Venice plans to broaden its tourist entry fee system in 2025, nearly doubling the number of days visitors must pay to enter the lagoon city. This move is aimed at managing tourism more proactively, according to city officials. The expanded system will require daytrippers to pay on 54 days—up from the current 29—during the high-traffic period between April and July.
The city introduced the €5 entry charge in April, a global first designed to help curb overcrowding on heavily congested days. While the standard €5 rate will remain for those who book ahead, late reservations made within four days of arrival will see an increased fee of €10. As with the original program, visitors with hotel bookings in Venice will continue to be exempt from the charge.
Simone Venturini, the city councilor overseeing tourism and social cohesion, noted that Venice has gone from being the city most criticized for overtourism to being one of the most proactive in addressing it. He also mentioned that other tourist hotspots, including Kyoto, Japan, and Spain's Formentera, have shown interest in the Venice system.
Although critics have argued the entry fee has done little to control the flow of visitors, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro emphasized the program’s experimental phase and noted that substantial data for a full evaluation would only be available this year. The mayor clarified that the city’s goal isn’t to deter visitors but to encourage flexibility in travel dates to manage crowding.
Brugnaro added that fines for non-compliance, which had been considered in 2024, will be enforced in 2025.
This year, 485,062 visitors paid the day pass, generating €2.25 million in revenue. However, Brugnaro pointed out that the funds only partially cover the costs of implementing the system and are not intended as a profit source for the city.
