Venice gets serious: tourists have to pay fees to visit.
Venice is one of the most sought-after destinations in Europe: the lagoon city is visited by around 30 million tourists a year. At least, that was the case before Covid-19; in the past two years, it has been significantly less. But the city's 51,000 inhabitants now fear a new onslaught. While many of them make a living from tourism and gastronomy, the sheer number of visitors has become too much for most. That endangers tourism because guests want to experience the original Venice. Every year, more residents leave the city to live on the mainland, away from the tourist crowds, expensive prices and hectic scenes in the squares and narrow streets.
For years, means to fight over-tourism have been discussed, a phenomenon that affects not only Venice by far. In addition to limiting the number of cruise ships allowed, entrance fees have been talked about. Now the time has come: from mid-January 2023, day visitors will have to pay an entrance fee if they want to visit the Italian city. This price is variable and will be between three and ten euros per person. The exact price will depend on the number of visitors: the more guests who want to go to Venice, the more expensive it will be. This should limit the number.
Tourists who have booked one or more nights in a hotel in Venice will not have to pay anything. Those who have permanent residence in the city will also be exempt from the entrance fee. The new entrance fees will initially be tested from 16 January 2023. From the summer, turnstiles could be permanently mounted in front of the entrances to the city, but that in turn could reinforce the impression that Venice has become a kind of Disneyland.
