Popular holiday hotspot to charge tourists £8.50 just to visit for the day
TOURISTS visiting Venice for the day will have to pay as much as €10 (£8.63) to enter from the start of next year, as city officials try to reduce tourist numbers.
The charge will see the popular Italian holiday destination become the first city in the world to require an admission cost.
It is hoped that the fee will curb "tourist peaks" and ensure people have "peaceful visits" in the future, while keeping Venice a "living city".
At a press conference on Friday, Venice's councillor for tourism, Simone Venturini, described the new measures as "a great revolution".
He said the aim is to not "close the city" but to "reduce tourist peaks".
He said: "Venice is a living city and it has to stay that way."
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The new fees will come into force from January 16, 2023 and the cost of entry will range from €3 to €10.
Those caught in violation of the charges could be fined anywhere from €50 to €300.
The charge comes due to a change in attitude towards tourism from the city council after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Venturini told Italian TV network RAI in April: "Covid made us realise that what was an everyday occurrence before Covid isn't acceptable anymore; the mentality has changed, as has the sensitivity [towards crowds].
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"This will give us the chance to know how many people are predicted for that day, and to calibrate services according to the number."
In his press conference, Mr Venturini also predicted other cities would soon follow Venice's example.
He said: "I think many other European cites who live with significant numbers of day trippers are watching us to understand in what way they can introduce [something similar]."
An online ticket booking system is expected to be launched later this year.
However, not everyone will have to pay the fee.
Residents, children under the age of six, disabled people, homeowners, those visiting for health reasons, those visiting relatives or attending sporting or cultural events will be exempt.
Overnight guests will also not have to pay, with tourist taxes already applied to hotel guests.
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Venice is one of a number of places in Italy looking at measures to limit tourists, with beaches in Sardinia also applying charges.
The Amalfi coast has also brought in rules to prevent overcrowding this summer.
