VENICE AND ITS LAGOON. AN IMAGINATION POST COVID

VENICE AND ITS LAGOON

BY PURVA PRATIK PRATHMESH 10th AUGUST 2020

LOCATION PLAN

U.K

GERMANY

FRANCE

ITALY

SPAIN

GREECE

ALGERIA

HISTORY OF THE PLACE

SHIFT FROM TRADE TO TOURISM

• The UNESCO World Heritage property comprises the city of Venice and its Lagoon situated in the Veneto Region of Northeast Italy.

• Its location midway between Constantinople and Western Europe made it an ideal junction for the trade of spices, silk and salt.

• Founded in the 5th century AD and spread over 118 small islands, Venice became a major maritime power in the 10th century

• But as the center of trade moved from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, Venice lost centrality and by the end of the 18th century, when it fell under foreign rule, its decline was unstoppable.

• However, the inhabitants of Venice relocated themselves from Altino (north of present Venice) escaping from the Huns & Attila taking the advantage of the fact that they knew how to surf the lagoons.

• In this lagoon covering 50,000 km², nature and history have been closely linked since the 5th century when Venetian populations tried to escape barbarian raids, found refuge on the sandy islands of Torcello, Jesolo and Malamocco.

• These temporary settlements gradually became permanent and the initial refuge of the land dwelling peasants and fishermen became a maritime power.

• It was then that wealthy Europeans started visiting Italy’s art-rich cities, including Venice, in a tradition known as “the Grand Tour.”

• But by the late 20th century, Venice became what economists describe as a “tourism monoculture,” borrowing the term from the risky agricultural practice of growing a single crop.

•

UNESCO SITE SELECTION CRITERIA CRITERIA I - To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius.

CRITERIA II - To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning and landscape design.

CRITERIA III - To bear a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared.

CRITERIA IV - To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological compound or landscape, which describes one or more significant stages in human history.

CRITERIA V - To bear an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, use of land or marine resources, which is representative of a culture (or cultures) or of human interaction with the environment, especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible changes.

CRITERIA VI - To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas or beliefs, with artistic or literary works, of outstanding universal significance.

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PROPOSED BUFFER ZONE • Provisions in the buffer zone ensure effective protection of the heritage properties and values of the Site in their entirety. This means that in this area too the performance of some works and activities that might have an impact on the Site’s scenic values and thus cause adverse effects on their protection must be regulated. Adverse effects might derive from environmental alterations due to the release of pollutants, certain ways of exploiting natural resources, incompatible planning demands and the making of artefacts and infrastructures that prove invasive and have a negative impact on the landscape and its component elements.

• The revised buffer zone includes the Venezia province and the river Piave as the Buffer Zone should include all the functions that are necessary for an adequate system of access and connection to the Site and for a correct governance of tourist flows. It is possible that exclusion of a province so near to the site, that is excluded from the buffer, can further propose developments that can hamper the protection of the Site from the scenic and environmental view point. Addition of the municipal boundaries of province in the buffer zone also eases managing tourists and the site better. Hence, addition of the province in the buffer will ensure political-administrative and management factors such as the system of planning at different scales for protection of the site.

• Existing buffer zone, although considers , within the municipal boundaries of San Donà di Piave bordering the perimeter of the UNESCO Site in the northern part of the lagoon, it has somehow excluded the river Piave. Piave is one among the other rivers that flow in to the lagoon and the Adriatic sea. The Lagoon of Venice is part of the coastal belt that was characterised by brackish environments for about 20 km landward from the present coastline from Ravenna to Monfalcone along the Northern Adriatic coastline. The delta systems of Piave river limit the lagoon to the north. It has however changed its course over a period of time due to climatic changes and human interventions. It, however adds to the natural and environments values of the Venice city and its lagoon. Hence, any bizarre interventions along or on the river can hamper the significance of the sites. Hence, Protection of the river to avoid any further damage to the lagoon is important.

• The buffer zone also provides protection to landscape factors (visual impact, integrity, natural elements), environmental factors (ecological network, biodiversity, habitat and species habitats).

However, exclusion of part of the Adriatic sea makes the site's natural, environmental and landscape values vulnerable. Any kind of transport infrastructure constructed within human eyesight can threaten the visual integrity of the sight and hinder the experience of the sight. Hence, considering the sea in the buffer zone at at least within human eyesight limits is important for better protection of the site.

UNESCO SITE DELINEATION AND PROPSED BUFFERZONE VENEZIA PROVINCE

TREVIZO PROVINCE

VENICE CITY

PADUA PROVINCE

Adritaic sea

LEGENDS UNESCO SITE DELINEATION PROPOSED BUFFERZONE

PROVINCE BOUNDARY COMMUNE BOUNDARY ROVIGO PROVINCE

ISSUES WITH EXISTING TRENDS OF THE TOURISM • Over tourism.

• Broader problems like Gentrification etc.

• Unsustainable tourism • Overcrowding within the city • Environmental Pollution.

• Traffic mismanagement Overtourism

Improper traffic management.

Overcrowded streets

Gentrification

TOURIST GRAPH OF VENICE Every year Venice experiences as many as 28-30 million tourists which comes down to 77 thousand tourist per day!

However, according to European standards for tourism, Venice can carry only up to 20milion tourist per year excluding the locals.

Due to over tourism, many venetians have opted to move out of the city. In turn the number of locals in Venice is decreasing every year. Considering tourism post pandemic, we account for only 50% of the carrying capacity taking into consideration the social distancing norms, narrow streets of Venice and the existing problem of overcrowding. This graph explains the exact numbers.

MACRO LEVEL STRATEGIES FOR TOURISM (POST COVID-19) • SUSTAINABLE TOURISM - According to the World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism is: “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.

• SLOW TOURISM - Slow tourism is based on the concept of speed. It involves travelling for a prolonged period of time at a slow pace, allowing the tourist a deep, authentic and cultural experience.

• INTELLIGENT TOURISM - Tourism industry can make smart use of Technology for the ease of tourists as well as well being of the local.

RE-IMAGINING TOURISM TRENDS POST PANDEMIC STRATEGIES FOR OVERTOURISM

Pre-Registration of tourists.

Promoting tourism during non-tourist months

Promoting slow tourism through longer stays

Limiting the number of tourists through internet registration.

Visitor passes for tourist transport.

Diversification of tourists in different groups.

RE-IMAGINING TOURISM TRENDS POST PANDEMIC STRATEGIES FOR TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT.

Determining number of tourists per gondola

Provision of ‘ only for locals’ transport system

One way pedestrian/tourists streets to maintain social distancing .

RE-IMAGINING TOURISM TRENDS POST PANDEMIC INTELLIGENT TOURISM STRATEGIES

Highlighting Important places within a monument.

Live tracking of people in public spaces

MICROMANAGING ITENARY OF EVERY TOURIST TYPES OF ITENARARIES: 5 day itinerary & 7day itinerary 1. Architecture and heritage 2. Places and environment 3. Culture and people. 4. Relaxation Itineraries will include visits to different monuments and places in different time slots of the day.

SET 02

SET 01

SET 04

SET 03

SET 06

SET 05

SET 07

People can opt for any kind of itinerary for mentioned days and have a pleasant experience that enhances experience of the city.

USE OF TACTICAL URBANISM AS TOOL FOR PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN PUBLIC PLACES.

USE OF TACTICAL URBANISM AS TOOL FOR PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN PUBLIC PLACES.

RE-IMAGINING TOURISM TRENDS POST PANDEMIC INTANGIBLE HERITAGE

THE CARNIVAL OF VENICE Mid February

THE VOGALONGA ROWING RACE Mid May every Year

VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Mid September

THE REDENTORE FIREWORKS Every 3rd Saturday of July

STRATEGIES: • Digitalization of events on all social media platforms.

• Live streams/Broadcast on television.

• Specific Reserved spots for viewing the events for limited number of people considering all social distancing norms.

THE BIENNALE OF VENICE Every two years April to November

THE VENICE MARATHON Last Sunday of October

THE REGATA STORICA ROWING RACE Every 1st Sunday of September

THE REGATA STORICA ROWING RACE Every 1st Sunday of September

• Managing routes, entry and exit points in religious places like churches.

• Controlling number of people that go inside the church at a single time.

RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Sanitation through spraying of disinfectant

Sanitation of the space by spraying of disinfectant at major touchpoints and critical areas.

Following strict hygiene standards as prescribed for COVID.

Sanitation of the entire tourist multiple times a day.

Alert notification on phones, when people congregate in large groups.

Multiple Standby teams ready in the case of emergency

Proposing Institutional Quarantine Centers ,and COVID care centers to mitigate the transmission.

THANK YOU !

WORK BY PURVA PRATIK PRATHMESH 10th AUGUST 2020