Venice authorities plan to significantly raise the tourist tax – The Guardian

Simone Venturini, the newly elected mayor of Venice, plans to sharply increase the entry fee for day-trippers to 50 euros in order to limit the excessive influx of visitors on peak days. 

The city council’s proposal to vary the fee based on the number of advance reservations is currently being prepared for submission to the central government for consideration. 

The increased fee will apply on the busiest days, while tourists with confirmed hotel reservations, children under 14, and residents of the Veneto region will be exempt from payment, although visitors will still be required to register their visit online.

Venice became the first city in the world to introduce such a fee in 2024 at a rate of 5 euros, expanding the system to cover 54 days in 2025 and 60 days this year. Although the measure has not yet led to a significant reduction in tourist numbers, it added 2.4 million euros to the city’s budget in its first year. The city plans to use the funds to finance municipal services and maintain the UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose annual operating costs exceed 100 million euros. The fee will be paid online, and a QR code will be issued for verification by inspectors at the main entry points into the city.

This was reported by The Guardian.