Full Breakdown
Rome Considers New Limits on Tourist Golf Cart Tours
By Drooid · · How we work
Surge in Golf Cart Tours and Local Concerns
Tour operators have introduced small electric golf carts to navigate Rome’s narrow, cobblestone streets. Bookings for these tours have risen 147% compared with 2024, according to data cited by the Associated Press (AP). The AP also reported that as many as 500 carts could now be operating in the city. Residents have complained that the vehicles contribute to illegal parking, heavier traffic and crowded sidewalks.
Official Response from City Government
Rome’s deputy mayor for sustainable mobility and transport, Eugenio Patanè, asked the regional government for expanded authority to regulate the carts. He said the city intends to set limits on the number of vehicles, designate specific tour routes, and determine which operators may provide the service.
Overtourism Context and Visitor Impact
Publisher Pauline Frommer highlighted that Rome’s limited public transportation—often delayed by archaeological discoveries—has created demand for alternative mobility options. She noted that “there isn’t that much public transportation because whenever they start to dig a subway, they come upon a priceless relic and the dig site becomes an archaeological site.” Frommer warned that restricting carts could make the city harder to navigate for tourists with mobility impairments, while also acknowledging that the vehicles are quiet, space-efficient and produce no exhaust fumes.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There isn't that much public transportation because whenever they start to dig a subway, they come upon a priceless relic and the dig site becomes an archaeological site,” — Pauline Frommer, publisher of Frommer's guidebooks and Frommers
- “Into this void has come a fleet of golf carts.” — Pauline Frommer, publisher of Frommer's guidebooks and Frommers
- “We will be able to regulate this phenomenon that has now become rampant and, in some cases, even worrisome,” — Eugenio Patanè
- “Cities around the world right now are struggling with overtourism,” — Pauline Frommer, publisher of Frommer's guidebooks and Frommers