"Discourage tourists"

Venice doubles daily fee from next year

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

After a test phase for a fee for day visitors, it will be even more expensive to visit the lagoon city from next year: instead of the current five euros, which is charged on popular days, the entrance fee will be doubled to up to ten euros. This measure is intended to deter vacationers.

Admission was charged on 29 days in Venice this year - the world's first test with a charge for day visitors comes to an end this weekend. The tariffs will be adjusted next year. A "basic tariff" will apply, explained Michele Zuin, the city councillor responsible for finances, in the local newspaper "Il Gazzettino".

City councillor wants to "discourage" tourists
He has not yet commented on the exact amount. On "critical days", however, a maximum tariff of ten euros will have to be paid. "In this way, we hope to discourage travelers," said the local politician.

The city still wants to take its time with an official assessment after the last two test days on Saturday and Sunday. The data collected will be evaluated first. However, despite criticism from the public, the basic procedure has already been decided: the test is to become a permanent regulation - not on every day of the year, but during busy periods.

(Bild: AP)

(Bild: AP)

More than two million euros raised
All in all, Venice collected more than two million euros with the new fee. On some days, more than 25,000 paying guests were registered. There are no reliable estimates of how many tourists managed to avoid paying the five euros. One thing is certain, however: the actual goal - to limit mass tourism, from which Venice suffers more than almost any other city - was not achieved.

"Deterrent effect" to be increased
City treasurer Zuin admitted that there had been "no major deterrent effect". But nobody had expected that either. "It will be different if the ten-euro maximum limit applies on days when a critical attendance threshold is reached for the city." Tourism councillor Simone Venutini said: "Venice is still too cheap. It's not a tragedy if tourists pay more."

The spokesperson for the citizens' initiative Assemblea per la casa Venezia (Venice House Assembly), Federica Toninello, on the other hand, told the television station Rai about the experience so far: "It has brought money into the municipality's coffers, but it hasn't worked."

Donna Leon: "Just want to make money"
The US author Donna Leon, whose Venice crime novels became global successes, told the German Press Agency: "The authorities don't want it to work: they don't want to stop tourism. They want to make money from the visitors." Leon has long since given up her domicile in Venice.

Donna Leon lived in Venice for more than 30 years.

(Bild: AFP)

The regulation applied for a total of 29 days. In principle, five euros were charged for admission between 8.30 am and 4 pm. You could get a QR code online and download it to your cell phone. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to 300 euros - but nobody actually had to pay that much.

Venice's population is shrinking rapidly
With an estimated 15 million visitors a year, Venice is one of the most visited cities in the world. Mass tourism brings a lot of money into the coffers, but also causes considerable damage. Today, less than 50,000 permanent residents live in the center with its hundreds of canals. Instead, there are more than 50,000 guest beds. On many days, it is almost impossible to get through the narrow streets around St. Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge.

Last year, the city was on the verge of being placed on the Red List of World Heritage in Danger by the United Nations. This was also prevented with the help of the fee. There were a whole series of exceptions: Locals, hotel guests and children under the age of 14, for example, have not had to pay anything so far. And it should stay that way.