Venice's new mayor, Simone Venturini, has proposed a dynamic pricing system for the city's day-tripper access fee, seeking government approval to potentially charge up to 50 euros ($59) on the busiest days. The initiative aims to alleviate overcrowding in the UNESCO World Heritage city and generate funds for its upkeep.
Venturini, who took office last month after serving as the city's top tourism official when the day-tripper tax was introduced in 2024, stated that the current 10-euro fee for last-minute reservations has been insufficient in deterring visitors on peak days. Instead of a fixed higher charge, the city wants to implement a surge-pricing model where the fee fluctuates based on demand.
"We spend 100 million euros a year just to maintain Venice physically, and nobody gives us that money," Venturini said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It’s paid by the people of Venice, and in part through tourism taxes."
Critics, including activists and opposition politicians, have argued that the existing fee does not adequately address crowding and reduces Venice to a mere tourist attraction by charging admission. They also contend that the focus on managing tourist flows neglects efforts to repopulate the historic center.
Venturini emphasized the necessity of the revenue for cleaning and maintaining the city. He noted that day-trippers generate significant waste, incurring substantial costs for manual cleanup operations. The proposed surge-pricing structure would require an amendment to Italy's special law governing Venice, and Venturini has already discussed the concept with the tourism minister.
While the 50-euro ceiling has drawn criticism for potentially being prohibitive, Venturini clarified that it represents an upper limit, allowing the city flexibility to experiment with various price points. He indicated that the exact threshold would be determined through ongoing research. For instance, if over 40,000 people have already booked for a specific day, those exceeding that number might be charged more, such as 20, 25, or 30 euros. "We asked for a broad range, up to 50 euros, and then it would be up to the city to manage the system through further testing. It doesn’t mean everyone who comes to Venice would pay 50 euros," he explained.
Opposition politicians have suggested capping the number of daily visitors, but Venturini noted that current Italian law does not permit such a measure.
Recent figures from January show that the number of residents in Venice's historic center has fallen below 48,000, while the number of tourist beds has surpassed 51,500. Venturini acknowledged that the city's population may be understated, as many students and seasonal workers reside there without official registration.
In 2024, Venice collected 2.4 million euros from over 485,000 day-trippers on 29 peak days. This amount increased to 5.4 million euros last year when the number of days was expanded to 54 and the fee for last-minute registrations doubled to 10 euros. This year, an additional six days have been added, but arrival and revenue figures have not yet been released.
Venturini reiterated that the revenue collected covers only a fraction of the costs associated with managing tourism, stating, "The goal is not to raise money or to turn Venice into a ticketed city. The goal is to give both residents and visitors a better experience on days when the city would otherwise be too crowded."