Venice Approves Entrance Fee for Daily Visitors
In a bid to preserve its unique charm and reduce the impact of mass tourism, the city of Venice has taken a significant step by approving guidelines for charging daily visitors a $5.50 entrance fee starting next year. The decision was made by the Venice city council and is set to undergo final approval on September 12, 2023.
The new fee, which aims to manage the influx of daily tourists, will be tested for 30 days in 2024, specifically on spring and summer weekends, according to The Associated Press. “The aim is to disincentivize daily tourism in certain periods, in line with the fragility and uniqueness of the city,” stated Venice in an official statement.
Starting from next year, any day-trippers over the age of 14 will be asked to pay the 5-Euro cost; however, the city has not provided specific details on how this fee will be enforced.
Some individuals will be exempt from the new fee, including those who commute to work in Venice or its neighboring islands, as well as residents of the Veneto region. Overnight visitors who already pay a lodging tax will also be exempt from the new entrance fee.
The concept of implementing an entrance fee for daily visitors was initially proposed in 2019, but its implementation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by Reuters. In 2019, before the pandemic, approximately 19 million people made day trips to Venice, but they contributed only a fraction of the revenue compared to those who stayed in the city for at least one night, according to The Associated Press.
Simone Venturini, Venice’s tourism councilor, explained the city’s motivation for the fee, saying, “Its aim is to strike a new balance between the rights of those who live, study or work in Venice and those who visit the city.”
The move comes in the wake of growing concerns about the environmental and cultural impact of mass tourism on Venice. In July, experts from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommended that Venice and its lagoon be added to its list of World Heritage in Danger. They argued that the Italian government wasn’t doing enough to protect the region from climate change and the effects of tourism, as reported by Reuters. Venice’s city center, which is home to around 50,000 residents, is inundated each year by hordes of tourists, putting a strain on the city’s infrastructure and environment.
As Venice continues to grapple with the challenges posed by its immense popularity as a tourist destination, the introduction of the daily entrance fee is seen as a step toward striking a balance between preserving the city’s unique heritage and accommodating the interests of visitors from around the world.
