Starting this year, tourists visiting Venice will be required to pay an entry fee to enter the historic city center. The fee, set at €5, aims to curb the city’s overwhelming tourism and improve the quality of life for residents. Visitors who fail to pay the entry fee will face fines starting at 10 times the ticket price. The charge will be in place on 29 days between April and mid-July.
Venice has long suffered under the pressure of overtourism, with pre-pandemic estimates ranging from 25 million to 30 million visitors annually. The pilot project aims to reduce crowding on peak days and encourage longer stays. However, some locals remain unconvinced about the entry fee’s effectiveness. They argue that the revenue should be invested in addressing the city’s abandoned housing and declining population rather than further promoting tourism.
Despite these concerns, officials emphasize that the program aims to strike a balance between tourism and resident well-being. They maintain that the charge is not a tax and that there will be no physical barriers or turnstiles to impede entry. Payment points will be available for visitors without smartphones, and stewards will be present at main stations to assist tourists. The pilot project will also gather data to determine the exact number of visitors to Venice and inform future tourism management strategies.
