Next year, Venice plans to introduce a €5 entry fee for day visitors. This is being done in an attempt to regulate the flow of tourists attracted by the unique city and its canals, the city council said.
The fee will be charged on a trial basis for 30 days, primarily during spring break and summer weekends when tourist numbers peak. A fee will be charged for all visitors over 14 years of age.
The aim of this innovation is to find “a new balance between the rights of those who live, study or work in Venice, and those who simply visit the city.” This was stated by a member of the Venice Tourism Council, Simone Venturini.
He said levying the tax does not imply the city will make any big profits, as the fee will only cover the cost of administering the scheme. The exact timing of the plan and how it will be implemented will be finalized following final council approval, expected next week.
The plan, first proposed in 2019, was first delayed due to COVID-19, during which movement between countries was restricted, and then due to technical and procedural reasons.
Meanwhile, tourists have again poured into Venice, with the number of visitors often significantly exceeding the city center’s estimated 50,000 residents.
Overtourism has long been a problem for the fragile lagoon city. In July, UNESCO experts recommended adding Venice and its lagoon to the list of World Heritage in Danger, saying Italy was not doing enough to protect the city from the effects of climate change and mass tourism.