Venice has celebrated the success of its temporary entrance fee, which was introduced as part of an effort to manage visitor numbers and control tourism impact. The trial, which ran from April 25 to July 14, involved a €5 ($5.50) reservation fee for selected days. According to Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, the initiative has proven highly successful, generating €2,425,310 (approximately $2.64 million). This figure significantly exceeded the initial expectation of around €700,000 ($762,163).
During the 29-day trial period, a total of 3,618,114 reservations were made. Of these, 1,398,084 individuals were exempt from the fee due to staying in local hotels. Other exemptions included 651,254 workers who traveled to Venice on fee days, 466,819 students, and 217,589 residents. Additionally, 78,224 people were exempt due to their relation to residents, and 107,146 were excluded for reasons such as being born in Venice, attending religious events like papal visits, or participating in cultural activities.
Data from the experiment revealed that Saturdays were the most popular days for day-trippers and tourists, while peak attendance on certain days did not match the high figures recorded on April 30, 2023. The city noted a gradual decrease in visitors on “red flag days” throughout the trial.
“The experiment was successful, and we can proceed with further analysis,” Mayor Brugnaro stated at a press conference. He indicated that a more detailed evaluation of the data would be conducted in the autumn to determine future actions.
Local observations in Venice confirmed a noticeable reduction in crowd sizes compared to previous years. Although the city was still busy, residents reported that the lead-up to the summer Redeemer Festival was less crowded than in past years.
The temporary entrance fee concluded on July 14. The mayor’s office is now considering whether to reintroduce the fee during peak periods, though no official decision or timeline has been announced.
Tourism Councillor Simone Venturini commented, “The initial 29 days of the experiment have provided the city with valuable insights into visitor numbers and equipped us with a new tool to manage tourism more effectively.”
In a separate development, Mayor Brugnaro and two aides are currently under investigation for alleged corruption related to a $164 million commercial property deal with a Singapore developer. Brugnaro has denied the allegations, but one council member has resigned in response to the controversy. A banner calling for the mayor’s resignation was observed
