Venice to Charge Day Visitors 5 Euros in Effort to Combat Overtourism

After lengthy discussions, Venice has announced that as of Thursday, April 25, day visitors will be required to pay a five euros fee to enter its historic center during peak days. This unprecedented move aims to address the issue of overtourism, making Venice the first city in the world to implement such a measure.

While some critics doubt the effectiveness of the nominal fee in deterring visitors, city officials are hopeful that it might prompt individuals to reconsider their plans and choose to visit on weekdays or during the off-season. The goal is to alleviate the impact of the estimated 20 million visitors who inundated the city last year, a significant number considering the population of the city is under 50,000 residents, as indicated by municipal data. Notably, overnight guests will be exempt from this fee.

Promoting Venice's Uniqueness

The authorities emphasize that the essence of this initiative is to raise awareness about the exceptional nature and vulnerability of Venice. Overtourism has led to an economy overly reliant on tourism, posing a threat to the city as it displaces its diminishing population, highlighted Nicola Camatti, an economics professor and tourism expert at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.