ROME: Residents of Venice, already fed up with crowds of tourists cramming into their canal city, now have one more gripe: Jeff Bezos.

The billionaire Amazon founder is due to marry journalist Lauren Sanchez in a celebration in the Italian city from June 24 to 26 that is expected to attract countless VIPs.

Not everyone is feeling the love though, with some residents hanging a huge banner with an X over Bezos`s name on a belltower overlooking the Venice lagoon before the sign was removed on Thursday.

`He`s not welcome, not in Venice, not anywhere!` wrote the `No Space for Bezos` collective on Facebook, which was responsible for the banner.

Bezos is also the owner of space travel company Blue Origin, whose all-female flight in April carrying Sanchez, pop star Katy Perry and four others met with a public backlash for its high cost and environmental impact.

The anti-Bezos group, whose posters and stickers have been seen in recent days across the city, has called a public assembly this week to drum up opposition.

The Unesco-listed city, famous for its romantic gondolas and canals, is a favourite spot for lovers.

In Sept 2014, it was the backdrop for the wedding of Hollywood actor George Clooney and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, a glamourous high-profile event that attracted countless tourists, fans and onlookers.

The atmosphere ahead of Bezos`s nuptials appeared more hostile.

`Venice is a living city, not a place to rent to the highest bidder,` the collective wrote on social media.

Venice`s mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, had welcomed the couple`s decision, however, saying in March that the wedding would bring in millions of dollars to the city.

City hall blasted `fake news` circulating about the wedding, saying that only 200 people were on the guest list and that the event would be `without any disruption whatsoever to the city, its residents and visitors`.-AFP