Venice will continue its day-tripper tax into the next year, expanding the number of days tourists must pay to enter and increasing the fee to 10 euros (USD 10.80) for those visiting without prior reservations. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro stated that this measure is intended to help manage overtourism and prevent large crowds during busy periods like holidays and weekends.
The revised tax will be enforced every Friday through Sunday and on holidays from April 18 to July 27, totalling 54 days, nearly doubling this year’s duration. Tourists who do not book at least four days in advance will face a fee of 10 euros (USD 10.80), up from the usual 5 euros (USD 5.40). The tax applies during peak hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Exemptions and Financial Impact
Residents, Venetian-born visitors, students, workers, and tourists with hotel bookings are exempt from the tax. After the initial trial phase last July, officials reported that the tax generated 2.4 million euros (USD 2.6 million), with about 1,000 entries recorded on each test day. Despite criticism that it did not significantly reduce visitor numbers, Brugnaro defended the initiative.
“Venice is the first city in the world that tries to manage the problem of overtourism. We obtained important results,” Brugnaro said. However, some local groups and opposition councilors argue that the fee failed to control tourist numbers effectively.
Criticism and Opposition Views
Giovanni Andrea Martini, an opposition councilor, noted that data showed an average increase of about 7,000 tourists during the fee’s implementation compared to previous years. “This shows that the access fee is not at all a system able to manage the flows,” he commented.
Venice has long struggled with excessive tourist numbers, with estimates based on cellphone data indicating between 25 million and 30 million annual visitors since 2020. This is significant given the city’s population of only around 50,000 residents.
The day-tripper tax was initially postponed due to the pandemic but was praised by UNESCO member states when they chose not to list Venice as an endangered world heritage site. The city also avoided this designation two years earlier by banning cruise ships from navigating through Giudecca Canal and St. Mark’s Basin.
The ongoing efforts to manage tourism reflect Venice’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage while addressing modern challenges posed by large visitor numbers.
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Original news source Credit: www.goodreturns.in
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