 gross tons are banned from the historic Giudecca Canal, visitors can now arrive by yacht or smaller vessels, as per Euro News. These offer up-close views of the Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Basilica, and other landmarks, without adding to the city's tourism strain. Similarly, Palma de Mallorca has capped cruise arrivals to three ships per day, with only one large vessel allowed. A clipper cruise, sailing on a traditional tall ship, allows travellers to explore the Balearic Islands without contributing to overcrowding at ports. Such cruises make it possible to step off and visit the Gothic cathedral, walk the Old Town, or take in the island's coastline without major disruption.Dubrovnik, which limits daily cruise ship arrivals to two vessels carrying a total of 8,000 passengers, can also be visited by sea through small-boat sailing tours. Travellers can explore Croatia's Adriatic coast and visit historic cities like Dubrovnik with less impact on local communities.
Many destinations have introduced new regulations to manage tourism volumes. Greece's islands of Santorini and Mykonos now charge a €20 cruise passenger tax during peak season. Cannes in France will cut the number of large ships and limit passenger numbers starting next year. Cities like Barcelona and Amsterdam are also scaling back cruise activity, with the Dutch capital aiming for a full phase-out by 2035. Norway will begin allowing local tourist taxes on cruise passengers from next summer.
These restrictions reflect a growing movement across Europe to balance tourism with environmental and cultural preservation. While access to major destinations is changing, responsible cruising through smaller, sustainable means ensures visitors can still experience Europe's coastlines without contributing to its overcrowding challenges.
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Just before the Air India crash, did India avert another deadly mishap?
Do bank stress tests continue to serve their intended purpose?
Did Jane Street manipulate Indian market or exploit its shallowness?
Second only to L&T, but controversies may weaken this infra powerhouse's growth story
How Balrampur Chini, EID Parry are stirring up gains amid melting sugar stocks
Stock Radar: Poly Medicure stock looks attractive for short-term gains; still down 30% from highs
Stock picks of the week: 5 stocks with consistent score improvement and return potential of more than 29% in 1 year
Capital market stocks: Some corrections are opportunities, 5 stocks with potential downside to upside from -20% to +24%
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
5 years on, India resumes tourist visas to Chinese
NEW DELHI: After a five-year hiatus, and ahead of a possible visit by PM Narendra Modi to China next month for the SCO summit, India announced resumption of tourist visas for Chinese nationals. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Both sides have looked to facilitate people-to-people exchanges to normalise ties. China, which has been keen to resume direct air services, welcomed the decision as a positive move. The Indian embassy in Beijing announced the decision effective July 24 on Weibo, China's microblogging site, on a day the two countries also held another round of diplomatic talks on border affairs, expressing satisfaction with the "general prevalence of peace and tranquillity in the border areas, leading to gradual normalisation of bilateral relations". India and China have had frequent high-level engagements since Modi's meeting with President Xi Jinping in Kazan last year, following the agreement to complete the disengagement of troops at the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh. The decision to restart tourist visa services for Chinese nationals is the second significant step towards normalisation, after the resumption of Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. China welcomes India decision on tourist visas The Chinese foreign ministry said, "This is a positive move. Easing cross-border travel serves the interests of all parties. China will maintain communication and consultation with India to further facilitate travel between the two countries." Chinese foreign minister and special representative (SR) for boundary talks Wang Yi is expected to visit India soon for the next round of SR (special representative) talks with NSA Ajit Doval and, with the thaw in ties holding up, Modi himself is likely to visit China for the SCO summit, to be held Aug 31-Sept 1. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now If it happens, this will be Modi's first visit to the country in seven years. During his recent visit to China, foreign minister S Jaishankar had said, while citing the complex international situation, that as neighbouring nations and major economies, an open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China was very important. In the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination (WMCC) talks on India-China border affairs, according to an Indian readout, the two sides agreed to maintain regular exchanges and contacts on issues related to the boundary affairs at the diplomatic and military levels through established mechanisms. The focus was also on the upcoming SR talks for which Wang will be in India. "The two sides also prepared for the next round of Special Representatives' talks on the India-China boundary question to be held in India later this year," the Indian readout said. Doval had travelled to China for the last round of SR boundary talks in Dec 2024. Doval and Wang had then reiterated the importance of maintaining a "political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship" while seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for settlement of boundary question, and resolved to inject vitality into the process.
Economic Times
3 hours ago
- Economic Times
Ease of moving places for the Indian tourist
The Indian passport gained the most strength in the last six months, according to the latest Henley Passport Index , which lists countries by the number of destinations holders can travel to without needing to obtain a prior visa. Gratifying as the development is, India now ranks 77 - up from 85 - and has quite a way to go to make it into the top 10 list. Typically, acquiring a visa becomes easier with rising per-capita income, explaining the strength of passports issued by G7 countries. By this yardstick, India remains a middle-income country that imposes 'costs' on outbound travel. Yet, the next wave of global travel is expected to be led by Indians, and it would be in the interest of popular destinations to make themselves more welcoming to the Indian tourist. A degree of reciprocity is involved with India having to make the visa process easier for inbound seem to favour destinations in Asia because of improving connectivity, favourable exchange rates and easier visa requirements. Efforts to strengthen the Indian passport within the Asia-Pacific region could accelerate the nation's climb in global rankings. India has a large untapped potential for inbound convention tourism that should benefit from improving connectivity and an easy visa regime. Saturation of this category in mature Western markets, and the geographical diversity of India's offerings against Asian competitors, should help the country meet its target of doubling its share of the global MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) tourism market. The expanding footprints of the Indian aviation and hospitality industries are its rising economic power, India projects a fairly open foreign policy that contributes to the strength of its passport. The country is also the biggest supplier of migrant workers across the world. It is also the biggest recipient of remittances. This adds to the need for India to place special emphasis on facilitating foreign travel.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
UP gears up for tourism overhaul: Services, jobs, heritage in focus
LUCKNOW The UP tourism department on Wednesday announced a series of public-focused reforms aimed at boosting tourism, creating local employment and preserving cultural heritage, during a high-level departmental review meeting held at Paryatan Bhawan here. Now, tourist places would be better maintained and have more local homestay options with enriched cultural experiences. (Pic for representation) At the heart of the new directives is the urgent push to fill long-pending vacancies across the tourism and culture department, especially at the district level, which has impacted service delivery to citizens and tourists alike. Officials were instructed to fill pending vacancies immediately — through outsourcing if necessary — to ensure smoother operations in local tourism offices. 'Citizens of UP will soon feel a shift towards a more accessible, community-centred and accountable tourism ecosystem. As the state readies to revise its policies and rejuvenate its institutions, public benefit remains the central theme — from more jobs and better services to a stronger connection with UP's diverse cultural identity,' said minister of tourism and culture Jaiveer Singh during the meeting. He emphasized that the state's 2022 tourism policy will be reframed, drawing best practices from other Indian states, to reflect current needs and public expectations. Now, tourist places would be better maintained and have more local homestay options with enriched cultural experiences. Officials were warned against delays or negligence in implementing public projects. Local jobs, local culture Recognising the untapped potential of rural and tribal regions, officials agreed that homestays be introduced in villages showcasing the unique Tharu tribe culture. This initiative aims to provide employment and income for rural families, while giving tourists an authentic cultural experience. The officials stressed over the importance of developing eco-tourism, calling for a long-term plan to create sustainable destinations that support local ecosystems and economies. The Ganga Gram initiative, which focuses on villages along the sacred river, will be fast-tracked, with all relevant data to be submitted to headquarters promptly. Bringing the world to UP On the international front, officials proposed a strategic outreach campaign to attract foreign tourists, especially from Buddhist countries. The ministry will seek coordination with Indian embassies abroad and request support from the ministry of external affairs to organize roadshows and cultural exchange programmes, building UP's image as a spiritual and cultural hub. Protecting heritage, reviving assets To strengthen historical awareness and educational tourism, officials agreed for installation of informative plaques at heritage sites and historical documentation of each location. The progress on various infrastructure projects was also reviewed, including guest houses and tourism units and emphasized turning loss-making properties into viable assets through public-private partnerships (PPP), where necessary. Illegal encroachments on departmental lands will be removed in coordination with local administrations, and those spaces will be utilized for public-benefit projects, they added. Culture dept under scanner The culture department came under close scrutiny, as the minister expressed dissatisfaction over slow implementation of previous directives. He reviewed recruitment processes, procurement of statues and performance of cultural academies and institutions. The minister reiterated the government's commitment to preserving and promoting the state's rich artistic legacy while ensuring better governance and transparency. Two new MoUs were also signed during the meeting, indicating ongoing collaborations and future partnerships. The meeting was attended by principal secretary Mukesh Kumar Meshram, special secretary Isha Priya (tourism), special secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh (culture), among others.
