Cannes Imposes Cruise Ship Restrictions Amid Overtourism Concerns

In a bid to manage overtourism, Cannes will introduce new regulations on cruise ships beginning January 1, local officials announced on Friday. Under the new rules, only cruise ships carrying fewer than 1000 passengers will be permitted to dock at the French Riviera city, while a daily maximum of 6000 passengers will be allowed to disembark.

Larger vessels exceeding the limit will be required to offload passengers using smaller boats. Meanwhile, two cruise ships with a combined capacity of over 7,000 passengers are expected to dock in Cannes this weekend. “Cannes has become a major cruise ship destination, with real economic benefits. It’s not about banning cruise ships but about regulating, organizing, setting guidelines for their navigation,” Mayor David Lisnard stated.

Cannes joins the growing list of European cities – including Venice, Nice, Barcelona and Amsterdam – that have taken measures to curb cruise tourism to protect local infrastructure and environments. France, the world's most visited country last year with nearly 100 million tourists, is now facing increasing pressure to balance tourism revenue with sustainable urban planning. Earlier this week, workers at the Louvre Museum in Paris went on strike, citing "unmanageable crowds".