Tourism is picking up steam as many countries reintroduce international travel. In light of this, Venice, the famed overcrowded tourist destination, plans to implement a booking system for all visitors as well as a new entry fee of up to €10 for day-trippers.
According to reports, the main tourist hotspots in Venice, including Palazzo Ducale and Piazza San Marco, saw a surge in visitors over the Easter weekend, bringing the total closer to pre-pandemic levels. This further strained its resources and clogged the city’s streets. According to reports, the number of tourists peaked at more than 1 lakh on April 16.
Overtourism has long been a problem in Venice, and it reached a tipping point in 2019 when the city received 30 million visitors, many of whom stayed for only one day.
So, in order to deal with the crowds and keep locals happy, officials have been looking for solutions, such as a new pre-booking system to limit the number of people entering the city.
If everything goes as planned, the scheme will begin in June and will require people to book online before visiting. They will then be given a QR code that will allow them to pass through turnstiles at Venice’s main entrances. According to reports, ticket prices will vary depending on when they book tickets.
To ensure that stray and non-ticketed tourists do not pass through, electronic gates will be installed in the city center, which will be backed up by approximately 500 cameras. Residents, students, and workers who travel to the city on a daily basis, on the other hand, will be able to pass through the gates thanks to a ‘virtual key’ on their phones.
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