Italy's Venice to become world's first city to charge entrance fee to tackle overtourism

In a bid to curtail the overcrowding of tourists, authorities in Venice have imposed a new rule that will require tourists to purchase a ticket to enter the city. This decision will come into effect on January 16, 2023, announced Venice's councillor for tourism, Simone Venturini, at a press conference on Friday. With this, Venice  become the world's first city to make an entrance fee mandatory for its tourists from next year.

Calling this measure a "great revolution", Venturini said this is the only solution to the problem of overtourism that the city has been struggling with for decades.

Italy: Venice to become first city to charge fee upon entrance

The cost of the ticket will range from minimum 3 Euro to 10 Euros. Reports say that all the ticket prices will not be fixed and will vary as per the number of visitors. According to new rules, the entry fee will be increased if there will be a higher number of tourists. The city's councillor stated that the "goal is not to close the city but to get people to book their presence to reduce the tourist peaks." He said, "Venice is a living city and it has to stay that way."

Furthermore, if the entrance fee is not paid by the tourists, they are likely to face a fine of 300 euros (£258). Meanwhile, residents, disabled people, homeowners, those who visit the city for medical reasons, to meet relatives, or to attend cultural events, and children under the age of six will not be asked to pay for entry. Also, overnight hotel guests will be exempt from having to buy entry tickets. However, those who are exempted from buying entry tickets will have to show proof that they have a right to be in the city. Officials have confirmed that the verification of the people could be done by QR code that will reveal whether someone deserves an exemption, reported the New York Times.

Meanwhile, Venturini stated that Venice would be the first city in the world to take such measures and with this bumps in the road could be expected. “It would be foolish, ambitious, arrogant to think that everything will work perfectly, with a snap of our fingers,” he said. “It won’t” he added. “It will be a course that can certainly be improved and we will work constantly," reported New York Times. 

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