The number of international travel arrivals to a country other than one’s own increased by 4% to approximately 1.6 billion trips in 2025, according to UN Tourism.
Although affordable airfare and the continued post-pandemic travel boom have fueld the trend, many popular destinations that were not designed to see such large numbers of visitors are struggling with the impact of overtourism.
Cities such as Barcelona, Nice, and Amsterdam have all attempted to restrict large cruise ships, while officials in Venice have experimented with a visitor fee for tourists entering the canal city during peak holiday and weekend days.
Other efforts to fight crowding attempted in different parts of the world range from promotional campaigns encouraging travel during the shoulder season (typically spring and fall), to entry taxes, to outright bans of Airbnbs and other vacation rental platforms.
Capri to crack down on group tours with new limits
The latest destination to introduce new tourist rules is the Italian island of Capri. Sitting in the Tyrrhenian Sea in the Gulf of Naples, the island is often associated with Italian glamour due to the large number of celebrities and European royalty who vacationed there in the 1950s and 1960s. Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn were once big fans and regular visitors.
Its azure waters, limestone cliffs, and bright, native flora have long made Capri an island that stuns with its natural beauty. But with the rise of affordable aviation and easy ferry access from Naples and Sorrento, what was once an exclusive destination has come within easy reach of large numbers of tourists.
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While Capri is home to a permanent population of approximately 15,000 residents, it saw more than 2.7 million visitors in 2025, with peak summer periods drawing as many as 50,000 daily arrivals, according to Euronews.
As these numbers continue to rise from year to year, the local government passed new regulations that restrict any group tours disembarking on the island to a maximum of 40 people and limit how guides work on the island.
Those leading groups of more than 20 people will, beginning this spring, be required to give travelers headphones rather than using loudspeakers and carry only a small sign instead of colorful umbrellas to lead their group.
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“They look like herds of sheep”: Capri mayor on new rules for tour groups
“They look like herds of sheep and it’s not nice to see,” Capri Mayor Paolo Falco said to British outlet The Times in a statement that sparked immediate criticism. “We need to save beauty; we don’t have any other choice.”
The municipality is also weighing additional restrictions, such as further capping the number of ferries that arrive on the island.
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After weighing how the lighter restrictions impact tourist numbers and the overall vibe on the island during the 2026 summer season, the local council will consider whether to introduce stricter ones.
“We don’t want to limit the number of people coming here,” Falco said further in the interview. “We want a more sustainable model where visitors don’t find themselves in an infernal nightmare.”
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