The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, has called on tourists to come back and visit the city again, saying visitor numbers have dropped since last year’s floods.
Brugnaro addressed journalists at the outset of Carnival season, and said that the good thing about this year was that there were “fewer people”, meaning that it is possible to book hotels even at the last minute.
This is not usually possible during Carnival season.
“Many think we are still under water,” Brugnaro said, while emphasising that “the city has been completely restored, it is more beautiful than before”.
The picturesque lagoon city suffered severe flooding last November, and heavy rains led to higher water levels in large parts of Venice.
Since then, hoteliers have complained that booking numbers are down and that potential tourists are being misled about the situation.
Venice is one of the most popular destinations for city breaks worldwide, and has often suffered from excessive tourism.
This year, Venice’s Carnival runs until February 25.