In an innovative move to manage the overwhelming tourist influx, Venice, a city celebrated for its unparalleled beauty and cultural significance, is introducing an access fee for day visitors.
Starting on Thursday, individuals visiting the renowned UNESCO World Heritage site will be required to purchase a ticket priced at €5, or about $5.30. The initiative marks the first time such a measure has been enacted in Venice.
The goal is to mitigate the impact of tourism on the city’s delicate ecosystem and historic fabric.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro says the implementation of the new system will be seamless, featuring “very soft controls” to ensure a visitor-friendly approach without the need for physical barriers or long queues.
The mayor said the city’s scheme is “an experiment and the first time it’s been done anywhere in the world. Our aim is to make Venice more liveable,” he told reporters earlier this month, France 24 reported.
Once in plan, spot checks will be conducted at critical entry points, including the Santa Lucia train station, to enforce the new policy. Tourists found without a ticket will have the opportunity to buy one upon arrival, facilitated by local operators, though failure to comply could result in fines ranging between €50 and €300.
The “Venice Access Fee” specifically targets day tourists visiting the old town from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Exemptions have been made for hotel guests, children under 14 years, and individuals with disabilities. The fee system aims to encourage visitors to plan their trips during less congested times, thereby distributing the tourist load more evenly throughout the year.
The measure will initially be mandatory on 29 select days during the peak months of May to July, with a focus on weekends when visitor numbers surge. The city’s administration and global observers alike will closely monitor the effectiveness of the fee system as destinations worldwide face challenges in balancing tourism with sustainability.
The new policy follows previous initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of tourism, including the redirection of large cruise ships to an industrial port in 2021 and the imposition of a tax for overnight stays.
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