Tourists were given squirt guns to fight seagulls in top vacation spot

TOURISTS in Venice are being armed with water pistols – to ward off vicious seagulls.

The Italian city has been infested in recent years by “aggressive and annoying” seagulls, which constantly target tourists eating on holiday.

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A hotelier said, reported by the Guardianthat as soon as diners get up to go to the buffet, the “seagulls pounce on the food and carry it away,” resulting in even broken plates and glasses.

The idea for squirt guns emerged during a recent seminar where hygiene expert Francese Boemo claimed they posed a “health and hygiene, building and environmental problem”.

However, they cannot be eradicated like mice because they are a protected species.

This has resulted in hotel guests being given water guns to scare the birds away.

The new plan was hatched after previous plans that involved falconers failed but were deemed overly complicated and expensive.

Since then, two hotels – Gritti Palace and Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal – have given their guests water guns.

However, they all come in a bright orange color as that is enough to scare them off.

Gritti Palace owner Palo Lorenzini told local media that guests “don’t even have to use them” and can just leave them on the table as the birds fly away as soon as they see them.

Venice is too take action against overtourism with new rules for vacationers.

The city wants to introduce a new fee starting this year Tourists must book in advance and pay a daily rate to enter.

Visitors must pay €5 and go through a turnstile to enter the city.

If the city is too crowded, the electric turnstiles will deny tourists entry.

And a new scheme with the Venice Smart Control Room will track tourist behavior using tourist numbers tracked throughout Venice by collaborating with telecom provider TIM,

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