Starting from the upcoming year, tourists who visit Venice for day trips will be required to pay a €5 fee to enter the historic center, as part of a long-anticipated effort to manage excessive tourism in the Italian city.
Furthermore, a ticketing system will be introduced to control the number of tourists accessing the famous canal-filled destination.
According to "The Independent", while the city's executive council has endorsed this move, it still awaits approval from a broader council, scheduled for discussion on September 12. This initiative aims to position the city as a global pioneer, according to Simone Venturini, a member of the city council's tourism board.
Venice witnesses an annual influx of 20 million tourists, and on peak days, it hosts around 120,000 visitors, a stark contrast to its 55,000 permanent residents.
Initially, these plans will be implemented as a 30-day trial run, expected to extend to busy public holidays and weekends in spring and summer 2024. However, many details, such as ticket availability and reservation processes for tourists, remain unclear.
The city council has confirmed that discounts will be offered to suburban train passengers, students, children under 14, and tourists staying overnight in the city.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro assured that while managing tourist flows during specific periods is essential, it does not imply closing the city entirely. Venice will continue to remain accessible to everyone.
This final approval comes shortly after UNESCO recommended Venice and its lagoons for inclusion on the list of World Heritage Sites in danger, citing various threats to the vulnerable city, including excessive tourism, rampant development, and climate change, particularly rising sea levels.
The plan to address the impacts of over-tourism in Venice, originally proposed in 2019, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted tourist numbers. It has since faced challenges in terms of regulation and logistics.
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Twitter pages to keep up to date on world news.
Comments (0)