VENICE – Venice is expected to bring into effect a long-talked about tourism tax starting next summer, the city’s authorities announced.
The tax, which the Venice council is calling a “contribution for access” to the World Heritage site, will kick in on July 1.
The tax has been discussed since last year, but has been delayed several times as the city worked out the best way to levy it.
The intent of the tax is to make millions of day-trippers who visit La Serenissima each year contribute to the upkeep of the lagoon city.
The tiered tax will see tourists forking out €3 (US$3.29) during the low season, €8 during high season and €10 during “critical” periods, such as summer weekends, when visitor numbers reach excessive levels, The Telegraph reported.
The tax will apply to tourists arriving by coach, cruise ship, water taxi, plane or train.
The charge also applies to islands in the Venetian lagoon such as Murano, famous for its glass-blowing workshops.
Visitors will be able to pay for the charge online with a credit card or from machines “installed in strategic points” around Venice, officials said.
By 2022, in addition to paying the tax, tourists will have to make an online booking to enter Venice.