On Tuesday 5th September 2023 Officials said they will charge five euros from day-trippers to enter the historic Italian city in a bid to cut tourist numbers.
Venice Introducing A New Euro 5 Ticketing System For Day Trippers In 2024
The only reason to take this step is the council executive backed the move just weeks after the UN cultural agency UNESCO recommended Venice be added to its list of world heritage in danger, in part because of the impact of mass tourism, stated by Mayor Luigi Brugnaro.
The suggested plan is still to be approved by the city council, as a great number of detailed factors are still to be cleared, including the number of tickets that would be available for booking.
A 30-day trial has been agreed by the council executive, likely spread out across public holidays and weekends in the spring and summer of 2024.
The mayor of Venice, also said: “Regulating tourist flows in certain periods is necessary, but that does not mean closing the city. Venice will always be open to everyone.”
Exemption from this law is available only for Local residents, students, and children under the age of fourteen (14) as well as to tourists who are spending the night in the city.
“This step could be taken to control daily tourism,” as per the local authorities statement.
With the new system, Venice will become a “trailblazer on the global level”, said Simone Venturini, who is the city’s council member for tourism.
He also stated that “it was not about making profits, but the fee is only covering costs, and finding a “new balance between the rights of those who live, study or work in Venice, and those who visit the city”.
Residents of the area will not likely be paying, but still book their visit for accountability purposes.
Dated 31 July 2023 UNESCO said that “irreversible damage” will be faced due to a string of issues ranging from climate change to mass tourism.
This recommendation that the city be added to its list of world heritage sites in danger will be discussed at the Unesco World Heritage Committee meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, later this month.