The Italian island of Capri has reopened to tourists after resolving water supply issues that occurred over the weekend. On Saturday morning, Capri's Mayor Paolo Falco ordered a ban on tourists until the island's water shortage was resolved. He emphasized that water is essential during the tourist season, so the island would temporarily stop accepting visitors.
As a result, thousands of tourists were stranded on the island due to a water crisis caused by a failure in the mainland’s water system. The Mayor noted that the emergency would be exacerbated by the influx of tourists expected to arrive in Capri over the weekend.
Shortly after the Mayor issued the ban on new tourists, boat crossings were halted to prevent additional arrivals. This led to traffic congestion and long lines at the ticket office in southern Naples, where most ferries to Capri depart. Capri is one of Italy's most popular tourist destinations, attracting thousands of visitors daily. In April 2024, at the start of the tourist season, up to 16,000 tourists arrived in Capri, surpassing the island's population of nearly 13,000.
Given that the number of visitors often exceeds the resident population, it is clear that mass tourism has taken hold of this beautiful Italian destination. To mitigate the impact of tourism, Capri has doubled its tourist fee from €2.5 to €5, applied to those taking ferries from Naples or Sorrento. This measure is in effect from April through October.
By promoting off-season travel, the island aims to spread tourist visits throughout the year. However, this is unlikely to succeed, as Capri remains a favorite destination in Italy, with Instagram users tagging its views in over four million posts.