Venice’s New Tourist Fee Sparks Chaos and Confusion on Day One

The Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.

Venice’s bid to address the scourge of overtourism—a new tourist fee, which took effect last week—devolved into chaos on day one of the experiment, underscoring the magnitude of the challenge posed by the relentless influx of visitors to Italy’s famous “floating city”.

On Thursday, officials rolled out a €5 (or $5.40) tax charged to day-trippers as part of a trial program to mitigate the strains of overtourism, which has been in the works for some time.

The initiative is set to remain in effect on 29 select “peak” days through July, and its overall aim is to make the city, which is routinely overrun with sightseers, more livable for local residents.

However, the move has already triggered widespread discontent, with much of it coming from the residents the program is supposed to protect. According to Business Insider, many locals don’t believe that charging an entrance fee is the solution to Venice’s overtourism problem.

When the tax went into effect on Thursday, roughly 500 opponents of the scheme took to the streets in protest. It wasn’t long before chaotic scenes erupted among the crowd, some of whom began clashing with riot police. Other dissenters brandished signs and banners that read, “No to ticket, Yes to houses and services for all”, reported The Guardian.

Critics contend that the fee impedes upon the principles of freedom of movement, also saying that the nominal amount being charged will fail to serve as an adequate deterrent to day-trippers.

The fee’s introduction also triggered immediate frustration extending beyond the local populace.

Overnight visitors, in particular, seemed perplexed as to how they were supposed to prove that they had registered at accommodations within the city and were therefore exempt from the tax. It seems many hadn’t realized that, while they didn’t need to pay the fee, they still needed to register their status to present to ticket inspectors.

Simone Venturini, the city’s tourism councilor, has previously asserted that the program wasn’t concocted to raise revenue and that the proceeds would be slated solely for covering operational expenses.

Single-day tourists who visit Venice on specified peak days are now required to purchase tickets either online or in person at designated booths to gain admittance to the city.

Anyone who fails to register runs the risk of being intercepted by ticket inspectors, who may impose fines ranging from €50 to €300. Venice’s municipal council disclosed that 113,000 individuals registered on the first day, 15,700 of which were paying visitors.

Although city residents are exempt from the admission fee requirement for the ticketed area, they are still obligated to make online bookings, a stipulation that has quickly become a source of contention.