Venice's Tourist Fee: Two Months In - An Update and Critical Reflection

Two months ago, we discussed the launch of Venice's €5 entrance fee for day-trippers. This entrance fee has started as a trial during this summer, to manage the massive influx of tourists into the small city. Now, two weeks after the end of the trial, it's time to have a look at the first results of the entry fee.

Is the financial success really a success?

In our previous post, we highlighted the revenue generated – almost 1 million Euros in 11 days. The total revenue during the trial increased to €2.5 million in 29 days. However, as critics have pointed out, the financial success may overshadow the primary goal: managing the number of visitors, and combatting overtourism. Increase in tourism fuels criticisms from residents and opposition party Despite its financial success, the measure is not having the hoped-for success, leading to stronger criticism:

Increase in tourism fuels criticisms from residents and opposition party

Despite its financial success, the measure is not having the hoped-for success, leading to stronger criticism:

• Unexpected increase in number of tourists: Surprisingly, instead of decreasing, visitor numbers have increased on certain days. This raises concerns about the fee's effectiveness in controlling the influx of tourists.

• People found ways to avoid the fee: Several newspapers reported about ways to avoid the fee. For instance, supporters of the football team could attend the city without having to pay, during the day of the match. Another solution was the use of a ‘friend code’ that residents of Venice received.

• Dissatisfaction of residents: A significant portion of Venetian residents feel the fee does not address the core problem of overtourism, viewing it as an incomplete measure, only focused on financial gains.

Possible adjustments by Venice

Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has defended the tax, acknowledging that it is a work in progress and requires tweaks. The city council will review the results and make adjustments to improve the policy. One of the considerations is to double the tax to €10 in 2025. Given it’s effectiveness so far, the potential success of doubling the fee is questionnable.

Next Steps in Tourist Management Our stance is that cities should look further than only financial measures to reach a sustainable tourism model. the amount of data and technologies available give so many opportunities to devise tailored solutions. A solution one can think of is an access system to (parts of) the city, with timeslots and a maximum number of visitors.

The evolution of such measures will be key in shaping the future of urban tourism management.