(CNN) — The countdown has begun. From January 16, 2023, visitors to Venice – that jewel in Italy’s tourism crown – will have to pay for the privilege. It is set to become the first city in the world to require an entry ticket. The opening date was announced by Venice Tourism Councilor Simone Venturini at a press conference on Friday. Venturini called the new measure a “major revolution” and a solution to the overtourism problem the lagoon city has struggled with for decades. The cost of the ticket will vary from three euros minimum right up to 10 euros. The price will not be fixed, but will vary according to the number of visitors: The more requests for entry, the higher the cost. The goal, Venturini explained, is not to “shut down the city,” but to get people to shut down to reduce “tourism peaks.” He said, “Venice is a living city and it should stay that way.”
Exceptions
Its complex ticket booking system and online platform will be launched this autumn. There are many exceptions to the entry ticket mandate, explained Michele Zuin, budget consultant. Residents and children under the age of six will be exempt, as will people with disabilities, homeowners, those coming to the city for health reasons or to visit relatives, and those coming to attend a sporting or cultural event. Overnight hotel guests will also avoid paying the entrance fee because they will already be paying tourist tax through their hotel. “It’s not a system to make money but to manage tourist flows,” Zuin stressed. The revenue from the entrance will be used to reduce the taxes of the Venetians, which are already very high due to the large volume of tourists that have to be accommodated. The entry will be valid for the historic center of Venice and the following islands: Lido di Venezia, Pellestrina, Murano, Burano, Torcello, Sant’Erasmo, Mazzorbo, Mazzorbetto, Vignole, S. Andrea, La Certosa, S. Servolo, S. Clemente and Poveglia. Fines for ticket violations will range from €50 to €300.
Post-pandemic mindset
“Covid has made us realize that what was an everyday occurrence before Covid is no longer acceptable — the mindset has changed and so has the sensibility [towards crowds],” he said. He explained that the booking system “would give us the opportunity to know how many people are expected for that day and calibrate the services according to the number”. Venturini also said in April that the portal would flag people who might want to change their minds. “We can say, ‘Dear guest, we do not advise you to come on this date because it is Ferragosto [August public holiday] or Easter — there will be a lot of people, so it will prevent you from having a peaceful visit, and if you do it a week later, you can enjoy your visit more,” he said. Venturini also predicted that Venice would not be the last to introduce a fee. “I think a lot of other European cities that live with a significant number of day trippers are watching us to see how they can introduce [a similar scheme],” he said. Venice may be the first city to introduce a fee, but already one village in Italy has imposed a charge for day-trippers. Civita di Bagnoregio introduced a “symbolic” fee of 1.50 euros ($1.67) in 2013. Mayor Francesco Bigiotti designed it as a marketing ploy to attract tourists to his cliffside village, known as “the dying city “. The fee piqued the interest of visitors to such an extent that visitors increased from 40,000 in 2009 to 1 million in 2018. Main image: Pre-pandemic crowd in St. Mark’s Square, Venice. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)
