Venice plans to
charge visitors for access and set entrance quotas from the summer of 2022,
according to newspaper Stampa.
The Italian city, one of
the world’s top tourist destinations, will also require prospective visitors to
reserve access in advance, according.
Turnstiles will be installed at the main
access points of the city’s historical center.
This year, with travel slowly resuming, the
restrictions are back on the agenda, as global tourism hotspots try to restrain
mass arrivals and improve the quality of the experience for both visitors and
residents.
Last month, Italy banned large cruise ships from the Venice
lagoon to protect the site from over-tourism. This might be just a first step in the plan to
reinvent and regulate mass tourism.
Entry into Venice will cost
anything from 3 euros ($3.5) to 10 euros, depending on the season and on how
many tourists are expected on that day. Locals, relatives of residents, and
tourists who have booked in a Venice hotel will be exempt from the entry
fee.
Charging visitors remains
controversial. City councillor Marco Gasparinetti said it will turn Venice into
a “theme park,” and proposes to restrict access only for particularly crowded
areas, like San Marco square.
