Venice, a beloved tourist destination, is implementing a day-trip entry fee in an attempt to alleviate the strain caused by excessive tourism. Beginning this week, day visitors will be required to purchase a five-euro ticket upon entering the city center. Inspectors will conduct spot checks at key locations to ensure compliance.
Venice, with its charming canals and historic landmarks, welcomes millions of visitors annually, far outnumbering its 50,000 residents. In 2022 alone, 3.2 million tourists stayed overnight in the historic center. Tens of thousands more flock to the city for day trips, often arriving via cruise ships, to marvel at iconic sights like St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge.
The entry fee aims to shift day-tripper visits towards less crowded periods and alleviate the burden on the city’s infrastructure and delicate ecosystem. Initially, tickets will be mandatory only on 29 peak days throughout 2024, primarily weekends from May to July.
Venice’s move has garnered attention worldwide as tourist destinations grapple with the challenges of surging visitor numbers. In Spain, the Canary Islands recently witnessed protests demanding limits on visitor numbers to protect the archipelago’s environment.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro emphasizes that this scheme is an experiment and the first of its kind globally. The primary goal is to make Venice more habitable for its residents. In 2021, Venice banned massive cruise ships from docking in the city center, rerouting them to a distant industrial port. An overnight visitor tax has also been implemented.
