Day trips to Venice, Italy, will become slightly more expensive starting from 2024. The Venice municipal council recently announced that it will introduce a tourist fee of €4 ($5.36) for all visitors coming to the city without intending to spend the night there.
The tourist fee will enter its trial period in 2024 and will initially be in place for 30 days. The city will pick out the days at a later date, targeting weekends and important holidays during the peak of tourist season.
It is important to note that those living in Veneto province and kids aged 14 or younger will not be subject to paying the tourist fee. Also, tourists who are staying in Venice overnight won’t be charged the fee.
According to government officials, the idea behind the tourist fee is to improve the quality of life for the residents and improve the experience for overnight visitors. More than 30 million tourists visit the city on an annual basis, but most of them are day trippers.
“The message we want to communicate is that Venice is accessible, open, but visitors, both local and foreign, should understand that there needs to be scheduling to better manage the balance between residence and tourism,” Councilman Michele Zuin told reporters.
Venice attempted to introduce an entry fee to deal with the large crowds in recent years, but its implementation was postponed due to various obstacles.
