VENICE, Italy (Reuters) – Venice is set to introduce a 5 euro ($5.35) admission fee for day trippers next year as an experimental measure to manage the influx of tourists visiting its historic canals, announced the city council on Tuesday.
The trial fee will be imposed on 30 days throughout the year, with a focus on spring bank holidays and summer weekends when tourist numbers reach their peak.
This fee will be applicable to all visitors aged 14 and above.
The objective is to establish “a new balance between the rights of those who live, study, or work in Venice and those who come to visit the city,” stated Simone Venturini, Venice’s tourism councillor.
It is important to note that this fee is not being implemented for profit generation. Its purpose is solely to cover the administrative costs of managing the program.
Stefano Mazzola via Getty Images
The specific dates for the implementation of this plan and the operational details will be determined after receiving final approval from the council, which is expected next week.
This plan, originally proposed in 2019, was initially postponed due to the absence of tourists caused by COVID-19 and later due to technical and procedural reasons.
Currently, Venice is experiencing a surge in visitor numbers, with non-residents often outnumbering the approximately 50,000 residents in the city center and overwhelming its narrow streets.
Overtourism has been a longstanding issue for the delicate lagoon city.
In July, experts from UNESCO recommended adding Venice and its lagoon to the “World Heritage in Danger” list, expressing concerns that Italy has not done enough to safeguard the city from the impacts of climate change and mass tourism.
(Writing by Keith Weir, editing by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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