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In the future, short-term visitors to Venice will have to pay an entrance fee on certain days. The municipal council of the Italian lagoon city decided on Tuesday to charge a fee of five euros to tourists who stay only a few hours and do not stay overnight. The scheme is expected to come into effect in the spring. In 2024, this will initially apply to 30 days when experience shows that there are a particularly large number of visitors. It will be expanded later. The exact dates are still open.

Essentially, Venice – one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world – now has fewer than 50,000 permanent residents. During the high season there are more than twice as many tourists on some days. The flow of visitors has been causing major problems for years. Cruise tourists in particular have come under criticism. That is why people have been thinking about charging entrance fees for some time. However, the plans are also controversial among residents. The decision was postponed several times.

The plan now is for day visitors to be able to get a QR code online and upload it to their mobile phone, which must be shown at checks. Otherwise there are fines of between 50 and 300 euros. The city council justifies the project by saying that there must be a “balance of interests” between residents and tourists. The world cultural organization UNESCO is currently discussing whether Venice should be placed on the list of “endangered cultural world heritage”. The decision is expected to be made this month.

(hah/sda/dpa)