Venice has confirmed it will likely be bringing again its controversial entry payment for guests subsequent summer season.
In 2026, the variety of days that the levy shall be in place for has been prolonged to 60, in comparison with 54 in 2025.
The payment shall be relevant on sure dates – primarily weekends – between 3 April till 26 July.
Entry prices €5 (£4.30) if purchased prematurely, though if day trippers go away the cost till three days earlier than, the payment will increase to €10 (£8.70).
Famed for its community of canals and Gothic structure, the Unesco World Heritage metropolis usually attracts round 30 million vacationers per yr – though seven in 10 solely keep for the day.
The metropolis has struggled to accommodate such massive volumes of holiday makers and officers cautious of “irreversible injury” to its historic centre. It is the primary on the planet to cost for day tripper admission.
The payment could be paid on the Venezia Unica web site, at Venice-Santa Lucia station or in tobacconists. Once paid, guests are given a QR code that may be scanned at entry factors between 8.30am to 4pm.
Workers, residents, these with disabilities, these visiting residents and vacationers who’re staying in a single day in Venice are exempt from the payment.
People who fall into these classes nonetheless must request exemption on the times that the entry payment is being enforced. Children beneath 14 years previous wouldn’t have to pay or register to entry the Old City.
The seasonal vacationer tax was first trialled between April and July 2024, with a objective to manage crowd flows on sure days, “permitting everybody to get pleasure from Venice with no rush”, town’s council mentioned.
It was in drive for 29 days, throughout which era town noticed over 3.6 million every day reservations from 194 totally different nations.
The entry payment was launched by the council as a way to “promote sustainable and acutely aware tourism in addition to the adoption of excellent practices in tourism”.
Simone Venturini, deputy mayor for tourism for Venice, advised The Independent in 2024 when the trial first commenced: “Day trippers could be, throughout some days of the yr, overwhelming, and we try to maintain the variety of day trippers decrease.”
“Venice is at all times right here. They are at all times there. So they will choose one other day to go to Venice.”
He mentioned that the scheme just isn’t designed to make cash, however to behave as a deterrent on peak days: “Our objective is to gather very, very low taxes as a result of it implies that we have now much less day trippers.”
“I believe that humanity has one obligation to protect and safeguard Venice. If this method helps us to do this, I believe that the system is nice.”
The Independent has contacted the City of Venice for remark.
Read extra: Historic English cities demand proper to impose vacationer tax
