On April 24, 2024, on the eve of the official trial of the Venice one-day tour booking system, a gondola sailed under the Rialto Bridge in Venice. Venice will start charging day-trippers an entrance fee on April 25, 2024, a world first in a bid to ease the pressure on the Italian city under the weight of mass tourism.
Marco Bertorello | AFP | Getty Images
Venice has become the first city in the world to charge visitors to relieve the pressure of mass tourism and make the city more livable for residents.
The pilot program will charge 5 euros ($5.40) for day-trippers to Venice, one of Italy’s most picturesque and historic cities. The new fees take effect on April 25, an Italian national holiday.
Municipal workers were seen checking tickets for day trippers outside the fragile lagoon city of Santa Lucia’s train station. Signs have been put up to warn visitors about the payment plan.
This fee applies to visitors arriving between 8:30 am and 4 pm local time, and is free at other times. Day trippers who fail to pay will face fines ranging from €50 to €300.
Overnight travelers staying in Venice are exempt from this fee, but must have a QR code to pass through the gates located at the city’s main entrances. Reuters reported that a booth was set up for visitors who did not have access to smartphones.
Not everyone supports the new one-day tour fee policy.
Protesters clashed with riot police on Thursday over the pilot scheme. Some held banners that read “No fines, in favor of housing and services for all” to demonstrate against the measure.
Protesters clashed with riot police during a demonstration against the new “Venice entrance fee”, organized by “Tutta la citta’ insieme” (The whole city together) and several members of the Venetian trade association in Venice “Rome” Square” organization. Venice launches a new scheme on April 25, 2024 to charge day-trippers to enter the historic Italian city, a world first aimed at easing the pressure on mass tourism, But many residents objected.
Marco Bertorello | AFP | Getty Images
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said on social media earlier this week that Venice would be the first major city to try out a payments scheme, “even though overtourism is not just a problem for this city.” question.
“With this measure we want to improve the quality of life in #Venezia, making it safer, cleaner and offering more services to both citizens and tourists,” Brugnaro said in a post on Google Translate on Tuesday. Peace of mind.
“With courage and a smile, we want to give Venice a future that tomorrow will be in the hands of our children. The city will always remain open and welcome you, no one is left out. We are waiting for you!”
Tourists stand outside Santa Lucia train station waiting to go through check; Tourists entering the UNESCO World Heritage Site on a day trip in Venice on April 25, 2024 must buy a 5 euro ($5.30) ticket.
Marco Bertorello | AFP | Getty Images
Venice has been considering a tax on day-trippers for years as one of several measures to curb overtourism. theme park.
According to Statista, the number of residents who visited the city in 2019 was approximately 5.5 million, far more than the approximately 50,000 residents who live in the city’s historic districts. Many tourists disembark from the thousands of cruise ships to take photos of Venice’s famous canals and town squares.
Venice municipal staff show an information postcard with a QR code to buy tickets into the city while waiting in front of the Santa Lucia train station, as one-day visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site must buy five tickets – Tickets € ($5.30), April 25, 2024 in Venice.
Marco Bertorello | AFP | Getty Images
—CNBC’s Monica Pitrelli contributed to this report.
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