Cannes is done with huge cruise ships. The French city is joining the overtourism backlash

PARIS (AP) – The Riviera French Riviera Resort de Cannes requires what its municipal council calls “drastic regulations” to cruise ships, prohibiting all ships carrying more than 1,000 people from its port from next year.

The home of the first world film festival joins an increasing global reaction against Suntourism, which recently saw an uproar on Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez ‘ Wedding in Venice This weekend, demonstrations in the water protest in Spain and a surprise strike at the Louvre Museum.

“Less numerous, less large, less polluting and more aesthetic” – it is the goal of the municipal councilors of Cannes who voted on Friday to introduce new limits on cruise ships in its ports from January 1. Only ships with less than 1,000 passengers will be authorized in the port, with a maximum of 6,000 passengers dismounting per day. Larger ships will have to transfer the passengers to small boats to enter Cannes.

France – which attracted some 100 million visitors last year, more than any other European country and more than the country’s population – is on the front line to balance the economic benefits of tourism with environmental concerns while managing ever increasing crowds.

“Cannes has become an important destination for cruise ships, with real economic advantages. It is not a question of prohibiting cruising ships, but of regulating, organizing, defining directives for their navigation,” said Mayor David Lisnard in a statement.

Cruise operators called these damaging restrictions for destinations and passengers.

Sunday, two cruise ships were to dock in Cannes, each larger than the next limit of 1,000 passengers and with a combined capacity of more than 7,000 people. Their owners did not immediately respond to requests for comments on new restrictions.

The Mediterranean city near Nice has announced limits to cruise ships earlier this year, just like other European cities.