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Venice has confirmed that its daytripper tax will continue in 2025 – with double the fee for last-minute visitors.
The Italian canal city has long been overwhelmed by tourism in its historic centre, with around 30 million tourists visiting Venice in a typical year.
Simone Venturini, the city’s tourism councillor, confirmed that the 29-day pilot tax scheme in 2024 had “worked” at the BIT tourism fair in Milan on Monday.
According to Venice officials, at the end of the first test phase last July, the tax had netted €2.4 million (£2 million), accounting for about 1,000 entrances on each of the test days.
Mr Venturini said: “The aim remains the same: create a new system to manage tourist flow and disincentivize day tripper tourism in several periods, in line with the delicate and unique nature of the city, to guarantee the respect that it merits.”
Last-minute tourists who make reservations less than four days in advance will pay €10 (£8.35) instead of the usual €5 (£4.20).
The new pilot system will start on 18 April and run until 4 May before continuing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through the end of July for a total of 54 days.
Daytrippers visiting during peak hours – 8.30am to 4pm – will have to pay the daily fee, while overnight tourists with hotel reservations are exempt from the charge.
Exemptions are also granted to residents, Venetian-born visitors, students and workers.
The access fee is not applied to the minor islands of the Venetian Lagoon or passengers passing through Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto or Stazione Marittima without access to the city’s historic centre.
Reservations can be pre-paid online or through ticket counters, and visitors will need a QR code on their smartphone or printed out to be allowed inside the ancient city.
Those caught without a ticket at entry checkpoints face fines ranging from €50 (£41.70) to €300 (£250).
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
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