The revenue from the entrance ticket introduced by Venice, which has been suffering from overtourism in recent years, has exceeded all expectations. The implementation of the five-Euro measure for day visitors, which started its pilot period on April 25, did not negatively affect tourism. During the first trial phase, the city collected almost one million Euros within 11 days.
From April 25 to May 5, more than 195,000 tickets were sold, with revenues reaching 975,000 Euros, according to the German news agency dpa.
Daily visitors must pay five Euros between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. They can purchase a QR code online and load it onto their mobile phones. Violators risk fines of up to 300 Euros.
Residents, overnight guests, students, and children under 14, the overwhelming majority of people living in the city, are exempt from the fee, receiving the QR code for free.
With approximately 15 million visitors per year, the Italian lagoon is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. Mass tourism brings in a lot of money for the Venetians but also causes significant burdens and problems.
Most days of the year, the canals, St. Mark's Square, and the Rialto Bridge are densely packed with tourists, making passage difficult.
At this stage, the measure has been halted until the weekend. From then until mid-July, entrance must be paid almost every Saturday and Sunday.
However, it has not yet been decided whether it will ultimately be implemented permanently after the trial phase. The decision is expected to be made within the year. If entrance fees remain, the money will ultimately be used for the maintenance of roads, canals, and buildings.
