Aussie favourite travel destination to introduce new tourist tax
It comes as local authorities scramble to manage the estimated 15 million travellers that tour through the city every year.
Aussies hoping to travel to one of the world's top tourist destinations will now be stung with a tourist tax in a new effort to deter hoards of travellers arriving at once, which authorities say is putting immense pressure on the popular hotspot.
Venice in Italy's northeast is not only one of the most popular spots for travellers across Europe but arguably in the world, and is known for its rich history and picturesque canals which run throughout the more than 100 islands that make up the city.
Local authorities have long grappled with ways to preserve the city, which sees some 15 million people travel through it annually. Officials have argued that figure is not sustainable and has resulted in considerable damage to infrastructure, waterways and waste management.
Day visitors to fork out $8 for trips to Venice
Day visitors will now be forced to pay an $A8 access fee from 8.30am to 4pm local time from Thursday, April 25, unless they have an exemption. Residents of the Veneto region, people who work, study or were born in Venice, children younger than 14 and anyone who has booked accommodation in the city will be exempt from the ticket requirement.
The trial will run for 29 days — daily until May 5, then most weekends until mid-July. A decision on whether the arrangement will become permanent will be made by the end of the year.
The flow of visitors to the tourist hotspot is lucrative but has also been causing problems for some time. The historic centre with the famous Piazza San Marco, the Rialto Bridge and the many canals now has fewer than 50,000 permanent residents.
In the high season, there are more than twice as many tourists on some days. An estimated 15 million visitors travelled to the city in 2023. Failure to pay the admission ticket could result in a fine of $A80 to almost $A500. The city council said the revenue would be used to renovate canals, roads and buildings.
Venice not the first travel hotspot to introduce 'tourist tax'
The move trails other popular travel destinations with Aussies, including Bali, which implemented a similar tax earlier this year.
Indonesian authorities last year announced a one-off tourist tax of $50 for travellers headed to Bali, which was scrapped in December, but then since reintroduced and now revised down to just $15 (150,000 IDR) in February. The payment is a one-time levy for anyone entering Indonesia and travellers will still have to pay the $50 'visa fee' to be granted 30 days of travel on arrival.
- With AAP
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