BTN News: Venice’s new fee for visitors who come for just one day has made a big impact. This summer, during a test period, the fee brought in €2.4 million ($2.6 million), according to city officials. The fee is meant to help manage the large number of tourists. Some people think it’s needed to protect Venice’s culture, while others think it might not work well. The city will look at all the data and decide in autumn if they will keep the fee.
Many Tourists Paid the Fee During the 29-Day Test Period from April to July
During the 29-day test period from April 25 to July 14, visitors paid the €5 fee 485,062 times. Most of these payments happened on weekends and holidays, showing a pattern in how tourists visit. The final numbers include tickets sold in different ways, like paper tickets for bus tours, cruises, and some tour groups, with about 1,000 tickets sold each test day.
Most Online Ticket Purchases Were Made by Italian Visitors
Most of the online tickets, 60%, were bought by Italian visitors. Next were tourists from the United States, Germany, and France, each making up between 6.5% and 4% of total sales. This shows that people from all over the world visit Venice, and there is a need to manage the number of tourists.
Venice Officials Have Plans to Continue and Possibly Increase the Fee Next Year
Officials had said that the fee system, where visitors pay for a ticket, will continue next year. They also mentioned that the fee might go up to €10 on some days. But they have not made an official announcement about these plans yet.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro Defends the Fee System Against Criticisms and Talks About Adjustments
Venice’s Mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, said the fee might change based on whether it is paid in advance or at the last minute. Brugnaro defended the fee against criticisms that it did not stop tourists from coming. “We listened to many people, but in the end, there were no other solutions,” he said. “We decided to have these controls, which are light and not invasive.”
Visitors Needed to Download a QR Code to Confirm Their Payment
Visitors who did not stay overnight in Venice had to download a QR code to show they paid, which took about two minutes. People staying in hotels, who already paid a hotel tax, did not have to pay this fee. Others who did not have to pay included residents of the Veneto region, visitors under 14 years old, and those visiting family.
Venice Struggles with Overtourism and Tracks Visitor Numbers Using Mobile Data
Venice has long had too many tourists, with between 25 and 30 million visitors each year. This includes both day visitors and those staying overnight. The city tracks these numbers using mobile phone data from a Smart Control Room since 2020. The tourist fee was delayed because of the pandemic and was announced by UNESCO member countries when they decided not to list Venice as a World Heritage Site in Danger. Two years earlier, Venice avoided this listing by banning cruise ships from the Giudecca Canal and San Marco Basin.
New Fee is Described as a Cultural Revolution by City’s Tourism Official Simone Venturini
Simone Venturini, the city’s tourism official, called the new fee a “cultural revolution.” He said that for the first time, the city has a way to get exact data on how many people come and go. “This gives us clear numbers,” Venturini said.
The new fee is a big step in Venice’s plan to manage tourism better. The city will look at the test data and decide in autumn if they will keep using this idea to protect Venice’s special culture while welcoming millions of visitors every year.
