The Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, has announced a ban on cruise ships exceeding 190 metres in length and a capacity of 900 passengers.

The measure will come into effect on July 1.

Estrosi claims the ban will reduce the number of arriving cruise passengers by 70%.

“Venice has regained its beauty and its landscape by having a mayor who definitively refuses cruises. We intend to go in this direction, too,” Estrosi told local press.

Estrosi said that while tourism was an essential contributor to Nice’s economy, cruise passengers did not spend enough with local businesses. Furthermore, cruise ships’ high emissions and energy usage did not align with the city’s sustainable tourism development model.