With daily entrance fee ‘Disney-fication’ of Venice, the world hits its overtourism tipping point

2 comments

1. Venice isn’t only sinking, it’s shrinking. In the 1970s, there were about 175,000 residents in Centro Storico, the main island and historic center of Venice. As of last year, that number was below 50,000. What has been growing steadily is tourism, which due to economic and quality-of-life pressure, has been pushing out residents. In fact, there are now more tourist beds in Venice than there are residents. Last year, 20 million people visited, winding their way through its two square miles.  

   Last week, Venice took action on overtourism, introducing a 5€ fee to day trippers who want to access the city. The aim, Venice’s Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in a press conference, “is not to close the city, but not let it explode.”

   The program, officially launched on April 25 — a historically significant day, as it is both Italy’s Liberation Day and the feast day of the city’s patron saint, St. Mark — took the mayor’s words in a direction he hadn’t intended, with roughly a thousand [protestors gathered](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/25/venice-city-becomes-first-in-the-world-to-start-charging-an-entry-fee.html) in Piazzale Roma to oppose the measure, ultimately clashing with police in riot gear. 

   More: [https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/28/in-disney-fication-of-venice-world-hits-its-overtourism-tipping-point.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/28/in-disney-fication-of-venice-world-hits-its-overtourism-tipping-point.html)

2. In an ideal world Italy should be subsidising Venetians the way Monacans are, that way you’ve got a large community invested in the preservation of their hometown. I think this fee can only be a good thing, provided the proceeds go back to the city and don’t disappear into the governments coffers.