At peak times, more than 100,000 visitors a day come to the lagoon city. From next year, Venice will try to get the crowds of visitors under control with tickets.
Day tourists in Venice will have to buy tickets for their visit to the lagoon city from next year. With the rule that will apply from January 16th, the flow of guests in Venice and on the surrounding islands should be regulated, especially at peak visiting times, said tourism assessor Simone Venturini on Friday. Locals in particular criticize the mass tourism with overcrowded streets and sights. Before the corona pandemic, more than 100,000 visitors came to the city every day. Venice is now targeting day trippers and cruise ship guests.
There are also exceptions: Anyone who has booked a hotel in the city, lives in the city or was born there does not need a ticket. Tickets are booked online in advance. Depending on how busy the city is, the price may vary; it should move around ten euros per person. If you book earlier, you pay less. With a QR code, for example, tourists can then show their ticket.
Without a ticket, there are high fines
Anyone who is caught at the entrances to the historic center without proof faces fines of 50 to 300 euros. According to city representative Michele Zuin, possible access points such as turnstiles at the main entrances to the city are also not excluded.
Venice wants to experiment with the system until January. From September, the prices for museums and vaporetti, quasi the regular buses on the water, will increase – unless you book online. Venice wants to get people used to planning their stay, it said.
The new ticket system is not a way to lock people out of the city. “The city remains open,” said Zuin. It helps the municipality to better plan the utilization of the means of transport and cultural sites. Venice already monitors the flow of visitors with the so-called Control Room. Surveillance cameras and people counting devices on bridges and canals as well as the anonymous evaluation of mobile phones in the radio cells give the city a picture of how busy it is.
