This article is part of by POLITICO Global Policy Lab: Living Cities, a collaborative journalism project exploring the future of cities. Chapter 1 of the project is presented by AirBnB.
ROME — Venice will become the first city in the world to charge visitors an entrance fee.
To help manage overcrowding and discourage day trippers, city authorities announced on Friday that they would charge tourists up to €10, starting in January 2023.
The city has been massively overcrowded for years, with tourists generating mountains of rubbish and virtually bringing the city’s narrow lanes to a standstill during peak periods.
Once the charges are received, visitors will need to make an online reservation in advance and pay between €3 and €10, depending on the time of year. Inspectors will patrol the city and have the power to stop tourists and demand to see proof of payment. Failure to pay online will result in a fine of up to €300.
Money raised through the program will be spent on reducing the garbage collection bills paid by Venetians, which are higher than those in neighboring towns.
Residents and people coming to visit them, as well as tourists who have booked an overnight stay in a hotel will be exempt and will be able to download a certificate proving that they do not have to pay.
Other cities hit by mass tourism will be watching closely to see if Venice’s pioneering model works.
Simone Venturini, the city’s tourism manager, told a press conference on Friday that the measure was “truly revolutionary”, but warned that it could take time and adjustments to get the system working perfectly.
He said: “It’s a journey, we know being the first city in the world to do this, we’d be arrogant to think everything will work perfectly. We’re not saying we’ve solved all the overtourism issues. , or that we have the magic solution. We will constantly improve it.
Michele Zuin, the city’s budget chief, said the fee was intended to deter peak-hour visitors from creating better tourist flows. “The city remains open. Venice is not closed,” he said.
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