Overtourism in Italy: It's an Organizational Problem, Not a Numbers Game

Stefano Monti argues that overtourism in Italy is not a problem of too many tourists but of poor organization. He compares the phenomenon to a Sunday lunch at grandma's house: the meal is anticipated and enjoyed, but complaints follow. Despite record tourism numbers—over 266 million overnight stays—the system fails to distribute visitors effectively. Monti criticizes the lack of preparation and coordination, leading to overcrowding in popular spots while other areas remain neglected. He introduces a new index by Demoskopika, the Indice Complessivo di Sovraffollamento Turistico, which measures tourist overcrowding using five indicators: tourist density, territorial density, tourist intensity, gross utilization rate, and urban waste per tourist. The index ranks the top five provinces with the highest overcrowding: Rimini, Venice, Bolzano, Livorno, and Trento. Monti notes that these results are counterintuitive—Bolzano, Livorno, and Trento appear more at risk than Naples, Milan, or Rome—but explains that shifting focus from city to province changes the picture. He calls for a clear definition of the problem through standardized parameters at both municipal and provincial levels, arguing that once the problem is precisely defined, solutions will follow. The article is published on Artribune.