- Italy's tourism minister called out tourists misbehaving in the country this summer.
- He labeled them "vandals" and accused them of having "no respect for our cultural heritage."
Italy's tourism minister chastised misbehaving tourists after several incidents plagued the country this summer.
Daniela Santanchè didn't mince words in a statement to CBS published Saturday.
"These tourists are also vandals, because they have no respect for our cultural heritage, which belongs not just to Italy, but to the whole world. We've introduced a bill with a very simple concept: You break it, you pay for it," she said.
—Gennaro Sangiuliano (@g_sangiuliano) June 26, 2023
Italy is a popular travel destination for travelers each summer, but the last two months were fraught with tourist blunders.
In June, footage of a man carving his and his girlfriend's initials into the Colosseum went viral, prompting the local government to intervene. The man later wrote an apology letter that claimed he was unaware of the monument's age. The Italian news agency ANSA reported that he faces up to five years in prison and $16,000 in fines.
—Agenzia ANSA (@Agenzia_Ansa) July 15, 2023
Italian authorities investigated a 17-year-old Swiss teen in July after a tour guide filmed her defacing the Colosseum with the letter "N." In Rome, a video taken that month showed a woman climbing into the Trevi Fountain to fill up her water bottle.
Even the country's prime minister got involved this week when he paid the bill for four Italian travelers who dined and dashed at a restaurant in Albania.
—Storyful (@Storyful) August 14, 2023
Other vacation destinations are facing similar problems, including Paris.
On Monday, two Americans were caught sleeping in the Eiffel Tower after becoming intoxicated just three days before a man jumped off the Eiffel Tower with a parachute. The parachuter was arrested and now faces criminal charges.
The Associated Press reported that Europe is experiencing a tourism rebound this summer, caused mainly by Americans.