Venice day-trippers to be slapped with €3-10 fee

PanARMENIAN.Net - Tourists looking to explore the romantic city of Venice will be slapped with a fee aimed at making visitors “responsible” as authorities step up their crackdown on misbehaving day-trippers, Express reports.

The tax will be introduced on July 1 for all tourists arriving by plane, water taxi, cruise ship, trains or coach who are not intending to stay overnight. The money will be used for the upkeep of the city and to “improve the quality of life of residents” they city’s major Luigi Brugnaro said earlier this year. Tourists will have to pay €3 during the low season and €8 during the high season.

If visiting during “critical” periods including summer weekends they will have to pay €10 (£8.90) to access the World Heritage site which encompasses the city centre and islands of the Venice Lagoon.

The City Council announced on Thursday the tax had been given the go-ahead after it was first proposed more than a year ago.

Overnight visitors already pay a tax as part of their accommodation charge.

The system for collecting the fee will be launched in early 2020, with a web app allowing people to pay with credit card, Paypal and bank transfer.

Day-trippers can also pick up their tickets at outlets in the city centre or in neighbouring provinces.

Authorities hope to roll out a completely electronic system by 2022.