Pompeii Archaeological Park Will Have A Daily Limit Of Visitors In Bid To Curb Overtourism

To manage crowds, Pompeii Archaeological Park will start limiting the number of visitors to 20,000 daily starting November 15. The park will also schedule tickets to control peak visitor numbers. Nestled along the Italian coast under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano, lies Pompeii, a thriving resort city south of ancient Rome.

Why Is Pompeii Archaeological Park Using This New System?

In order to minimise overtourism and preserve the historical integrity of the UNESCO World Heritage site, the park is introducing timed ticketing. This summer, Pompeii saw record-breaking attendance of more than 4 million tourists, emphasising the need to limit visitors in order to protect the ancient Roman city and its ruins, according to park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel, as reported by The Times of India.

Since the park already receives between 15,000 and 20,000 people each day on average, the director of the park said that a new daily cap will stop the number of visitors from increasing further.

The new rules for the park are part of a bigger plan to strike a balance between tourism and conservation. By enabling visitors to experience the region’s rich cultural and historical resources outside of the main archaeological site, park director Zuchtriegel hopes to promote sustainable tourism.

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The “Greater Pompeii” Project

The park’s “Greater Pompeii” initiative, which will offer free shuttle services to other historic sites like Stabia, Torre Annunziata, and Boscoreale, is being introduced with ticket constraints. By encouraging visitors to visit lesser-known but culturally significant areas around Pompeii, the intention is to reduce the strain on the main site.

Instead of mass tourism, Zuchtriegel promotes a slower pace that respects the local environment and cultural heritage in order to create a sustainable and enjoyable travel experience, as reported by The Times of India.

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Timed slots and Pompeii’s new customised ticketing system offer a planned approach to controlling the number of visitors, particularly during busy times. Beyond the main site, the ‘Greater Pompeii’ project offers a free shuttle service that connects Pompeii to neighbouring archaeological sites, each of which has its own historical treasures. These sites range from opulent Roman villas to burial grounds.

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