Why Venice is Imposing 5 Euro Entry Fee for Tourists and Who are Exempted | EXPLAINED

Venice, one of the world’s top tourist destinations, has announced its plan to impose an entrance fee, making it first city in the world to charge daytripper visitors.

The entry fee comes amid attempts by the historic city to reduce the crowd weeks after UNESCO warned it could list the city as an at-risk world heritage site.

Venice Risking “Irreversible” Damage

UNESCO earlier this month stopped short of placing Venice on its world heritage in danger list. The cultural arm of the United Nations, warned in July that Venice risked “irreversible” damage due to a string of issues ranging from mass tourism to climate change.

UNESCO put Venice on its heritage list in 1987 as an “extraordinary architectural masterpiece”, but has repeatedly warned that the city needs to better manage tourism.

Venice is in danger from rising water levels, attributed to climate change, and excessive numbers of tourists, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, UNESCO’s Director of World Heritage.

Who Will Pay & Who are Exempted

From 2024, day-trippers will be charged a 5-euro fee as part of an attempt to better manage the flow of visitors. The test will be spread out over up to 30 days during 2024, on 30 particularly busy days in the spring and summer and on long weekends and public holidays.

So, from the next year, all travellers to Venice will have to register their visit in advance and obtain a QR code online. The five-euro tax will exempt those tourists who stay at least one night in a hotel, as well as children 14 years old and younger.

The city’s mayor has described the charge as an attempt to “protect the city from mass tourism”. To enforce the policy, the municipal police and authorised inspectors will carry out random checks. Anyone without the proper QR code will face a fine of up to 300 euros (261 pounds).

The fees would only be charge on day trippers as they make up two thirds of all visitors and are composed of large tour groups. While, overnight visitors spend more money on accommodation and meals, according to BBC.

Mass tourism

Last year, some 3.2 million tourists stayed overnight in Venice’s historic centre, according to official data — a number that does not include the thousands of daily visitors who visit just for the day. In 2019, the Italian city received 5.5 million visitors.

Venice’s population is around 50,000 and has been consistently falling, from a peak of 175,000. If the population falls below 40,000, there is concern that it will cease to be a viable living city.

Venice was listed among 1,157 places among designated a World Heritage Site, which have “outstanding universal value” because of their cultural or natural offerings. However, in the recent years it has grappled with weather-related problems.

Two years ago, Venice imposed a ban on massive cruise ships from which thousands of day-trippers emerge daily, rerouting them to a more distant industrial port.