Venice vows to increase its tax on day-trippers, plans two-tier entry system

Venice, Italy
cnn
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It caused waves of confusion among tourists and anger among locals, but the Venice entrance fee for day-trippers is here to stay.

City authorities announced their plans for next year on October 24.

During 2025 there will be 54 days in which admission will be charged to those who visit that day, up from 29 in 2024.

The fee structure will also change: from a fixed price of 5 euros ($5.40) in 2024 to a two-tier system. Visitors who pay the fee more than four days in advance of their visit will pay the 5 euro fee. Anyone who books within three days of arrival will see that amount double to 10 euros (almost $11).

What will be maintained is the application of the rate only for the “center” of the city. Outlying islands, including the coastal resort of Lido and the popular Murano and Burano, which can be accessed directly from the mainland, are not included in the charging area.

Those traveling through Piazzale Roma (bus station), Tronchetto or the port will also be exempt, as long as they do not enter the city center.

The way to book tickets will remain the same: both those paying and those requesting exemptions (for example, overnight guests) will need to book through this website.

Tourists over 14 years of age who visit on the day must pay the fee, with exemptions for those who are going to compete in sporting events, third-degree relatives of residents in the city center and those staying in the municipality of Venice. of which Mestre is part on the continent. There is even a special exemption for yachts attending the Salone Nautico boat show.

As before, there will be fines for those who evade tickets.

“Venice is at the forefront of the fight against overtourism,” Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor, said in announcing the plans, adding that this year the system allowed them to collect data to inform the future.

“The objective remains the same: to define a new management system for tourist flows and discourage day-trippers tourism in Venice during certain periods, in line with the delicacy and uniqueness of the city, to give it all the respect it deserves “he stated. aggregate.

The council again said they were not trying to make a profit from the scheme and admitted it was not enough to stop the influx.

Officials also proposed plans for short-term rentals.

While other cities in Europe and beyond are cracking down on Airbnb, Venice is being more lenient, hoping to persuade tourists to behave better rather than impose restrictions.

In what Brugnaro called a “pact between the city council and the owners,” starting in 2025, any property rented for more than 120 days a year will have to register with the authorities, accepting “good practices” as hosts. This means meeting guests in person at the property and handing them garbage and recycling bags with unique property codes.

Although waste is collected six days a week from every home in Venice, tourists throwing garbage bags on the street or not recycling and using apartment bins correctly is a big problem.

However, the city council has not said how it plans to force tourists to use the bags allocated to them.

The owner must also provide guests with 24-hour contact in case of need.

Property owners have 120 days to register their properties after the date the city council approves the plans, assuming that is the case. If they do not register, the window will close until December 31, 2026.

Brugnaro said the rules would encourage “virtuous behavior” that will “ensure greater compatibility with residents’ daily lives.”

The measures are far from those applied in other cities that have suffered the explosion of short-term rentals.

New York City rules don’t allow rentals of entire properties for less than 30 days, but they do allow people to rent out rooms in their home, as long as they are there too.

In Europe, Paris limits rentals to 120 days a year, while Barcelona and Berlin have introduced hurdles to obtaining permits, as well as imposing heavy fines for illegal rentals.

According Inside AirbnbThere are 8,322 Airbnb listings in Venice, 77% of which are entire properties. Two-thirds of hosts have multiple listings. Their data also shows that the average accommodation is booked for 98 nights a year, which wouldn’t even fall under the new “good behavior” standards.

Meanwhile, Venice’s population has fallen below 50,000 for the first time in centuries. The lack of long-term rental properties and affordable housing is one of the main reasons for the exodus.

Around 30 million visitors flood the streets of Venice every year.