Venice has passed a new tourist tax of up to 10 euros per day to day trippers, aimed at providing funds to clean up the city after hordes of day trippers come in. The tax will likely vary depending on the season, and will apply to both Italian and foreign tourists.
Tourists who spend the night in Venetian hotels already pay a tourist tax of 5 euros per day, included in the price of the hotel – a total contribution of 30 million euros per year. It is estimated that the day-use “landing fee” will surpass that amount, contributing 40 to 50 million euros per year.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro announced the fee in a video on Twitter. “From today, the disembarking tax in the historical center of Venice is law. We will study a balanced and participated regulation that protects those who live, study and work in our territory,” he said. “This will help us to better manage the city, keep it clean, and offer visitors better services.”
It is unclear how and to which methods of arrival the tax implemented, or how the city will distinguish between tourists and those coming to Venice for professional or other reasons. The tax will likely be easiest to apply to visitors arriving on cruise ships and from nearby coastal areas, and more difficult to apply to those arriving by air, train or car.
By Kathy McCabe
