Residents express concerns over rising costs and disruptions as officials push for a major city overhaul.
**Time of Transformation: Rome Struggles with Growing Tourist Influx Ahead of 2025 Jubilee**
**Time of Transformation: Rome Struggles with Growing Tourist Influx Ahead of 2025 Jubilee**
As the Vatican anticipates a record number of visitors, locals face mounting pressures altering their city's identity.
In preparation for the anticipated influx of 32 million visitors during the Roman Catholic Jubilee in 2025, Rome has recently completed a significant urban development project, opening a new underpass that enhances access between the Tiber River and the Vatican. This project aims to accommodate the massive surge in pilgrims expected for the special year, which promotes themes of faith, penance, and forgiveness every 25 years.
Mayor Roberto Gualtieri hailed the completion of the underpass and lauded the ambitious plans to turn Rome into a greener, more inclusive city through various urban renewal projects. However, locals are voicing their apprehensions as the transformation comes at a cost. The new measures, intended to boost tourism, are leading to rising housing prices and the commodification of homes, pushing some long-time residents out. Martina Battista, a local medical student, shared her frustration after being evicted to make way for a bed-and-breakfast catering to tourists.
Despite numerous beautification projects that include renovated monuments and repaved streets, many Romans are feeling the tired effects of disrupted daily life. Long-standing traffic bottlenecks have become a regular occurrence, leaving residents frustrated and weary. With mixed emotions, city officials continue to navigate the balance of facilitating tourism while preserving the essence of Rome and the lived experiences of its residents.
Mayor Roberto Gualtieri hailed the completion of the underpass and lauded the ambitious plans to turn Rome into a greener, more inclusive city through various urban renewal projects. However, locals are voicing their apprehensions as the transformation comes at a cost. The new measures, intended to boost tourism, are leading to rising housing prices and the commodification of homes, pushing some long-time residents out. Martina Battista, a local medical student, shared her frustration after being evicted to make way for a bed-and-breakfast catering to tourists.
Despite numerous beautification projects that include renovated monuments and repaved streets, many Romans are feeling the tired effects of disrupted daily life. Long-standing traffic bottlenecks have become a regular occurrence, leaving residents frustrated and weary. With mixed emotions, city officials continue to navigate the balance of facilitating tourism while preserving the essence of Rome and the lived experiences of its residents.
