By Giada Zampano
ROME (AA) – Venice’s city council on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to a new system aimed at managing the surging tourist flows, based on the payment of an entry fee that grants access to the old city and the other smaller islands of the Lagoon.
The measure sets out the guidelines for the new system, including general principles, exemptions, controls and sanctions, through a multi-channel and multi-language platform that will be made available soon.
The aim is to disincentive daily tourism in certain periods, in line with the fragility and uniqueness of the world-renowned city.
The entry fee will have to be paid by every individual over the age of 14 who enters the old city of the municipality of Venice, unless they fall into the categories of exclusions and exemptions. In general, the fee will be charged to day visitors.
Under the new law, residents in the Venice municipality, workers -- including commuters, students of any schools and universities located in the city or in the smaller islands --- individuals and family members who have paid the local property tax in the Municipality of Venice will not have to pay the fee.
Those who stay in accommodation facilities located in the municipal territory, residents of the Veneto Region, children up to 14 years of age, people in need of care, those taking part in sporting competitions, police officers on duty, the spouse, cohabiting partner, relatives or relatives-in-law up to the 3rd degree of kin of residents in areas where the entry fee applies, are also excluded from paying.
After the approval by the city council, a further resolution of the council will define, in addition to the days covered by the fee, specific details and information, such as the exemption for all the smaller islands of the Lagoon, the time intervals of validity of the fee and its value, which will initially be set at 5 euros.
“We have done this in the conviction that the idea of booking the city should be as participatory as possible. We thus set ourselves as a forerunner worldwide, aware of the urgency of finding a new balance between the rights of those who live, study or work in Venice and those who visit the city,” said Tourism Councilor Simone Venturini.
“This is why, at certain times and on certain days, innovative flow management is required, capable of putting a brake on day-to-day tourism,” he added.