Venice Tourism May Never Be the Same After Covid. That Might Be a Good Thing.

Venice Tourism May Never Be the Same After Covid. That Might Be a Good Thing.

The pandemic crushed the tourism industry in Venice and other overtouristed cities. But many see this as an opportunity to rethink a "tourism monoculture.“

A gondolier in Venice in February, when the Carnival period typically marked the start of peak tourist season.Credit...Francisco Seco/Associated PressJuly 2, 2020, 5:00 a.m. ET

Long before Venice became the destination of choice for millions of international holidaymakers, locals had a tradition of flânerie, an aimless stroll through the city's calli, or walkways. They would bump into acquaintances for a chat and the occasional drink, an ombra de vin, a "shadow of wine,“ as it's called in the lagoon.

That tradition has been picked up again. The pandemic crushed the tourism industry, curtailing the hordes of annual visitors that made flânerie a near impossibility, and now many residents “” particularly those furloughed or laid off “” have more time and space to enjoy the city's slow pace and faded beauty. But money is tight, for that sip of wine and everything else. Local taverns have begun accepting promises of future payments from regulars.

"People are like, I'll pay you in September, when hopefully tourists will be back,“ said Matteo Secchi, an unemployed hotel concierge. "If we don't help each other,