By Suzanne Bush BBC, Venice

For centuries composers, artists and poets turned to Venice to seek peace, tranquillity and inspiration.

But the city is now so popular that it is struggling to cope with the 13-15 million tourists who flock there every year.

Tourists are told there's more to Venice than St Marks

This has prompted tourism officials to draw up a code of conduct - 10 rules and suggestions to make life more bearable here, ranging from always keeping to the right when walking around the city to how to lodge a complaint.

Armando Peres, the man responsible for tourism in Venice, believes tourism is almost killing off the city.

"During the last few years the situation has really worsened because of the behaviour of the people," he says.

"Because they leave a lot of paper and glass everywhere, and they do not behave properly, so there was a need to remind them how to behave and to give them some good advice."

Residents driven out

The 10 points will be conveyed to visitors via cards and posters, which will also carry information and useful phone numbers.

We are horrified at the possibility of becoming something like Disney World Armando Peres Tourism officer

Point number one is "get a map", followed by the less than subtle hint that there is more to Venice than St Mark's Square. This is part of a campaign to stop tourists flocking to the same sights and instead disperse them around the city.

Other rules and suggestions include wearing appropriate clothing and never stopping on bridges.

As the number of visitors has risen here, the number of residents has fallen, driven away by an industry which has consumed the city.

This is something which worries Armando Peres.

"Of course we are horrified at the possibility of becoming something like Disney World," he says.

"They are very professional, but we don't want to be like that. We want to keep the town alive. We want people to come back to live in Venice."

'Better life'

Those who have stayed recognise how important tourism is to Venice.

Forty-year-old bank clerk Daniele Minio welcomes the 10 points, but thinks they may be a little too harsh.

"They will be very good for us Venetian people because they will give us the chance of a better life," he says.

For tour leader, Ilaria Lazzarini, 28, two of the points are particularly good.

"Mostly the thing is to be dressed properly, and also the point about keeping to the right on the streets, that's a good thing," she says.

Cristiano Ancillotto, 35, who works in a restaurant alongside the Grand Canal, says tourists are always welcome because Venice needs them and the majority are only let down by a few.

"I think most of them are respectful," he says. "They are perfect. But there are of course, as everywhere in the world, a few people who don't respect the city, they dress like they're going to the beach, they leave litter and they wash their feet in the water."

Limited effect

The most famous bridge in Venice, the Ponte del Rialto, is a particular bottleneck, crammed with tourists pausing to photograph the Grand Canal, or stopping to check out the souvenirs on sale. Do they think tourism has ruined this beautiful city?

Alessia Lusiani, 19, from Turin agrees it is too busy but understands how important the industry is. "I still think it's a good thing for this city because I think Venice lives on tourism."

Forty-year-old Briton Peter Rowe thinks the 10 points will only have a limited effect.

"It might make them think about it but I don't think it will make people behave any differently," he says.

That's the way people are these days I think, they generally think of themselves... Some people are tramps."

But 44-year-old Martin Hondius, on holiday from Holland with his family says for him Venice has been spoilt.

"It's my first time here in Venice and my impression here is that it's too crowded," he says. "What you see is just people, people, people, and a lot of souvenirs, but the buildings you don't see."

And so the tourists continue to fight their way through the crowds, and the Venetians continue to make their living from the tourists, while trying to live life as best they can.