Former residents began converting their Venice homes into short-term rentals and hotels; the advent of low-cost airlines and Airbnb did the rest. Precious, but with a mono-economy of mass tourism that is perilously lacking in resilience, say even those who depend on that economy. She insists the municipal government does have ideas on how to move away from mass tourism — in place even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Paola Mar, a Venice city councillor responsible for tourism, says the municipal government has ideas on how to move away from mass tourism — which were in place even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. "But this crisis could be used to justify not just a return to mass tourism, but to even more mass tourism.

Source: CBC News July 04, 2020 19:45 UTC