VENICE – Mayor Luigi Brugnaro announced Monday that tourists visiting Italy’s popular Floating City for a single day-trip may have to start paying an entrance fee of three euros as of May 2019.

 The Mayor of Venice has prepared figures and timings for the implementation of the three-year project, starting with an initial fee of three euros. 2019 will be a transition year as from Jan. 2020, a “bollini” system will then start, increasing fees to up to 10 euros on heavy tourism days to regulate the admissions according to the expected tourist flow.

 Venice will therefore function as an open museum as tourists will be able to book their entry into the historical city at variable costs. While the entry fee will be an obligation, booking will be optional but will allow you to skip queues and speed up payments.

 The provision has the blessing of President of Veneto Luca Zaia. The signing of a protocol that exempts all of the Veneto region from the fee is ready.

 Visitors staying in hotels will be exempt from the payment as hotel guests already have to pay a local tax for their stay. There will also be categories of exemption for those that go to Venice for study, work or health needs.

 “This is an important turning point in the management of Venice's tourist flows,” declared Brugnaro, “but above all it is a starting point for a three-year journey that will lead, in 2022, to the booking of access to the city in full mode.”

 “We're not interested in making cash,” said the mayor. “The goal is to help pay for maintenance and cleanliness of the historic city,” he added.

 “The message we want to give is that Venice is accessible, open, but visitors must understand that planning is needed to better manage the balance between residents and tourists,” expressed the council.

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