Capri introduces new tourist-friendly measure at expense of local businesses
Capri, the Italian island, has implemented new measures in an attempt to improve the experience of tourists.
Like any other European holiday location, tourists who arrive in Capri are descended upon by a litany of restaurant owners and street traders who are all vying for their custom. But that will now be changing thanks to a new rule.
In order to maintain the high-class image that Capri wants to preserve, it is cracking down upon this tactic used by local businesses and banning aggressive street solicitation, which essentially means it is now against the law to try to drum up business in public places.
Mayor of Capri, Paolo Falco, said of the rule implementation (per Euronews), “Commercial operators, owners of tourist service agencies and their employees are absolutely prohibited from carrying out customer procurement activities through intrusive and insistent methods.”
Falco continued, “We understand the need to convey a promotional message, but we do not compromise on the need for this to be done with the grace and elegance befitting Capri.”
Any business found guilty of breaking the new rule will face a fine between €25 to €500.
The island, which is situated near Naples, only has a local population of less than 15,000, but can be visited by 50,000 tourists on a daily basis during the height of the peak summer season, which can make walking around freely difficult. Therefore, it’s hoped that this measure will ease that issue.
Previously, in February, Capri confirmed that it would be limiting the number of tour groups to 40, and they would also have to use headphones and earpieces to communicate rather than loudspeakers.
All of these measures are designed to make the island more liveable for both locals and tourists.
