The influx of tourists in Venice has become overwhelming, prompting the city to develop various strategies to manage visitor numbers. In an enclave whose geography doesn’t allow for more, mass tourism poses a threat to the ecosystem and residents. To address this issue, the local government has imposed fines on tour groups of more than 25 people and has tracked visitors’ smartphones. It has also introduced an entry fee that appears effective.
The news. According to the BBC, Venice will double the number of days tourists must pay an entry fee, from 29 to 54, in 2025 to reduce mass tourism. The government successfully tested the measure last year. As mayor Luigi Brugnaro stated, the fee will apply on weekends and holidays between April and July to “give Venice the respect it deserves.”
Fees and exemptions. Visitors traveling to Venice on toll days who book in advance will pay €5 euros (about $5.40). For bookings made less than four days in advance, the cost is €10 ($10.80). Residents of the Veneto region, students, and those staying in the city are exempt. However, overnight visitors already pay a “tourist tax,” which ranges from €1 to €5 (about $1.08 to $5.40) per person and per night, depending on the season, location, and type of accommodation.
Children under 14 and people with a disability card are also exempt from the tourist tax. A full list of exemptions is available on the Vènezia Unica website. Some exemptions require accreditation and registration. To facilitate enforcement, the city council requires visitors to carry a QR code on their phones. Those who don’t comply could face substantial fines (not specified).
The first test phase went well. The new policy wouldn’t make sense if the previous tests hadn’t worked. In the initial phase in 2024, the entry fee generated €2.4 million (about $2.6 million) in just eight days, exceeding the city’s expectations. However, the cost of managing the system and the communications campaign reached €3 million (about $3.4 million), raising questions about its overall profitability.
Criticism of the measure. Critics, such as city councilman Giovanni Andrea Martini, argue the fee turns Venice into a “museum” or “amusement park” without effectively addressing the massive flow of tourists.
City maps. If you’re planning a trip to Venice, consider the dates and places you want to visit. The entry fee applies only on certain days and in the Old Town, which contains many tourist attractions. Visitors passing through Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto, or Stazione Marittima without entering the Old Town are exempt.
The fee also doesn’t apply to those traveling to the San Giobbe pier from specific points or tourists visiting the smaller lagoon islands. For more details on accessible areas, consult the city map available on the Vènezia Unica website.
The Venice that no longer exists. Two years ago, the population of the city’s historic center—excluding the smaller islands in the lagoon and the mainland—had already fallen below 50,000, a sharp decline from the figures seen in the 1970s, as Time reports. Since the 1950s, the main island has lost more than 120,000 residents. Meanwhile, a surge in tourism has led to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
According to the BBC, Venice receives about 30 million visitors annually. In 2022, the main island alone attracted 3.2 million overnight visitors, The Guardian reported. On the busiest days, around 40,000 visitors arrive in the city. UNESCO has warned about the negative impact of mass tourism and climate change on Venice, suggesting it could be added to the list of endangered World Heritage sites.
In 2021, the city banned large cruise ships from entering the historic center due to their environmental impact and the damage they cause to the city’s foundations, a factor that exacerbates frequent flooding.
Image | Alejandro Aznar | Bruno Rijsman
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