According to CNN, starting in April 2024, the government of Venice, Italy will officially test charging fees and limiting the number of tourists allowed to visit famous sites in an effort to preserve the city's heritage.
Anyone visiting Venice on peak days in 2024 will have to register. Photo: Andrea Merola/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The admission fee and visitor restrictions will be tested for 29 days and most weekends from April 25 to mid-July 2024. The fixed price of 5 euros ($5.45) to visit.
The program will be managed through an online platform and generate QR code tickets that confirm payment or exemption. The city will also have kiosks for toll payments.
Visitors will be able to register online from January 16, 2024. The code will be checked at specific entry points and will grant visitors access to city sites.
Exemptions
Generally, all visitors aged 14 and over who are not staying overnight in the city will be charged. Even overnight visitors will have to register online to receive a QR code to determine their exemption.
The idea of charging fees is aimed at improving the city experience for residents and tourists. Photo: Luca Zanon/Awakening/Getty Images
Anyone exempted must carry a QR code to prove it, except residents of the city and those born in Venice.
Meanwhile, property owners in the city, students and workers in Venice will have to register on a new online platform to receive a long-term QR code valid for the year.
Those visiting the city for short-term business or study also get free entry but must register for a QR code daily. The same goes for tourists staying overnight in Venice, including Mestre on the mainland, and residents visiting Venice’s historic centre.
Notably, children under 14 will not have to pay, and neither will “certified disabled” people and carers. However, be sure to make a reservation and get a free QR code.
Additionally, those staying in Venice will not have to pay an entrance fee because they have already paid the overnight tax. However, a QR code will still be required for authentication. Local hotels may be able to arrange one for guests. Otherwise, guests will need to register for a waiver before arrival.
There are seven main access and ticket control points, including the airport, train and bus stations, Fusina port, and the Fondado Nove and Riva degli Schiavoni river banks, where many boats dock.
Fines will range from 50 euros ($54) to 300 euros ($327) per person for violations.
Increased responsibility
The council has identified 29 peak days in the first half of 2024 to charge day commuters. Photo: Stefano Mazzola/Getty Images
Overcrowding and flooding have long been a problem for the city, famous for its canals and cultural sites. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recommended that Venice be added to its list of world heritage sites in danger, while calling on the Italian government to step up efforts to protect the site.
Faced with this situation, the City Council mentioned introducing the fees for the first time in 2019 but will officially implement them from 2024. This is a way to limit the situation of overtourism during the day.
"The aim is to achieve a new balance between residents, users of city spaces, and visitors to the old town, who want to experience positive emotions in the UNESCO World Heritage Site," said Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said it was not a revolution but the first step on the road to adjusting the approach to day-trippers - an experiment with the aim of improving the lives of the city's residents as well as those who live and work here.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said Venice was the first city in the world to embark on this journey and could become an example for other fragile cities in need of preservation.
He warned that “issues” could arise such as high error rates but that we are prepared to make the necessary changes to improve the process.
Visitor numbers will be monitored through the city's Smart Control Room for continuous monitoring, which uses mobile phone technology as well as CCTV cameras to track the number of people arriving and determine the date to activate the program.
The entrance fee will serve as a reminder to tourists to behave more responsibly and be more aware, according to Mr. Brugnaro.
"We hope not to charge too much because that would mean a reduction in visitors. We also hope that those who want to come on those days will decide to find another appointment. Our goal is not to make money but to be able to prevent the daily influx of money that is detrimental to the city," Mr. Brugnaro emphasized./.
