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Venice Braces for Bezos Wedding Amid Local Protests
Venice, Italy – The city of canals is preparing for the lavish, three-day wedding celebration of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, an event sparking protests from local residents concerned about the impact of such a high-profile affair on their already fragile city.
Bezos, arriving on his $500 million superyacht, is set to wed Sanchez on Tuesday, with festivities continuing through the end of the week. A star-studded guest list of Hollywood celebrities and A-listers is expected, adding to the strain on Venice’s infrastructure and environment.
The city has grappled for years with the effects of overtourism and climate change, implementing measures like entrance fees and tour group size limits. Despite these efforts, the challenges persist. The Bezos wedding, with an estimated cost between $11.5 million and $21.5 million, is raising concerns about exacerbating these issues.
While Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has stated the city is working with organizers to ensure the event respects Venice’s unique vulnerabilities, some residents remain unconvinced. Protestor Marta Sottoriva argues that hosting the billionaire’s wedding sends a message that Venice is for sale to the highest bidder.
The scale of the wedding is undeniable. Around 30 of the city’s 280 water taxis have been reserved, and five major luxury hotels along the Grand Canal are fully booked through June.
Reports indicate the entire island of San Giorgio Maggiore, across from St. Mark’s Square, has also been reserved for the event.
The couple’s engagement was announced in May 2023, with Bezos proposing with a reportedly $3-5 million, 30-carat pink diamond ring.
City officials have downplayed some of the more extravagant reports surrounding the wedding, emphasizing the economic benefits for Venice. However, Sottoriva counters that such events primarily profit a select few, offering only precarious, low-paying jobs that do little to boost the local economy.
The protests, expected to intensify during the wedding, reflect a growing sentiment across Southern Europe against overtourism. Recent demonstrations in Barcelona, with protestors targeting tourists with water guns, underscore the rising tensions surrounding this issue.