Eva

Dateline: 05/12/99 <BR> <BR>The Ugly Side of Venice <BR>Never mind postcard-perfect views of the Rialto Bridge at night and gondoliers hovering song-like over the waters of the Grand Canal, Venice's establishment apparently wants you to see pickpockets, dead pigeons, graffiti, and trash dumped straight in the canals. <BR> <BR>The Times of London reports that Mayor Massimo Cacciari has commissioned controversial Benetton photographer Oliviero Toscani to photograph the unromantic side of Venice in an attempt to ward off thousands of day-trippers who, in the mayor's view, spend little money but crowd the transport system and leave a wake of litter. Wanted in Venice are wealthier cultural tourists who will stay two nights or more in a hotel. <BR> <BR>Beginning in June, Toscani's unsavory images will appear on billboards throughout the city. <BR>

David

Scusi...What's your point?????

Eva

Sorry for posting something I found interesting. I am travelling to Venice this summer and I'll be looking for those posters. Sometimes people are too blunt in these forums. Makes you not want to participate. It shouldn't feel that way.

Beth

Eva, <BR>I thought it was interesting. Post away. It does seem like an odd way to discourage daytrippers who are already in the city. <BR> <BR>--beth

Jan

I will be in Venice in Sept. I will also look for the billboards. I am not one of the wealthy cultural tourists...sorry Mayor Cacciari.

Elsa

Eva, <BR>I thought your post was quite interesting. It's probably not "the rich" tourists that keep Venice going, but rather the vast majority of "average" income people visiting from all over the world that do. <BR>Elsa

April

Apparently I'm not the only one who found this posting interesting. Don't let the 'down-putters' get you down. <BR>

michele

I thought it was a very interesting post, and not a bad idea. I am for just about anything to keep crowds down.The beauty of Venice can easily be eclipsed by the hordes of tourists there, and that's how many places have been ruined.

elvira

Having spent a lot of time on the New Jersey shore, where daytrippers are called "shoebies" (because they bring their stuff in a shoebox - food, drinks, suntan oil, etc) and resented because they spend no money in the seaside resorts but do spread their litter and use the bathrooms, I can understand Mayor Cacciari's concern BUT I think he's gone a bit far. It just may backfire on him...I'm sure all those 'wealthy' tourists are going to be turned on by the threat of pickpockets and the smell of garbage, and race to Venice to spend their thousands of dollars. Most tourists to Venice aren't daytrippers (there's a whole string on how Venice requires several days to really enjoy it), DO spend money in the restaurants and cafes, DO stay in hotels for several nights, and DO pay large amounts of money to take gondola rides. Think the mayor needs to spend more time keeping his city from sinking that deterring imaginary daytrippers...

Cheryl Z.

<BR>Sounds as if he is bowing to the demands of the hotel owners. Daytrippers spend alot on the tours, gondola rides, souveniers etc. but not the actual hotels. People will still continue to visit Venice whether for a day or longer, and tour operators will still continue to offer either in their plans.

eva

These campaign pictures are posted at Benneton's website <BR> <BR>http://goitaly.about.com/gi/dynamic/.../download.html

eva

These campaign pictures are posted at Benneton's website <BR> <BR>http://www.benetton.com/venice/download.html