So, Venice thought they could tackle overtourism by introducing daily entrance tickets for tourists. Turns out, it’s a move that’s got locals shaking their heads in disappointment.
According to a scoop from Express UK on Wednesday (May 22, 2024), Venice’s attempt to fight overtourism has pretty much crashed and burned. Giovanni Andrea Martini, a big shot on the city council, spilled the beans that there’s been a whopping increase of 5,000 tourists. Yeah, you heard that right – it’s like the whole thing backfired.
Picture this: on a chill Sunday, Venice was swarmed with a mind-boggling 70,000 visitors. Compare that to the same time last year, when it was a mere 65,000. The 5 Euro daily entrance ticket was supposed to be the hero here, but it seems like it’s more of a zero.
Now, here’s the kicker – if you’re crashing in Venice for at least one night, you’re off the hook with this ticket thing.
But guess what? It’s barely put a dent in the tourist influx; if anything, it’s just made it worse. The policy is being called a flop, doing zilch to preserve the city’s vibe.
Martini went on a rant, saying Venice is like a goose laying golden eggs, with private businesses getting all the love while the locals are left high and dry.
And it’s not just the officials – regular folks aren’t feeling it either. A whopping 89 percent of residents in Venice’s historic center are giving the thumbs down to this tax, calling it half-baked thanks to all the exemptions.
Plus, there’s the whole privacy thing. People registering online have to spill all their personal deets, including where they lay their heads at night.
Critics are slamming this move as a quick fix, arguing that the real focus should be on shrinking the population, which has been dwindling since the ’50s.
They’re calling for more affordable digs for locals and fewer Airbnb-type spots, along with higher taxes on fancy properties.
Venice is facing a major social exodus, with entire neighborhoods feeling like ghost towns. If things keep going this way, the city’s basically toast. Bringing locals back into the fold is the only way to save it from becoming a tourist trap ghost town.