Last year Rome introduced a €5 entry for the Pantheon.

Rome tourism officials are considering the introduction of a ticketing system with time slots for the Trevi Fountain in a bid to tackle overtourism.

The capital's councillor for tourism and major events Alessandro Onorato told Corriere della Sera on Wednesday that the idea is to limit the number of people at the landmark which is frequently the scene of tourists behaving badly.

"I would be in favour of studying a new access, limited and timed, with a reservation system: free for Romans and paid, with a symbolic euro, for tourists", Onorato told the Corriere.

He said the goal is to thin the flow of tourists and discourage the consumption of pizza or ice cream, which is widespread despite the anti-loitering rules in a place "that deserves respect".

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It is not the first time that Rome has considered measures to protect the overcrowded Baroque monument, which dates to 1762, including a plan to install barriers to keep visitors away from the water.

Last year Onorato requested help from the Italian government to stop tourists jumping into the fountain, calling for restricted access to stop unruly visitors from disrespecting the iconic site.

This summer there have been several incidents of tourists diving into the fountain, an offence which carries a fine of up to €550 as well as a temporary ban on returning to the Trevi Fountain area.

Last summer a €5 entry fee was introduced at the Pantheon, Italy's most visited landmark, which remains free for Rome residents.

The proposal to limit access to the Trevi Fountain - which for now is merely a suggestion - comes as the Italian capital prepares to welcome extra millions of tourists for Jubilee Year 2025.

Photo credit: Lena Serditova / Shutterstock.com.