Hordes of visitors and the ease of arranging home rentals via the Internet are turning one of the world’s most famous cities into a “tourist village,” according to a senior official with the UN cultural agency.

Francesco Bandarin is urging authorities in Venice, Italy, and in other cities, to think about the long-term impacts of so-called “hypertourism.”

Mr Bandarin is the Assistant Director-General for culture at UNESCO, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

He also happens to be from Venice.

He told Elena Vapnichnaia why his hometown risked being put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage in Danger.

Duration: 4’26”