Venice rolls out day-tripper fee to try to regulate mass crowds on peak weekends

Venice authorities have rolled out a pilot program to charge day-trippers 5 euros ($5.45) apiece to enter the fragile lagoon city on peak weekends next year. The aim is to reduce crowds, encourage longer visits and improve the quality of life for residents. The rollout of the tourist “contribution” came after Venice narrowly escaped being placed on the UNESCO danger list earlier this year because of the threat that overtourism was having on its delicate ecosystem. Member states cited the proposed new entry fee in deciding to spare Venice from the list. Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro says the contribution is a first-of-its-kind experiment in regulating tourist flows in one of the world’s most-visited places.