Venice now won’t be introducing its tourist tax until 2023

Earlier this year, it was reported that Venice was going to be introducing its much-discussed tourist tax. Travellers would have to present pre-paid tickets before entering the city, in a bid to reduce overcrowding. But now it turns out that the plans have been postponed. 

The booking and payment system will now be introduced in January 2023, rather than this summer. While the city is normally extremely busy, it struggled during the pandemic as tourists were unable to travel. The tourist entry fee has been postponed so local businesses can recover from that steep drop in income over the coming months.

When the tax is introduced, residents, students and commuters will be exempt, as will tourists who stay for one night at a hotel (as there is already a tourist tax for this kind of stay). As for the cost of the tickets, expect them to fluctuate. In high season, you’re looking at paying as much as €10 (£8.48 or $10.71), while in the winter it’ll be more like €3 (£2.55 or $3.21). 

Venice isn’t the only city tackling overtourism post-pandemic. In Amsterdam, new hotels have been banned in the city centre, as have new souvenir shops. And in Maui, one of the Hawaiian islands, there’s a brand-new tourist tax that’s hoping to redistribute around $50 million a year to residents. Pretty impressive stuff.