Major city eyes crackdown on golf cart tours as furious locals push back

Backlash is brewing in Rome as tourists are using a new way to navigate the crowded cobblestone streets.

Golf cart tours have surged in popularity, with bookings this summer up 147% compared with 2024, according to Tripadvisor data cited by The Associated Press (AP). 

The result? Total chaos, locals say.

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Critics argue the golf carts are out of control, contributing to illegal parking, heavier traffic and massive crowds.

As many as 500 carts could now be operating on the streets of Rome, Italy, according to AP.

A golf cart used to ferry around tourists is seen near the Colosseum on Aug. 18. The growing presence of carts in the city's historic center is upsetting many local residents.  (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Supporters counter the carts are quiet, take up less space and produce no exhaust fumes that can discolor historic monuments, the outlet reported.

Pauline Frommer, publisher of Frommer's guidebooks and Frommers.com, told Fox News Digital that Rome's limited public transportation has created demand for another way to get around.

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"There isn't that much public transportation because whenever they start to dig a subway, they come upon a priceless relic and the dig site becomes an archaeological site," said Frommer, the daughter of late travel guidebook pioneer Arthur Frommer. 

"Into this void has come a fleet of golf carts."

Rome is moving to regulate golf carts in tourist areas after complaints from locals about the worsening congestion. (NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Frommer said the small vehicles can maneuver through Rome's historic center and narrow streets, making them an attractive option for tourists trying to cover more ground.

The problem, Frommer said, is the sheer number competing for space.

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The Associated Press witnessed hostility firsthand during a late-August ride. A van pulled up alongside a cart, the outlet said.

"You’re in the middle of the road!" the van driver reportedly yelled. 

"The road isn’t yours!" the golf cart driver fired back.

A golf cart with tourists travels through central Rome on Aug. 18. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

City officials aren't amused.

Rome's deputy mayor for sustainable mobility and transport, Eugenio Patanè, asked the regional government to give the city greater authority over the carts, according to the AP.

If granted, Rome plans to introduce rules that would limit the number of carts, designate routes for tours and determine which operators can provide them.

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"We will be able to regulate this phenomenon that has now become rampant and, in some cases, even worrisome," Patanè told the AP.

The push comes amid a broader debate over how some of the world's most visited destinations can accommodate tourists while preserving everyday life for residents.

On a street in central Rome, a golf cart driver is shown transporting tourists past historic venues.  (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

"Cities around the world right now are struggling with overtourism," Frommer said. "In many of the world's most popular tourist cities, there are more visitors than residents."

Frommer pointed to restrictions on short-term rentals and rules aimed at protecting historic sites as ways major cities have tried to manage tourism.

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Limits on golf carts would have an impact on visitors who have difficulty walking.

Rome "has very little public transportation. So for people who have mobility impairments, it can be a difficult city to visit," she said.

A debate rages in Rome about whether golf carts are convenient or chaotic. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

"For certain types of tourists, yes, this will be a blow. It will mean it'll be harder to get around Rome," she said.

The golf carts have also fueled debate online.

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"Unless you have mobility issues and need the golf cart to get around, then please don't," one Reddit user wrote. 

"Rome is a living, breathing city, home to millions of us. It's not a theme park for your enjoyment."

A flotilla of golf carts travels past the Basilica of Saint Mary of Minerva in Rome on Aug. 27. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Another commenter barked, "Golf carts belong on a golf course or resort, not in an actual city."

Others defended the tours and said they offered an easy way to see the city.

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"I did one last week. ... It was around [three] hours and excellent!" one traveler wrote.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

Kelly McGreal is a production assistant with the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.