Every day, Federica Chiuch, a Venetian resident and professional tour guide, takes visitors around Venice’s landmarks. When she gets to Saint Mark’s Square, home to Venice’s cathedral and former government palace, she finds it hard to find a quiet spot to stop. “Between May and October, the square is always overcrowded,” she explained. “It’s hard to make your way through and to talk over the constant background noise.”
Over the past three decades, Venice has become one of the most notable victims of overtourism. The city currently welcomes an estimated 30 million visitors per year, far above the 50,000 residents that actually call it home. And more than two thirds of visitors come just for the day.
This month, Venice’s municipal authorities announced plans to fight these issues with a controversial move: charging day trippers a €5 entrance fee. This will make Venice the first city in the world to charge visitors to enter its premises. News of the entry fee has sparked controversies, and with travellers eager to understand how the new measure will affect them, BBC Travel talks to authorities and locals to understand when it starts, who will have to pay and how people can visit the city in a more sustainable way.
Read more at BBC.com
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