> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://hyperallergic.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Pompeii Caps Visitors as Overtourism Threatens Ancient Sites
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/pompeii-caps-visitors-as-overtourism-threatens-ancient-sites/
- Published: 2024-11-11T21:31:47.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T15:04:08.000Z
- Description: The archaeological park saw 36,000 visitors on a single Sunday this summer.
- Author: Isa Farfan
- Tags: News, Italy, Pompeii, Tourism, Trevi Fountain, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-large, #Import 2025-11-24 09:36 (2023, 2024, part 2)

At least two Italian cultural heritage sites are cracking down on [overtourism](https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/11/10/its-changing-the-citys-face-locals-share-stories-on-how-overtourism-impacts-romes-culture?ref=hyperallergic.com) after [record-breaking](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/tourist-numbers-italy-hit-record-2023-foreigners-majority-2024-06-04/?ref=hyperallergic.com) numbers continue to flock to the country's most iconic attractions. 

After seeing more than 4 million visitors this past summer, Pompeii Archaeological Park will cap daily attendance at 20,000 people beginning on November 15, park officials [announced](https://pompeiisites.org/comunicati/dal-15-novembre-pompei-introduce-il-biglietto-nominativo-e-il-limite-giornaliero-dei-20-mila-visitatori/?ref=hyperallergic.com) last week. 

Pompeii’s announcement comes after Rome’s Mayor Roberto Gualtieri [endorsed](https://apnews.com/article/trevi-fountain-entrance-fee-overtourism-crowding-5818f5d39d3dc7c90bb6973a06e3164a?ref=hyperallergic.com) a €2 (\~$2.13) fee to visit the Trevi Fountain, the 1762 Baroque masterpiece by Nicola Salvi that is undergoing a [$330,000](https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/09/travel/italy-trevi-fountain-restoration-intl-scli/index.html?ref=hyperallergic.com) restoration through the [end of the year](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/bridge-offers-unique-view-romes-trevi-fountain-during-conservation-work-2024-11-09/?ref=hyperallergic.com#:~:text=Restoration%20of%20the%20fountain%20%2D%20a,and%20cultural%20heritage%2C%20told%20Reuters.). 

This fall’s cap on Pompeii attendance permits 15,000 visitors to enter from 9am through noon and a maximum of 5,000 people until 5:30pm. The park said it saw 36,000 visitors on a Sunday this summer. Tickets will also be personalized with the names of visitors, a strategy to diminish disruptions from tourists on the UNESCO World Heritage site, according to the park. 

Rogue tourists have made [headlines](https://hyperallergic.com/tag/pompeii/) for vandalism and disruptive behavior at landmark Italian attractions for years, including this summer, when a man carved his [family initials](https://hyperallergic.com/tag/pompeii/) into an ancient Pompeii home this summer. Last year, another tourist was detained for the [same action](https://hyperallergic.com/tourist-detained-after-vandalizing-ancient-pompeii-house-of-ceii/) at the park’s House of Ceii, and a woman drew outrage online after she was filmed [refilling](https://hyperallergic.com/amid-record-heat-woman-refills-water-bottle-in-romes-trevi-fountain/) a bottle with water from the Trevi fountain on a particularly hot day. 

While the fountain is undergoing renovations, a temporary pool of water has been installed for tourists to throw coins in ([legend](https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/3/7/what-happens-to-the-coins-tossed-into-romes-trevi-fountain?ref=hyperallergic.com) has it that tossing a coin will guarantee a return to Rome). City officials have said the measure is in place so that tourists [don’t throw coins](https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/05/travel/rome-trevi-fountain-stand-in-pool/index.html?ref=hyperallergic.com) at the renovation workers. 

Earlier this year, Venice became the [first city in the world](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/25/world/europe/venice-access-fee.html?ref=hyperallergic.com) to adopt a tax for tourists stopping through its historic center just for the day. Visitors were charged €5 (\~$5.33) for [57 days](https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/10/25/venice-day-trippers-will-face-steep-fines-if-they-dont-pay-fee-designed-to-combat-overtour?ref=hyperallergic.com) beginning in April and through the summer after [20 million](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/28/in-disney-fication-of-venice-world-hits-its-overtourism-tipping-point.html?ref=hyperallergic.com) tourists made landfall in 2023\. Venice will bring back the day-trip fee next spring at [€10](https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/10/25/venice-day-trippers-will-face-steep-fines-if-they-dont-pay-fee-designed-to-combat-overtour?ref=hyperallergic.com) (\~$10.65).

In a news release, Pompeii Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel said that the park is attempting to thwart “anthropic pressure,” which could pose safety risks to both visitors and the archeological site. Zuchtriegel also said Pompeii officials are “working to expand the usable areas in the ancient city and develop other sites in the area.” 

“We are aiming for slow, sustainable, pleasant, and non-mass tourism,” Zuchtriegel said in a statement.