Venice is considering doubling its entry fee to tourists – to €10 – in a bid for the scheme to work better at staggering tourist arrival numbers and lowering overtourism instances.
Back in April, Venice became the first city in the world to officially charge tourists to enter its city centre.
The charge is in play on a certain number of days per year and is aimed, primarily, on day trippers; typically cruise ship visitors.
Most regions which have introduced some form of travel tax have opted for a small add-on charge to accommodation costs. But, Venice – and now Barcelona, also – have gone for the nuclear option of charging entry to their city centres.
Now, Venice – for many, the litmus test of tourist taxes – is looking to increase its entry fee to as much as €10 per day visitor; due to very mixed results initially.
This is despite Venice warning of fines of between €50 and €300 for those avoiding payment.
Venice took in almost €1m over the first 11 days of the entry fee, in April, after 195,000 tickets were sold. The income was less than the cost of establishing the online booking system; while the fee also has done nothing to quell the overcrowding issue – with numbers nor crowds lessening.
One of Venice’s former Mayors has attacked the fee, saying it goes against freedom of movement; while numerous loopholes allowing people to avoid paying have also cropped up.
