The pandemic hiatus has given the city—which is celebrating its 1,600th birthday this year—a chance to reflect on how tourism's exponential growth has eroded its social fabric, driving non-touristy businesses and residents out
In early June MSC Orchestra entered the Venetian Lagoon, the first time a cruise ship had entered since the pandemic hit Italy in February 2020
Image: Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images
In early June, the MSC Orchestra, a 2,500-passenger cruise ship, entered the Venetian Lagoon at dawn, sailing through St. Mark’s Basin, past the Doge’s Palace and the still-quiet St. Mark’s Square. It continued its journey through the Giudecca Canal and then docked on Venice’s main island.
It was the first time a cruise ship had entered the lagoon since the pandemic hit Italy in February 2020.
In a place that is heavily dependent on tourism, and where cruise travel contributes about 3% of the local gross domestic product, many in Venice welcomed the ship.
But others did not. Among the latter were 2,000 protesters who met the MSC Orchestra when it sailed on its reverse route two days later. Some were on small boats on the Giudecca Canal; others chanted anti-cruise slogans from the waterfront.
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