Next year, Venice is set to experiment with the implementation of a €5 entrance fee for short-term visitors and excursionists, in a bid to balance the influx of visitors, announced the city council.
The charge will be introduced on a trial basis for 30 days, predominantly during the spring holidays and summer weekends when the city sees its highest numbers of tourists.
The fee will be applicable to all visitors aged 14 and above. According to the official statement, the aim is to strike a new balance between the rights of those who live, study, or work in Venice and those who visit the iconic city.
The initiative was originally proposed in 2019 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-pandemic, the number of foreign visitors often outnumbers the approximately 50,000 residents living in the city centre.
UNESCO experts have recommended that Venice and its lagoon be added to the list of endangered world heritage sites, criticising Italy for not doing enough to protect the city from the impacts of climate change and mass tourism.