Cruise ships carrying 900-plus passengers are no longer welcome at destinations in the Nice-Côte d'Azur region in France.
Nice mayor Christian Estrosi signed a decree on Jan. 24 banning cruise ships that carry more than 900 guests from visiting Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer, according to a report from French newspaper Le Monde. The limit will kick in on July 1.
Estrosi said the goal is to promote "selective tourism" amid the threat of overtourism.
While the mayor lacks the authority to ban ships from visiting, he can ban the ships from disembarking their passengers in the region for excursions, Le Monde reported.
The new decree will prevent passengers from larger ships from disembarking via tender. Larger ships call in the nearby harbor of Villefranche-sur-Mer. Close to 90 calls are scheduled there in 2025, and two-thirds of them are ships with 900-plus passengers, according to Le Monde.
About 124 calls are scheduled in Nice this year on ships carrying fewer than 900 passengers, which would continue to be allowed. Nice is looking at adding shore power so ships can turn off their engines while in port.
CLIA issued a statement that the association is surprised by the mayor's decision given no large ships are scheduled to call at the port of Nice in 2025. CLIA said three large cruise ships and 34 medium-sized cruise ships are scheduled to call at Villefranche-sur-Mer this year.
The association urged Estrosi to reconsider his decision in the interest of local businesses and guests who want to visit. The organization said the measure "stigmatizes the cruise industry and does nothing to promote sustainable tourism."
Nice is not alone in seeking cruise ship restrictions. Barcelona, Venice, Santorini, Mykonos and Amsterdam have sought to reduce cruise traffic.