From 28^th  to 30^th  September, they will provide testimonies on how tourism as one of the world’s largest industries has become instrumental in displacing farmers, herders and pastoralists, fisherfolk and urban communities from their homes and depriving them of their livelihoods.

The cases selected by the ITE Steering Committee for this year’s session include:

● India: Expropriation and evictions to make room for a third airport for the national capital, New Delhi  
● Sri Lanka: Land grabbing for tourism development, Panama Village  
● Argentina: Evictions and gentrification in the historic neighbourhood of La Boca, Buenos Aires  
● Kenya: Violent evictions of the Masai in the name of protecting wildlife to support elite tourism  
● Italy: Fake tourist rentals on the Island of Pellestrina, Venice

Very active and dedicated social movements and civil society groups in Venice are hosting the tribunal. Venice itself has been suffering from massive tourism-driven depopulation, which reduced it from 175,000 inhabitants in 1953 to 54,000. 28th September as the first day of the ITE session will start with a field visit  to Santa Marta’s neighbourhood where there are struggles against real estate speculation leaded by the University Ca’ Foscari. Then to the Island of Giudecca to meet squatters who recuperated buildings abandoned by ATER, the public company for social housing . 

On 29th and 30th, the tribunal’s jury of activists and experts will be hearing the testimonies of people threatened and/or affected by evictions and will make recommendations. On 30th afternoon, a broader debate will focus on alternatives and solutions based on respect of the rights and responsibilities of inhabitants to help them cope with abusive and excessive tourism.