Miguel Jorge
WriterJournalist. I've spent more than half of my life writing about technology, science, and culture. Before landing here, I worked at Telefónica, Prisa, Globus Comunicación, Hipertextual, and Gizmodo. I'm part of Webedia's cross-section team.
Tourism in Venice has led to overcrowding, a well-known issue in the city. To address this, Venice has been a pioneer in implementing regulations aimed at balancing the needs of the local population with the preservation of its delicate ecosystem. Due to its unique geography, the city can’t accommodate more tourists, introducing measures such as caps on large groups, fines for exceeding limits, and even tracking visitor smartphones. Additionally, Venice implemented an entry fee that proved so effective that the city decided to double its price for 2025.
The experiment is consolidating. Venice is a pioneer in implementing an entrance fee for single-day visitors. Due to the success of this initiative, authorities have decided to double the fee in 2025. They’ll increase it from $5.2 (€5) to $10.4 (€10) for those entering without an accommodation reservation.
Moreover, the charge will now cover 54 days, up from 29 days in 2024. The designated dates are from April 18 to May 4, followed by every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through the end of July. The fee will be charged from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. However, those who book at least four days in advance will only need to pay $5.2 (€5).
What politicians say. Simone Venturini, Venice’s tourism councillor, hinted at an upcoming change during the BIT tourism fair in Milan. He said that the 2024 pilot project successfully managed tourist flows and discouraged one-day mass tourism. As a result, local authorities have decided to expand the initiative.
Notably, international destinations like Formentera in Spain and Kyoto in Japan have expressed interest in replicating Venice’s approach.
Impact on the tourism rate. In 2024, nearly half a million tourists paid the entry fee, generating $2.5 million in revenue for public coffers. However, authorities haven’t disclosed the costs associated with the system or how the funds will be used. Registration data shows that, after Italians, the largest groups of tourists came from the U.S., Germany, and France. Additionally, the measure led to a slight decrease in visitors from the Veneto region, although authorities haven’t provided specific figures either.
It’s important to note that, despite the fee increase, access remains free for overnight visitors to the city. However, they must register online to obtain their exemption. Travelers only transiting through Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto, and Stazione Marittima, as well as those visiting the outer islands of the lagoon (Lido, Murano, and Burano) without passing through the city center, are also exempt from the fee.
Venice’s future. Authorities acknowledge that the fee alone isn’t enough to manage mass tourism, but they believe that the framework created could lead to stricter regulations in the future.
Venice hosts tourists from 194 countries and is one of the destinations most affected by tourist overexploitation. This situation has prompted the implementation of increasingly restrictive measures to protect its fragile urban ecosystem and preserve its historic character. It’s an ongoing and challenging balancing act.
Image | Claudio Schwarz
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