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Venice Considers Steep Surcharge After Day-Tripper Tax Fails to Curb Crowds

Mayor Luigi Brugnaro insists the modest day-tripper fee is indispensable, with locals and business leaders demanding a €100 levy to ease unbearable crowds.

Overview

  • Venice draws about 30 million visitors a year, and residents say overcrowding has turned the city’s streets dirty and living costs unaffordable.
  • Authorities expanded a pilot day-tripper tax to 54 peak days this summer, charging €5 per visit and €10 for last-minute bookings.
  • The charge was paid by 720,000 day-trippers in 2025, up from 485,000 last year, lifting revenues but leaving congestion largely unchanged.
  • Mayor Luigi Brugnaro defends the levy as the only viable control after consulting citizens and local associations.
  • Setrak Tokatzian, head of the Piazza San Marco Association of small businesses, has urged a €100 day-trip fee to more decisively deter mass tourism.