Venice approves a 3 to 10 euro fee for visitors to commence in May

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Venice approves a 3 to 10 euro fee for visitors to commence in May

Updated
Toll gates on a bridge in Venice.

Toll gates on a bridge in Venice. Credit: Alamy

Venice Municipal lawmakers in Venice have officially approved an entry fee for tourists entering the popular Italian lagoon city.

When the scheme goes into effect remains unclear. Initial plans were aimed at charging tourists three euros ($4.75) for a single-day trip from May.

In the coming year the fee would increase to six euros and can be raised to as much as 10 euros ($15.83) on heavy tourism days.

Mass tourism has long been a problem in Venice, even if it is the city's main source of income. It has been blamed for overcrowding, rising house prices and a declining local population.

In 2016, heritage group Italia Nostra estimated that 30 million people visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site each year, with a daily influx of more than 82,000.

Under the entry fee scheme, visitors staying in hostels will be exempt from the payment. Hotel guests already have to pay a local tax for the stay.

"We're not interested in making cash," Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said, insisting the goal is to help pay for maintenance and cleanliness in the historic city.

DPA

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