Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

VENICE

EXPLAINED: How will the tourist-control system work in Venice?

Venice is introducing a new system to discourage day-trippers in hopes of curbing problems with overtourism in the popular hotspot. Here is what you need to know.

Published: 4 July 2022 15:34 CEST
Updated: 7 July 2022 12:58 CEST
EXPLAINED: How will the tourist-control system work in Venice?
Venice, in Italy, will impose a tourist tax to discourage "day-trippers". (Photo by Henrique Ferreira on Unsplash)

After years of discussing a possible “tourist tax”, the city of Venice has confirmed it will make day-trippers pay from €3 to €10 for access to the city centre starting on January 16th.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said the goal of the new tourism fee is to discourage day tourism at certain times of the year and encourage overnight tourism. Day-trippers will have to pay a fee, but those who stay overnight continue only to have to pay the city tax of €2 to €5, according to a government press release.

The Commission and the City Council will now examine the regulatory text for the final green light scheduled for the summer.

“We are the first in the world to introduce this system, and we are aware that not everything will work well from the beginning, but we will be ready to improve in the course of work. We want to guarantee the tourist the best quality of the visit and make sure that the city is able to give visitors all the services they need”, said Tourism Secretary Simone Venturini.

READ ALSO: After flooding and coronavirus, is it time Venice stopped relying on tourism?

How much will I have to pay?

The contributo di acesso, or access contribution, will cost from €3 to €10, depending on factors such as tourism numbers for the day and season.

The city will determine a certain threshold of tourists, after which people will be required to pay higher sums. Travellers are encouraged to book in advance to avoid price increases.

Does the payment have to be made in advance?

The government said that nobody would be denied entry to Venice, meaning a pre-registration is not necessary. However, the mayor said that those who book their visit in advance would be “rewarded”. The reward will likely discount the fee.

How will the system work? Where do I pay?

According to the City of Venice, the payment is an alternative to the city tax. It will be required from every person that goes to the old city centre of Venice, as well as other major tourist destinations and islands in the region.

READ ALSO: 16 surprising facts about Venice to mark 16 centuries of the lagoon city

A single payment guarantees access to the old town and the smaller islands.

Tourists will be able to pay through an online and “multilingual” platform where they will receive a QR code to present in case of controls. Tickets should also be available to buy in connection with public transport – so if you are arriving by train, it will be possible to buy the train ticket and the entry pass together.

Who is excluded or exempt from the payment?

There are several exceptions to the payment, according to the website. Among them are residents from the Comune di Venezia, those who work or study there, and those who own homes in the city.

Additionally, exceptions include those born in the Comune di Venezia, children under six years of age, people with disabilities and their accompanying person, public workers, volunteers, people visiting family members, prisoners, or attending funerals, and many others.

Residents of the Veneto region “up to the thresholds that will be set by a specific Council resolution” are also exempt.

Those who stay overnight and, therefore, already pay the city tax through their hotel or short-term rental booking are also exempt from the fee.

The city of Murano, in the metropolitan region of Venice (Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash)

What about people arriving on cruises?

Venice is a very popular stop for cruise ships and people visiting the city on a cruise tour will also have to pay the fee as they disembark in the old town. However, the City of Venice said they might determine a lump-sum measure in agreement with the relevant carriers.

READ ALSO: OPINION: Why more of Italy’s top destinations must limit tourist numbers

Which smaller islands are included?

Only one ticket and payment is required for those travelling to multiple islands, including Venice. The islands that are part of the group are:

  • Lido di Venezia
  • Pellestrina
  • Murano
  • Burano
  • Torcello
  • Sant’Erasmo
  • Mazzorbo
  • Mazzorbetto
  • Vignole
  • S. Andrea
  • La certosa
  • S. Servolo
  • S. Clemente
  • Poveglia

What if I simply don’t pay?

If you fail to produce proof of payment or that you are exempt from the fee, the sanction is from €50 to €300. The fine is the same in the case of people making false statements trying to obtain exemptions or reductions.

Additionally, visitors who don’t pay in advance will have to pay the full €10 fee.

For more info click here.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

STRIKES

The transport strikes that will hit travel in Italy in May 2024

People travelling to, from or across Italy may face disruption next month as unions have called multiple walkouts affecting trains and public transport services.

Published: 19 April 2024 14:48 CEST
The transport strikes that will hit travel in Italy in May 2024

Transport strikes are common during Italy’s spring months, and May will be no exception this year as unions representing rail and public transport staff have announced multiple walkouts which may affect the travel plans of both locals and international visitors.

Here’s a look at the protests that are expected to cause the greater amount of disruption.

May 1st – Nationwide general strike 

Rail and public transport passengers around the country may face major delays and/or cancellations on Wednesday, May 1st (which marks Italy’s Festa del Lavoro, or Labour Day) due to a 24-hour general strike backed by Italy’s main trade unions.

This is expected to be one of the most disruptive walkouts of the month as it will involve staff from both public and private transport operators at a local, regional and national level.

Besides the rail and public transport sectors, ferry services to and from Italy’s major islands, Sicily and Sardinia, and motorway services may also be affected.

It’s currently not clear whether or not the protest will affect air transport on the day.

May 3rd – Nationwide railway staff strike

Train passengers around the country may experience disruption on Friday, May 3rd as track maintenance staff at Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), which owns and manages all of Italy’s railway network, plan to strike for 24 hours. 

The protest may impact both regional trains and long-distance services operated by Trenitalia and Italo.

May 6th – Nationwide public transport strike 

Public transport passengers may face delays and/or cancellations on Monday, May 6th as staff at bus, tram and subway operators around the country plan to strike for 24 hours. 

The timing and impact of the strike, which is backed by USB – one of Italy’s main transport unions – will vary from city to city, with further information on guaranteed services expected to become available closer to the date of the walkout.

May 12th – Air traffic controllers’ strike at Malpensa airport

Passengers flying to or from Milan’s Malpensa airport may face delays and/or cancellations on  Sunday, May 12th as staff from air traffic control agency Enav plan to strike from 1pm to 5pm.

Detailed information on guaranteed flights is expected to be released on Enav’s website closer to the date of the walkout.

May 19th-May 20th – Nationwide Trenitalia strike

Staff at Trenitalia, Italy’s primary train operator, will strike from 3am on Sunday, May 19th to 2am on Monday, May 20th for a total of 23 hours. 

The protest is expected to affect long-distance services as well as regional and local routes.

Local strikes

A number of smaller regional and local walkouts have also been announced for the coming weeks. A full list can be found on the Italian Transport Ministry’s website. 

How bad are strikes in Italy?

Strikes in Italy are frequent but not all of them cause significant disruption for travellers.

The severity of disruption caused by any strike in the country largely depends on how many staff in any part of the transport sector decide to participate.

And, even in the case of highly disruptive strikes, some essential services (or servizi minimi) are guaranteed to run at peak times. This goes for all transport sectors, from local public transport to rail and air travel.

Keep up with all the latest updates in our strike news section.

SHOW COMMENTS