Venice imposes fines on tourists who avoid paying entrance fee to historic centre

Venice Implements Entry Fee for Tourists to Combat Overtourism

In an effort to combat overtourism, Venice has introduced a new entry fee for visitors to the historic city center. Starting this year, tourists will have to pay €5 to enter the lagoon city, with fines starting at 10 times the ticket price for those who fail to pay.

The charge will be in place on 29 days between April and mid-July, aimed at finding a balance between tourists and residents. Municipal councillor for tourism, Simone Venturini, stated, “We need to safeguard the spaces of the resident and discourage the arrival of day trippers on particular days.”

While officials have avoided calling the charge a tax and assured there will be no turnstiles or physical barriers, some locals remain skeptical. Venice resident Nicola Ussardi expressed concerns about where the income from the entry fee will go, suggesting it should be used to repair abandoned houses in the city.

Under the pilot scheme, visitors arriving at the main train and bus stations will be reminded of the new requirement by stewards. Payment points will be available for those without smartphones. The program aims to reduce crowds on peak days, encourage longer visits, and improve the quality of life for residents.

However, the entry fee does not apply to anyone staying in Venice, including the mainland districts of Marghera and Mestre. The pilot project also aims to provide more accurate visitor figures, as pre-pandemic estimates were deemed unreliable.