From the publisher’s rulebook
Who goes first in The Voyages of Marco Polo?
Z-Man Games English rules, 2015

The player who most recently embarked on a voyage around the world starts.
Rule details
Give that player the hourglass. In later rounds, the last player to choose Travel becomes the new start player; if nobody traveled, the start player stays the same.
Source & edition
- The Voyages of Marco Polo: English rulebookZ-Man Games / Hans im Glück · Setup, step 12; start of later rounds; credits · Checked 2026-09-24Printed page references: 2, 15, 16
Image: © Z-Man Games / box artist · Z-Man Games (box image via Board Game Bliss)
If your rules call for a random choice, use the player picker.
If there’s a tie
The rulebook doesn’t say. If you need a tie-break, pick a player at random.
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