Venice introduced a 29-day pilot program on Thursday. Tourists who do not stay overnight in this city are obliged to notify their arrival and pay a fee of EUR 5. 113,000 people registered a visit to Venice on the first day of the new rules, and almost 16,000 people have already paid the fee. – We do not want to end up like Barcelona, where residents hang sheets in their windows saying: tourists go home – said the mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro.
On Thursday, April 25, a system for booking visits and fees was introduced in Venice. People who go to this city for a one-day trip and do not stay overnight in Venice have to pay 5 euros. The head of the budget department in the city government, Michele Zuin, announced that on Thursday, when this unprecedented experiment began in Venice, about 40,000 tourists stayed in hotels, which exempts them from paying entrance fees to this city. Relatives of Venetians, students and people working in the city are also exempt from the fee.
The city authorities explain that their goal is to develop a new system for managing the inflow of tourists and to discourage the so-called one-day tourism in high season. The biggest crowds are caused by those who come only for a few hours of sightseeing.
According to statistics, Venice is visited by approximately 20 million tourists annually, of which only 6 million stay overnight in the city.
Venice launches pilot program EPA/ANDREA MEROLA
Venice. Fees for tourists
Every tourist over the age of 14 entering the historic center must register on a special online platform available at https://cda.ve.it. The QR code received there confirms that the fee has been paid or waived.
According to the regulation of the Venice authorities, the registration and fee requirement will apply for 29 days for now: until the end of April, and then on May 1-5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26 and on June 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 and July 6, 7, 13 and 14.
On the first day of the new regulations coming into force, over 13,500 people were checked.
Venice, Italy (illustrative photo)Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock
Mayor of Venice: we don't want to end up like Barcelona
The local daily “Il Gazzettino” emphasizes that the new rules regarding entry to the city cause different opinions among tourists. The newspaper adds that there are those who praise how quickly registration is completed on the website, as well as the willingness to protect the city. There are also many people who complain about the fee. Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro told the daily: “The fear of change is justified, but it can also help improve the situation.”
– The greatest satisfaction comes from seeing those who approach the inspection presenting a QR code. These people understood. We saw tourists showing the entry code, happy that they had paid, said the mayor.
– We do not want to end up like Barcelona, where residents hang sheets in their windows saying: tourists go home – he added.
Brugnaro noted that next year the city authorities intend to vary the fees from 2 to 5 euros depending on the date of the visit.
Main photo source: EPA/ANDREA MEROLA