Pompeii (Italy) (AFP) - The world-famous Pompeii archaeological park introduced on Friday a daily limit of 20,000 visitors, the latest Italian tourist hotspot to take action against overcrowding.

The “experimental” scheme will see visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site required to buy named tickets which, in the summer, will be divided into morning and afternoon slots.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of Pompeii, told AFP the measure was designed to better manage crowd numbers, leading to a more “sustainable” growth.

“The idea is not to close Pompeii but to expand Pompeii and better manage the flow,” he said at the launch of the scheme at the historic site near Naples in southern Italy.

Last year more than four million people visited Pompeii, an ancient Roman city buried when Mount Vesuvius erupted nearly 2,000 years ago – the vast majority during the summer months.

Organisers expect this year’s numbers to be even higher.

Some 3.84 million people visited between January and October – including a peak of more than 36,000 on one Sunday when entry was free.

Zuchtriegel said the numbers caused concerns about visitor and staff safety and about the protection of the unique site, where many of the buildings – and even some bodies of the estimated 3,000 victims – were perfectly preserved after the eruption.

“We want to guarantee all visitors a high-quality experience. It must never be mass tourism,” he said.

Tourism worldwide has surged since the Covid-19 pandemic but the numbers of people flocking to top sites has sparked warnings about potential damage to irreplaceable buildings or monuments, and protests by local communities under pressure.

Italy is the fourth most popular tourist destination in the world, welcoming 57.2 million foreign tourists last year who spent $55.9 billion, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Many of these tourists head to the same sites – Rome’s historic centre, Florence, Venice, Pompeii and the Cinque Terre in northwest Italy.

- ‘No negative consequences’ -

The city of Venice earlier this year introduced a five-euro ($5.3) entry fee for day trippers during peak periods, in a bid to entice tourists to visit during quieter periods.

Meanwhile walking the newly renovated “Path of Love” on the Cinque Terre, where at high season human traffic jams form along the trails between the region’s colourful coastal villages, also requires a ticket.

In Pompeii, Jan Kubec, a 37-year-old Czech tourist, said setting visitor limits was a “good idea”.

“Overtourism is a problem in the world in general… If you have too many people visiting, the place may not be inherited by other generations,” he told AFP.

Dominique Gilbert, a 54-year-old French tourist, said there were upsides and downsides.

“To restrict access for large crowds a bit is interesting because it protects the site. But for people who reserved their plane tickets in advance and are in a group or with a tour operator, it could be complicated,” he said.

Limiting ticket numbers during peak season may seem bad for Pompeii’s budget but Zuchtriegel said they were working to ensure “no negative consequences on takings”.

The park hopes to tempt visitors to other sites nearby, with the idea that if only an afternoon ticket is available for Pompeii, a tourist might decide to spend the morning elsewhere.

Zuchtriegel said efforts were also underway to open alleyways and streets in Pompeii that are currently closed, which would provide more space for visitors and allow organisers to raise the 20,000 daily limit.

“It is not a measure against growth. We are focusing on sustainable growth, lasting over time,” he insisted.

Between April 1 and October 31, a maximum of 15,000 visitors will be allowed in from 9:00am to 12:00pm, and 5,000 from 12:00pm to 5:30pm.