Venice will start implementing the use of tourist tickets in order to prevent overcrowding within the Italian city, with a five-euro fee for day trippers.
Those looking to visit Italy probably plan to make a stop in the ever-famous Venice. Nothing could be more charming than a gondola ride in the city’s recognizable waterways or a stroll through its historical Rialto Bridge. However, enjoying the city’s beautiful scenery may come at a cost in 2024—five euros, to be exact. The city has announced that it will be charging day trippers an entry fee for tickets in an effort to combat overtourism, as per Condé Nast Traveler.
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The Italian city recently released a guide to its ticket pricing for 2024 through its official website. Generally, visitors under the age of 14 who plan on taking a day-trip must pay five euros (around $5.45). While this may irk some people, it’s important to note that the new rule isn’t really for financial gain. Rather, the fee is meant to be a contribution that would help the city’s tourism while preventing overcrowding—a matter that’s been more serious and prevalent in recent years.
Preserving a City
Many sectors across the globe have been trying to recover from the devastating economic effects of the COVID pandemic, including the tourism industry. Luckily, a great deal of people are making up for lost time by traveling once again, seizing every opportunity to go out and explore the world like never before. For the most part, this is welcome news, as it helps local economies get back on their feet. That said, too much of a good thing can also have detrimental effects.
The tourism boom has affected a number of destinations, especially those with populations and infrastructures that aren’t equipped to handle such large crowds. Venice is, of course, one of these places. According to The New York Times, the Italian city’s authorities have been unable to control the massive influx of day-trip crowds that flock to notable landmarks, clogging streets while contributing less to the local economy.
Though the City Hall had plans to charge an entry fee for a while now, it postponed them to allow businesses to properly recover. Unfortunately, the issue of overcrowding is becoming too glaring to ignore. The New York Times adds that a document UNESCO released last July placed Venice in the “Endangered Places List,” explaining that the city had not made much progress in preventing damage from overtourism, development projects, and climate change.
“We have to show the world that for the first time, something is being done for Venice,” stated Luigi Brugnaro, the city’s mayor, during an announcement.
A Fair Experiment
The day-trip entry fee for 2024 will still be in its experimental stages as authorities observe its efficacy and impact on controlling crowds. Interested visitors need not worry, as the fee has rather reasonable parameters. For one thing, it will only be applicable to 29 days next year. Most of them fall on weekends during the high season of April to July, with some weekdays in May and April, reports Condé Nast Traveler. It will also only apply from the hours of 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, which are normally the city’s busiest.
Visitors entering the city beyond these hours will be exempt. Other individuals exempted from the fee include students, residents, workers, anyone born in Venice, and travelers staying in a hotel within the city.
Only time will tell whether the new policy will really help curb over tourism and crowding; however, an earnest plan in the face of a worsening problem is far better than no plan. Hopefully, the rule yields a lovely and livable Venice for residents and tourists alike in the long term.
Banner photo by Kit Suman via Unsplash.
