Believe it or not – Venice actually has local residents. About 60,000 people live in the city’s historical centre, where they encompass an exotic minority compared to the estimated 2 million tourists, who visit Venice every year.

Just as Venice’s tourism industry is booming, frustration grows among locals, who complain about being crushed by the hordes of tourists and backpacks in the local water-buses vaporetti.

"We get packed like sardines, and then fights break out”, Marina Vio ,72, says. “That’s if you manage to get on.”

To oblige the beleaguered Venetians and avoid a local revolt, the city officials have just opened a new water-bus line reserved for locals, who are holders of the Carta Venezia pass.

“It’s an extra service for residents who are forced to bear the brunt of mass tourism” said Mayor Massimo Cacciari, according to The New York Times.

The new No. 3 water-bus line follows the Canal Grande from Piazzale Roma to Piazza San Marco and has been launched just in time to ease public transportation during the Venice Carnival.