VENICE, ITALY – In a move to try to stem the flood of tourists and make the city “more liveable” for locals, Veniceat Italystarted charging this Thursday, the 25th, a fee of 5 euros (R$ 27.96 reais at the current rate) for visitors.
Tourists who disembarked at Santa Lucia, Venice’s main train station, on Thursday were greeted with huge posters listing the 29 dates up until July when the plan will be tested. There were also separate entrances for tourists, residents, students and workers.
Although the fee is moderate and the system does not impose a limit on daily visitors, city officials hope it will discourage some tourists on busier days.
“We need to find a new balance between tourists and residents,” said Simone Venturini, Venice’s deputy head of tourism. For her, it is “above all about discouraging local tourism for the inhabitants of the Veneto region, who can visit Venice whenever they want”.
The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, considered this Thursday, the first day of application of paid entry, that tourism must “change” and “reduce visits” to the city. “Today we spend money that we have not yet collected (…), but it is a way of making people understand that it is necessary to change and reduce visits to the city”, he declared in a statement.
On the busiest days, Venice, which has 50,000 inhabitants, receives 100,000 tourists who spend the night there, in addition to tens of thousands of day-trip visitors. Photograph: Luca Bruno/AP Photo
The project, however, still has a limited scope: in 2024, only 29 days of high tourist flow will be affected by the new tariff, which begins to be charged this Thursday, a public holiday in Italy, and will be applied almost every weekend. from May to July.
Residents protest
During its busiest periods, Venice receives 100,000 tourists who spend the night there, in addition to tens of thousands of daily visitors. This contrasts with the approximately 50 thousand residents of the city center. The commune, one of the most visited in the world, has previously banned large cruise ships from docking in the city.
But some residents do not view the measure favorably, as they believe it is an attack on their freedom to come and go, and another step towards transforming the city into a museum. “We are not a museum or a natural reserve, but a city, we shouldn’t pay” for access, criticizes Marina Dodino, who is part of the local residents’ association, ARCI Venezia.
Hundreds of Venetians held a protest against the program at the city’s main bus terminal. Banners displayed at the demonstration said “no to tickets, yes to services and housing”. Protesters briefly clashed with police, and the demonstration ended peacefully in a square.
Hundreds of Venetians held a protest against the fee, defending the ‘right to come and go’ and stating that the city ‘is not a museum’. Photograph: Luca Bruno/AP Photo
How to pay ‘entrance’ to Venice?
The fee will be charged to tourists entering the city between 8:30 am and 4 pm local time. They must download their QR code from the website (https://cda.ve.it), also available in English, Spanish, French and German.
Ticket offices were also installed in the lobby of the Santa Lucia railway station for information and ticket sales. Tickets must be presented to inspectors, who are spread out in several locations.
Upon arriving at Venice’s main station, tourists, residents, students and workers were divided into different entrances. Photograph: Luca Bruno/AP
Visitors who try to stroll without paying the entrance fee may be punished with a fine of between 50 and 300 euros (R$279 and R$1,677 reais). Those who spend at least one night in the city will not be affected and will receive a free QR code. Exceptions are also provided, such as for children under 14 and students./AFP and Associated Press.
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