Venice became, this Thursday, the first city in the world to require the payment of a tourist entrance fee of five euros. The measure had already generated controversy when it was announced, but its entry into force caused more than fifty residents to take to the streets to protest against what they consider to be “a scheme” by the Italian authorities.
Although it is expected that the access fee will only be required for those who do not sleep in the city and on busier days (April 25th is also a public holiday in Italy, celebrating Liberation Day from the Second World War) – in order to alleviate tourist pressure in one of the most visited cities in the world – residents are against it.
The Arci Association of Venice (ARCI) finds no basis in the fact that there is no limited number of daily tickets. Furthermore, it considers that the measure restricts the right to freedom of movement of individuals and will not solve the problem of excess visitors. “This is not a museum, nor a protected ecological zone. It’s a city,” Marina Dodino, one of the ARCI members, told AFP.
“I can guarantee that the entire city is against this scheme,” said Matteo Secchi, who heads Venessia.com, a residents’ association, quoted by “The Guardian” newspaper. “You cannot impose an entry fee into a city. What they [autoridades] what they’re doing is turning it into a theme park. This is very bad for Venice’s image. Are we kidding?” asked Secchi, revealing himself to be outraged by local policies.
