An insatiably popular city on the French Riviera has revealed it is clamping down on over-tourism with a bold cap on cruise passengers – in a huge blow to UK holidaymakers
A popular EU hotspot is clamping down on over-tourism after unveiling a brutal visitor cap.
Every year, around three million tourists flock to the ultra-chic city of Cannes, lured in by its golden sandy beaches, designer shops, and A-list-studded film festival. The influx is largely attributed to cruise passengers travelling through the French Riviera, who get dropped off in huge crowds for day-trips.
In fact, in 2024, a staggering 460,000 cruise passengers flocked to Cannes – resulting in concerns of pollution and overcrowding, as well as straining local amenities for permanent residents. However, in a major crackdown confirmed by the council – this could all soon change.
Starting next year, a maximum of 6,000 cruise passengers will be allowed to disembark in Cannes per day. The number of mega ships carrying more than 5,000 passengers will also be cut by 48 per cent, with a long-term aim of banning all vessels carrying more than 1,300 people by 2030.
The harsh limit follows in the footsteps of the nearby city of Nice, which vowed to ban ships more than 190m long and with a capacity of more than 900 passengers from docking in its port, as well as the neighbouring Villefranche-sur-Mer from next summer. However, authorities have since backtracked on the ruling, now permitting ships carrying up to 2,500 people to dock in Villefranche-sur-Mer, but only one at a time, with a cap of 65 per year.
According to EuroNews, cruise operators have criticised the move in Cannes – arguing such restrictions are ‘damaging’ to tourist destinations and holidaymakers. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says such a strict cap ‘imposes unjustified restrictions on a sector that enables millions of people to discover the world’.
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The company argued that cruises ‘actively contribute to the vitality of port cities’ by bringing in income to the area. However, Mayor David Lisnard was quick to defend the decision and double down on the cap.
“Cannes has become a major cruise ship destination, with real economic benefits,” the politician said in a statement. “It’s not about banning cruise ships, but about regulating, organising, setting guidelines for their navigation.”
As reported by the Express, Mayor Lisnard has already imposed an environmental charter on cruise companies back in 2019. Back then, he threatened to block passenger excursions if they failed to comply.
Other popular cities including Venice, Barcelona and Amsterdam have also capped cruise ships in recent years – following a string of anti-tourist protests that have erupted across the continent. While it puts the future of Brits’ cruise holiday into jeopardy – it’s likely the move will be well received by fed-up locals, who have long demonstrated against overcrowding and spikes in holiday rentals.
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