For decades synonymous with the Mafia and crime, Naples has undergone a striking transformation in recent years. However, the city now faces a new kind of problem — one that has become a nightmare for permanent residents: overtourism.

According to a Telegraph feature, Naples is experiencing an unprecedented tourist boom alongside a deep social crisis, marked by resident displacement and the erosion of local culture.

Tourist demand has driven rents up by 40%, pushing many locals out of their homes, which are increasingly being converted into short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb. The numbers highlight the scope of the issue: while 75% of Italians own their home, in Naples 68% now rent.

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Excessive tourism has created serious economic pressures for locals and transformed the cityscape from a traditional, vibrant community into a tourism marketplace.
Livia Coletta, 79, a lifelong resident, explains:
“The historic center is practically off-limits for us Neapolitans — it’s packed with people.”

She adds that many tourists simply pass through quickly — drinking an Aperol, eating pizza, taking photos — without any real interest in the city’s rich history and culture.

Anna Fava, an overtourism specialist, describes the transformation of the historic center into a “theme park,” a phenomenon she calls “Disneyfication.”

Camorra Turns to Airbnb

More worrying still: residents are being pushed out to make room for tourists.
The Camorra has reportedly been buying up cheap properties and converting them into tourist rentals — a profitable and relatively “legal” alternative to drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, Diego Maradona murals and graffiti — now symbols of the city — were not originally part of local tradition but were created to match the expectations of tourists. Shops are increasingly filled with Maradona-themed souvenirs, while traditional products decline.

Fava urges the city council to impose limits on short-term leases, as Amsterdam and Barcelona have done, to prevent total cultural degradation.

Why the Surge in Tourism?

The boom is attributed to budget airlines, online booking platforms, and massive social media exposure. Naples — long associated with crime and garbage-collection problems — has managed to overcome much of this negative image and now attracts visitors from around the world.

There are also Naples-specific factors: the city has featured prominently in books, TV series, and films, from the dark series “Gomorrah” to Elena Ferrante’s novels.
While Camorra feuds still erupt, overall crime levels have fallen.

“Ten years ago, we were Italy’s most dangerous city. Now we’re 13th,” says Vito Occipinti, a young man serving Aperol Spritz on a rainy afternoon on Via dei Tribunali.
“Naples is changing, and tourism brings many benefits. We want the tourists.”

On nearby Via San Gregorio Armeno, crowds admire artisans who craft traditional nativity figurines. Locals say the area is now overwhelmed with tourist shops selling cheap trinkets, while quality traditional stores are forced to close.

Shelves of baby Jesus figurines, miniature donkeys and sheep, and ornate Three Wise Men sit beside every kind of Maradona figure, inviting visitors to buy them as Naples souvenirs.

Entrance Fee for the Historic Center?

Tourist traffic is so intense that city councilor Gennaro Esposito has proposed a five-euro entry fee to the historic center — similar to measures in Venice.
He argues that such a fee, imposed only “during the busiest periods, like Christmas,” could help reduce “irrational overtourism.”

“Tourism is killing Naples. The historic center is gone,” says sociologist and activist Francesco Calicchia from the working-class Sanità district.
“You don’t see normal shops anymore. I remember an old hardware store on Spaccanapoli — now it sells nothing but tourist souvenirs. Compared to cities like Venice or Rome, tourism in Naples is a recent phenomenon. The change was too sudden.”

Residents Divided

An Ipsos survey found that 46% of Neapolitans now consider overtourism a problem, and 58% want stricter regulation of short-term rentals.
But many others have benefited economically and fear over-regulation could “kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.”

“I’m happy there are so many tourists,” says Antonio Sabato, a 55-year-old taxi driver waiting outside Napoli Centrale station.
“It’s good for the city. We’re not stupid — we know when something is good.”

Activist Calicchia disagrees:
“Building an economy based entirely on tourism is suicidal. Tourism is temporary. What happens when the bubble bursts and visitors go elsewhere? What happens to all these bars, pizzerias, pizzaiolos, and waiters?”

And all this unfolds as the holiday season approaches and Naples prepares once again for massive waves of tourists.