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In November 2023, authorities in Venice came up with a pilot program for their long-mooted plan to start charging day trippers to visit the city. This has been passed, and the program has finally been put in place, starting today, April 25. Signs advising arriving visitors of the new €5 fee for a test phase of 29 days through July have been put outside the main train station and other points of arrival.
Stewards have been trained to potentially walk anyone unaware of the fee through the process of downloading a QR code. Also, a kiosk has been established for those who lack smart phones. Once you’ve passed designated entry points, officials will carry out random checks for QR codes that show the day tripper tax has been paid and the bearer is exempt.
Those who act against this directive will hereby face fines of between €50 and €300. This only applies to those who arrive between 8.30 a.m. and 4 p.m.; otherwise, access is free. The tickets and QR codes are accessible online via the online payment platform that went live on January 16.
The main aim of the fee is to reduce the number of visitors, encourage longer visits, and improve the quality of life for residents. Well, the big question is: why is Venice introducing a tourist tax? Well, this is because Venice almost escaped being placed on UNESCO’s danger list last year because of the damage from overtourism to its delicate ecosystem.
This led to members of states proposing a new entry fee with the aim of sparing Venice from the list. It is a first-of-its kind experiment to regulate tourist flows in one of the world’s most visited places. However, the aim of the charge is to incentivize visitors to avoid high traffic periods and come on other days.
The city is strained when the number of day trippers reaches up to 30,000, according to the city’s top tourism official. It’s narrow alleys are clogged with people, and water taxis are packed, making it difficult for residents to go about their daily business.
Starting on April 25, 2024, visitors will start paying the fee to enter the fragile lagoon city. The charge will be placed on peak weekends and other days between April and mid-July, for a total of only 29 days. The fee will be paid from 8.30 am until 4 pm, meaning that if you happen to visit the city for dinner or a concert, you won’t have to pay.
Also, those who will be exempted from paying the fee are residents, venetian-born visitors, students, and workers, as well as tourists who have hotel or other lodging reservations.
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