Venice residents protest as city starts charging visitors to enter

[Still Waters]

Authorities in Venice have been accused of transforming the famous lagoon city into a “theme park” as a long-mooted entrance fee for day trippers comes into force.

Venice is the first major city in the world to enact such a scheme. The €5 (£4.30) charge, which comes into force today, is aimed at protecting the Unesco world heritage site from the effects of excessive tourism by deterring day trippers and, according to the mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, making the city “livable” again.

But several residents’ committees and associations have planned protests for Thursday, arguing that the fee will do nothing to resolve the issue.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/25/are-we-joking-venice-residents-protest-as-city-starts-charging-visitors-to-enter

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[Still Waters]

Would you pay the tourist fee to enter Venice?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-68898441

01:23 video

[Ozymandias]

Venice is a must see tourist destination and its tourists are the only source of most of the city's income. However, the city has major problems whose solutions require financing. Venice is gradually sinking into the sea and its polution and rat infestation problems are of major concern. The smell off its canals is quite offensive and the sight of rats scurrying along its canals is not very conducive to a relaxing holiday. In fact, on my last visit there, I was quite disturbed by my experiences. It doesn't bear thinking about and now they want to charge for the privilege as if the city was not expensive enough. Talk about killing the goose that lays the golden egg!