Marco Bertolello/AFP/Getty Images
A trial entrance fee has been introduced in the city, meaning tourists who want to visit the basilica in St. Mark’s Square will have to pay a fee.
Venice, Italy CNN —
Venetian authorities have hailed the introduction of a temporary entrance fee to the city as a success as they trial measures to limit tourist numbers.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said the 29-day €5 admission fee and reservation experiment, which began on April 25 and ran on select days through July 14, generated 2,425,310 euros ($2.64 million) in revenue. The mayor said in April that the city had initially expected to generate about €700,000 ($762,163) in revenue when the plan was introduced.
A total of 3,618,114 people made reservations, of which 1,398,084 were exempt from payment because they stayed in hotels.
Other exemptions include 651,254 workers who visited the city on the day the fee was imposed, 466,819 students who do not have to pay the fee, and 217,589 residents.
A further 78,224 people were exempted because they were related to a resident, and 107,146 were exempt for “other” reasons, such as being born in the city or taking part in religious or cultural activities, such as a papal visit, according to data released by the city of Venice.
“A quick glance at the data suggests that day trippers and tourists prefer Saturdays over Sundays. Throughout the 29-day trial period, the peak visitor numbers recorded on April 30, 2023 were not reached,” the city said in a statement, adding that the number of people visiting the city on “red flag days” gradually decreased over time.
“The experiment was successful and we can move forward. We will carry out a more detailed analysis of the data collected in the fall,” Brugnaro said at a press conference on Friday.
Marco Bertolero/AFP/Getty Images
Gondola rides are one of Venice’s unique attractions that draw tourists to the city all year round.
A CNN team on the ground in Venice reported that locals said the crowds seemed noticeably thinner than normal, and that while crowds remained, the crowds before the city’s summer Redeemer Festival felt less severe than usual.
The admission fee was officially abolished on July 14, but the mayor’s office said it will decide whether to reinstate the fee for peak times of the year. An official date has yet to be announced.
“This is a positive balance: after the first 29 days of the experiment, the city finally has the means to know objectively how many people will arrive in Venice and how to act accordingly,” Tourism Councilor Simone Venturini said in a statement.
The mayor of Venice and two of his aides are currently under investigation for corruption allegations over their role in approving a 3.7 million-square-foot commercial property development by a Singaporean developer for $164 million, according to police. Mayor Brugnaro has publicly denied the allegations, but one city council member has resigned. A CNN team noted a banner calling for the mayor’s resignation.
