Popular tourist city introduces entry tax for tourists
As previously reported, the tax will range from 2.5 to 10 euros depending on the season. This measure has become part of the city's budget for the new year and will take effect from July of the coming year.
The new fee will primarily affect those who arrive in Venice for a day trip without an overnight stay: for example, passengers of cruise ships, who are currently exempt from the tourist tax. Tourists who come to the city for several days already pay a similar tax, which is included in the cost of hotel rooms and rental apartments.
City authorities expect that the new tax could bring up to 50 million euros annually to Venice's budget.
"The costs of maintaining the cleanliness of the historic center and its safety are especially important, and for many years they were covered by the Venetians themselves. I thank those who will help keep Venice clean and make the lives of Venetians more comfortable," said the city's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, in an interview with the newspaper Repubblica.
At the same time, in his Twitter account, the mayor assured that those who come to Venice for work or study will be exempt from the tax.
The introduction of the tax was also supported by representatives of the tourism industry. "Those who arrive in Venice in the morning and leave in the evening contribute little to our economy but increase the burden on city services; they must understand that not everything here is free. This is a real victory for the city," said Claudio Scarpa, head of the Venetian Hoteliers Association. "Our historic city centers are museums, and it is right that visitors pay for visiting them, just like paying for entry to a museum," said Bernabò Bocca, head of the Federalberghi hoteliers group.
As noted by BBC, similar taxes are already in effect in other regions of Italy: on the Lipari Islands and on the island of Lampedusa. The new tax is expected to be included in air and rail ticket fares.
Local residents have long complained to the authorities about the huge influx of tourists, noting that it negatively affects both the historic appearance of the city and the daily lives of residents. The main threat to the city, according to residents, is the crowds of tourists from ocean liners: every year up to 600 such ships stop in the ports of Venice.
UNESCO is also concerned about the fate of the city: in the summer of 2019, the organization is to decide whether to include the historic center of the city in the list of monuments at risk of disappearing.