(MENAFN- Bangladesh Monitor)
Rome : Venice launched a tourism tax on April 25 in efforts to stop overcrowding on peak weekends.
Earlier, in November 2023, Venice authorities unveiled a pilot programme for their long-mooted plan to charge day-trippers to visit the city which came into effect on April 25, 2024.
Signs advising arriving visitors of the new EUR 5 fee for a test phase of 29 days through July have been erected outside the main train station and other points of arrival.
Some 200 stewards have been trained to politely walk anyone unaware of the fee through the process of downloading a QR code. A kiosk has been set up for those not equipped with a smartphone. Once past designated entry ports, officials will carry out random checks for QR codes that show the day-tripper tax has been paid or that the bearer is exempt.
Transgressors face fines of between EUR 50 and EUR 300. The requirement applies only for people arriving between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm local time. Outside of these hours, access is free.
Tourists can book tickets and get their QR code via the online payment platform, which went live on January 16, 2024.
The entry fee aims to reduce crowds, encourage longer visits and improve quality of life for residents.
The rollout of the tourist tax comes after Venice narrowly escaped being placed on UNESCO's danger list in 2023 because of the damage from overtourism on its delicate ecosystem.
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