The enactment of Venice's long-awaited ticketing system has been pushed back until the spring of 2024, according to an announcement made by the city council.
On Tuesday, September 5, officials in Venice, Italy, approved regulations that would begin implementing a €5 ($5.50) daily admission tax for tourists beginning next year.
The AP News reported, via Fox Business, that the trial period for the charge will be for 30 days during the spring and summer weekends of 2024. Venice authorities said in a statement, "The aim is to disincentivize daily tourism in certain periods, in line with the fragility and uniqueness of the city," according to the media agency.
'World Heritage in Danger'
After the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) indicated that it was contemplating adding Venice to its global heritage danger list, the city's leaders took this step in the hopes of reducing the number of tourists visiting the city.
According to Forbes, Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro pointed out how important it is to limit visitor numbers at peak times. Nevertheless, he emphasized that this does not mean the city has to be shut down completely. The mayor has promised that the city would remain welcoming to all visitors.
The municipal government said in a statement that "the objective is to discourage daily tourism in certain periods, in line with the fragility and uniqueness of the city."
Reportedly, only daytime guests will be required to purchase an entrance ticket. Those who live in the area, people who commute, as well as students and kids who are under 14, will not have to pay. Guests of hotels located inside the historic city center will likewise be exempt from the fee.
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Imposing Price To Enter
There has been talk about instituting an entrance fee to Venice's historic center for quite some time, but no action has been taken on the matter by the city council as a whole.
The executive board of the council has approved a 30-day trial period beginning in the spring and summer of 2024. This will encompass all major holidays and weekends.
Whether or not there will be a daily ticket cap is only one of many factors that have yet to be announced.
Simone Venturini, the deputy mayor for tourism, claimed the new tax will make the city a "trailblazer on the global level." Since the €5 charge would only cover operating expenses, he added the city has no plans to generate a profit from the program.
Instead, he said that a new equilibrium will be sought between the rights of Venice's permanent residents and those of the city's temporary visitors, as reported by Reuters.
Instead, he said that a new equilibrium will be sought between the rights of Venice's permanent residents and those of the city's temporary visitors. A restriction on big cruise ships sailing in front of St. Mark's Square was enacted by the city in 2021.
The move was made in an effort to lessen the number of people that descend by the thousands and cause traffic congestion in the downtown area.
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