The island of Capri is introducing new rules for the tourism sector in a bid to limit the negative impacts of mass visitor arrivals in the Mediterranean destination. The regulations govern the size of tour groups and the use of equipment, marking small shifts that aim to make life more livable for islanders.
Capri sits in the Bay of Naples and has been a high-end tourist destination since the days of the Roman Empire, when it provided Emperors Augustus and Tiberius with a retreat. In the 19th-century it was a favourite among artists, and by the mid-20th century was inextricably associated with Italian glamour—even having a cropped summer trouser named after it.
But things are tightening up. From as early as the summer 2026 season, tour groups disembarking on the island will be capped at a maximum of 40 people. Group leaders working with more than 20 visitors at a time will be obliged to communicate via headphones or earpieces rather than loudspeakers. In addition, the use of umbrellas or flags to signal between group members and help people stay together will be banned. Instead, only lapel name badges and discreet signs will be permitted.
Industry stakeholders have welcomed the moves. Lorenzo Coppola, president of Capri’s ASCOM hotelier association, hailed the change as a step that would address overcrowding on the island where, during the summer months, residents can be outnumbered three-to-one by visitors.
Coppola called the new controls an “act of responsibility that reflects our vision of an island that is finally more liveable. The new rules for organised groups are indispensable tools for decongesting critical areas, giving back breathing space to our pedestrian routes,” he said.
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While some have complained that the new rules are elitist, VIP tavern owner Gianluigi Lembo argued quality of life and tourism on the island would be enhanced for everyone as a result of the changes. “No one should be excluded,” he said, but recognised that “there must also be a limit on groups because space on the island is limited. So, I welcome the cap, which I don’t see as protecting just VIP tourism, but for everyone.”
Meanwhile, the island’s mayor, Paolo Falco, has promised new boat traffic controls at Manina Grande port. Studies are underway to find the best way to resolve security and crowding issues, he said, saying new measures would be found before the summer.
