The pretty European city hiking its fees next year to try and stop tourists from visiting
A POPULAR European city break destination is likely to hike up the costs of its tourist tax, due to it not being effective enough this year.
On Sunday, Venice ended a pilot program that charged day-trippers an entrance fee.
It raised more than €2m (£1.6m), leaving city officials keen to extend the levy.
However, opponents and some locals have labelled the experiment a failure, due to the fact it didn’t reduce tourist levels as much as it hoped.
Dozens of activists gathered outside the Santa Lucia train station on Saturday to protest the €5 (£4.20) levy, claiming it did little to stop visitors from arriving in their numbers on peak days.
Giovanni Andrea Martini, an opposition city council member, said it was a failure, according to city data.
During the first 11 days of the trial period, an average of 75,000 visitors were recorded in the city.
Martini said that number is 10,000 more than each day than on three indicative holidays in 2023, citing figures provided by the city based on mobile phone data tracking arrivals.
Venice introduced the day-tripper tax for 29 days this year, mostly weekends and holidays, from April 25 until mid-July.
The idea was well received by UNESCO member states when they decided against a recommendation to place the city on its list of world heritage sites in danger.
Throughout the last 2 1/2 months, as many as 450,000 tourists have paid the tax, according to AP calculations based on data supplied by the city.
Officials claim that the money will be used for essential services, which cost more in a city mostly made up of canals, including litter removal and maintenance.
The levy was not applied to people staying in hotels in, who are already charged a lodging tax.
Exemptions also applied to children under 14, residents of the region, students, workers and people visiting relatives, among others.
Despite it being labelled ineffective and a failure, the city’s top tourism official, Simone Venturini, has said it will not only be continued, but likely increased in the future.
Proposals are in place to double the fee to €10 and are being considered for next year, a city spokesman said.
Other destinations with tourists taxes
These popular holiday spots either a tourist tax in place, or are introducing one soon.
Greece
Holidaymakers heading to Greece in the near future could be hit with a tourist tax, with plans for the levy outlined by the government earlier this year.
Holidaymakers traveling to the popular holiday destination during the high season (from March to October) will face an additional tax on overnight stays.
Just like the previous tax, the rate will vary depending on the type of accommodation tourists have booked, and it will range from €1 (£0.86) to €4 (£3.45) per night.
The new tax will be added to the country’s existing accommodation tax, with charges rising as a result.
Tenerife
Visitors to the Canary Island will be hit with a new tourist tax after locals demanded a freeze on holidaymakers in mass anti-tourism protests.
The new tax system will come in effect from January 1, 2025, as residents of Tenerife demand a cut on holidaymakers.
The amount visitors will have to pay has not been confirmed yet.
Tunisia
Holidaymakers heading to Tunisia will be forced to pay a new tourist tax under plans outlined by the country’s government.
From November 1, 2024, package holidaymakers staying at properties with a two-star rating or higher will need to pay an additional charge for their overnight stay.
The rate will vary depending on the type of accommodation tourists have booked, and it will range from 4 Tunisian Dinars (£1) to 12 Tunisian Dinars (£4) per night.
For example, holidaymakers who’ve booked to stay at a two-star hotel will need to pay 4 Tunisian Dinars (£1) per night.
Meanwhile, those staying at three-star hotels will be asked to pay 8 Tunisian Dinars (£2) per night, while four and five-star hotel stays will cost an additional 12 Tunisian Dinars (£3).
Officials promised steep fines for anyone flouting the rules, but in the end none were issued at any of the various checks at entry points.
Officials have said that they wanted a soft launch, so no heavy punishments were handed out.
Critics have said that approach only resulted in fewer people paying as visitors quickly learned that there was no risk in dodging the fee.
Opponents of the plan say it failed to make the city more liveable for residents, as intended, with the narrow walkways and water taxis as crowded as ever.
They have instead called for strict policies that encourage repopulation of Venice’s historic centre, which has been losing residents to the mainland for decades, including placing limits on short-term rentals.
There are now more tourist beds in Venice than official residents, whose numbers stand at an all-time low of 50,000.
Giovanni Martini, the city council member, added: “Wanting to raise this to 10 euros, is absolute useless. It makes Venice a museum.”
Meanwhile, this popular tourist destination is also planning to increase its daily tourist charge.
And this UK seaside town became the first to tax tourists this year.
