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). 

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.

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.

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

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

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.

City officials aren't amused.

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.

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

"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."

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.

"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.

"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."

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.

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

The Associated Press contributed reporting.