Venice Doubles Entry Fee for Daytrippers in 2025

The city of Venice, which welcomes around 30 million visitors annually despite having fewer than 50,000 residents, has decided to strengthen its tourism control policy.

Starting in 2025, the entry fee for daytrippers will double, rising from 5 euros to 10 euros for those visiting without an overnight reservation. Additionally, the number of dates when the fee is applied will increase from 29 days in 2024 to 54 days in 2025.

The fee period will begin with a continuous block from April 18 to May 4 and then will be enforced every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until the end of July. As in the previous edition, the fee only applies to visitors entering the city between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. However, those who book their visit at least four days in advance will pay only 5 euros instead of 10.

According to Simone Venturini, Venice’s tourism councilor, the measure has proven effective since its implementation in 2024. “The goal remains the same: to create a new system for managing tourist flow and discourage day-trip tourism during specific periods, in line with the delicate and unique nature of the city,” he stated during the BIT fair in Milan.

The Venetian scheme has sparked interest in other destinations facing similar overtourism challenges, such as the Spanish island of Formentera and the city of Kyoto in Japan. In 2024, nearly half a million visitors (485,062) paid the fee, generating 2.4 million euros in revenue. However, the cost of implementing the system and the allocation of the funds remain undisclosed.

Tourists staying overnight in Venice will remain exempt from the fee, although they must register in advance on the website cda.ve.it. Additionally, the fee will not apply to those merely transiting through Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto, or Stazione Marittima, nor to visitors of the outer lagoon islands such as Murano, Burano, and the Lido, even though many travelers will have to pass through the city center to reach these destinations.

Despite the intention to curb mass tourism, the measure has generated protests among local residents and business owners. In 2024, demonstrators gathered with banners proclaiming: "No to the ticket, yes to housing and services for all", expressing their rejection of an initiative that, according to them, fails to address the city’s structural issues and does not deliver tangible benefits to the Venetian community.