Venice and its surrounding lagoon environment have always shared a symbiotic relationship with each other in a delicate geographical and aesthetic equilibrium. It is for this reason that Venice and its Lagoon have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage property and considered a site of Outstanding Universal Value based on the criteria established by the Convention Concerning the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972).

Venice is an extremely vulnerable city. For a number of years, it has been facing a critical situation caused by the impact of mass tourism, a factor that is also placing the integrity of its social and cultural heritage at stake.

A strategy aimed at promoting sustainable tourism is vital for the protection of Venice and can be adopted by everybody working in the sector. A framework of good practices must be identified, developed and implemented so as to inspire visitors to acquire a deeper appreciation and a better understanding of the value of the city and, in particular, of its extreme fragility.

In order to obtain significant results, Venice needs everybody’s commitment!

Among the various professionals involved in the tourism industry, qualified and licensed tourist guides are those who communicate with visitors directly and at greater length. While illustrating the historical, artistic and social aspects of the city, our guides are also committed to contributing directly to raising awareness of the fragility of Venice and its lagoon.

Best Venice Guides’ guides are to be considered veritable cultural mediators not only for their historical and artistic storytelling capacity, but also for the way they interact within contemporary and everyday contexts, making guests more aware of the critical issues that Venice and its residents are currently facing and, by doing so, inducing respectful and conscious behaviours.

Hence, Best Venice Guides’ guides would always:

• Inform their guests of the basic rules that regulate pedestrian traffic in the city prior to their tour. In particular, exhort them to walk on the right side of narrow alleys so as to leave space for the oncoming flow, to restrain from blocking and standing in the way when taking photographs, sitting on the little bridges, littering.

• Facilitate the circulation of pedestrian traffic by limiting large groups to a maximum of 25 people so as to comply with recent regulations introduced by the City Council (except for students and educational trips).

• Avoid disturbance to residents by using megaphones or amplifiers in residential areas. The use of assistive listening devices (whispers) will be used instead.

• Make sure guests do not block entrances to shops or businesses.

• Inform and illustrate the vast cultural assets that Venice can offer – the city artistic and architectural masterpieces, numerous museums and sites of artistic interest.

• Disclose Venice’s wealth of artisan traditions and the importance of its local workshops.