What City Will Soon Charge Tourists to enter?

Venice will soon become the first city in the world to charge visitors to enter.

There are some places in the world you just have to see to believe, and Venice is near the top of the list. 

Its incredible architecture coupled with its precarious placement in the Laguna di Venezia make it a truly one-of-a-kind location which is also part of a problem. 

Today, Venice is a victim of a phenomenon known as “overtourism,” where interested travelers overwhelm a location or populace. 

In the case of Venice, some 30 million tourists arrive at the city every year, sometimes staying just for the day. But the local population numbers only around a quarter million. To combat this, Venice’s municipal authorities announced a controversial plan: a €5 entry fee for day-trippers entering the city. 

Although this would make Venice the first city in the world to charge an entry fee, overtourism has caused considerable damage to Venice. The city also desperately needs to adapt to the growing threat of climate change. 

In 2021, Venice banned cruise ships from its city center due to extensive damage to the surrounding area, and UNESCO has previously threatened to list Venice as “at risk” due to poor preservation. 

Starting in the spring of 2024, the entry fee will affect day-trippers over the age of 14 who are arriving at peak times of the year and are not staying in the city at night. 

The city’s councilor of tourism said the fee aims to “find a new balance between the rights of those who live, work, and study in Venice, and those who visit the city,” noting that Venice was “setting up as global frontrunners.” 

It remains to be seen if other victims of overtourism will join the race.