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Venice nets $2.2 million in day-tripper tax pilot. Opponents say it failed to deter visitors

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Venice nets $2.2 million in day-tripper tax pilot. Opponents say it failed to deter visitors
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Venice nets $2.2 million in day-tripper tax pilot. Opponents say it failed to deter visitors

2024-07-15 00:42 Last Updated At:00:50

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Venice on Sunday wrapped up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure.

Several dozen activists gathered outside the Santa Lucia train station overlooking a teeming canal on Saturday to protest the 5-euro ($5.45) levy that they say did little to dissuade visitors from arriving on peak days, as envisioned.

“The ticket is a failure, as demonstrated by city data,” said Giovanni Andrea Martini, an opposition city council member.

Over the first 11 days of the trial period, an average of 75,000 visitors were recorded in the city. Martini said that is 10,000 more each day than on three indicative holidays in 2023, citing figures provided by the city based on cell phone data that tracks arrivals in the city.

Venice imposed the long-discussed day-tripper tax on 29 days this year, mostly weekends and holidays, from April 25 through mid-July. The project, delayed by the pandemic, was heralded by UNESCO member states when they decided against a recommendation to place the city on its list of world heritage sites in danger.

Over the last 2 1/2 months, nearly 450,000 tourists have paid the tax, raising revenues of some 2.2 million euros ($2.4 million), according to AP calculations based on data supplied by the city. Officials said the money would be used for essential services, which cost more in a city traversed by canals, including trash removal and maintenance.

The levy was not applied to people staying in hotels in Venice, 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.

The city’s top tourism official, Simone Venturini, has indicated that the levy will be continued and reinforced. A proposal to double the fee to 10 euros is being considered for next year, a city spokesman said.

Officials promised steep fines for scofflaws, but in the end none was given during checks at entry points, which varied from a low of 8,500 to a high 20,800 a day over the period. City officials say that is because they wanted a soft launch. Critics say it resulted in a downward trend in payments as visitors understood there was no risk in avoiding the payment.

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 want policies that encourage repopulation of Venice’s historic center, which has been losing residents to the more convenient mainland for decades, including placing limits on short-term rentals.

There are now more tourist beds in the canaled historic center than official residents, whose numbers stand at an all-time low of 50,000.

“Wanting to raise this to 10 euros, is absolute useless. It makes Venice a museum," Martini, the city council member, said.

Many of the banners at Saturday’s protest also indicated growing concern about the system of electronic and video surveillance that the city introduced in 2020 to monitor cell phone data of people arriving in the city, which is the backbone of the system to control tourism. Placards included warnings about use of personal data and a lack of data privacy.

“The access ticket is a great distraction for the media, which only speaks about this 5 euros, which will become 10 euros next year,’’ said Giovanni Di Vito, a Venice resident active in the campaign against the tourist tax. “But no one is focusing on the system for surveillance and control of citizens.”

Activists gather outside Venice's Santa Lucia train station, Saturday, July 13, 2024, to protest a day-tripper fee that they say has failed to dissuade visitors from arriving on peak days, as envisioned. Venice on Sunday wraps up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure. (AP Photo/Colleen Barry)

Activists gather outside Venice's Santa Lucia train station, Saturday, July 13, 2024, to protest a day-tripper fee that they say has failed to dissuade visitors from arriving on peak days, as envisioned. Venice on Sunday wraps up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure. (AP Photo/Colleen Barry)

FILE - Citizens and activists confront police during a demonstration against Venice Tax Fee in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. Venice on Sunday July 14, 2024 wraps up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

FILE - Citizens and activists confront police during a demonstration against Venice Tax Fee in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. Venice on Sunday July 14, 2024 wraps up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

FILE - A tourists is checked by a steward for QR code fee access outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. Venice on Sunday July 14, 2024 wraps up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

FILE - A tourists is checked by a steward for QR code fee access outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. Venice on Sunday July 14, 2024 wraps up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

FILE - Stewards check tourists QR code access outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. Venice on Sunday July 14, 2024 wraps up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

FILE - Stewards check tourists QR code access outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. Venice on Sunday July 14, 2024 wraps up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

Next Article

Japan's exports hit record high, but trade deficit continues

2025-01-23 13:16 Last Updated At:13:21

TOKYO (AP) — Japan saw record-high exports last year, as its annual trade deficit declined 44% from the previous year, the Finance Ministry reported Thursday.

The trade deficit, which measures the value of exports minus imports, totaled 5.3 trillion yen ($34 billion), according to government data, as imports ballooned on the back of rising energy costs and growing inflation around the world.

Exports from the world’s third-largest economy totaled 107.9 trillion yen ($691 billion), surpassing the 100 trillion yen mark for the second-straight year, and the biggest value on record for comparable data, which dates back to 1979, the ministry said.

Some companies may have sped up their exports in anticipation of potential tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump has said he expects to put 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting Feb. 1. During his campaign, he threatened to impose tariffs on imports from China, although details on that remain unclear.

For the month of December, exports gained a greater-than-expected 2.8% on-year, while imports rose 1.8%. Exports grew to Asian and European nations, while dipping slightly to the U.S.

Imports grew most from India, Hong Kong and Iran.

Demand was especially strong for Japan's vehicles, semiconductors and other machinery.

The weakening yen, another recent trend, has the effect of inflating the value of imports. The U.S. dollar has been hovering at 150-yen levels, sometimes surpassing 160 yen, over the past year, while a year ago it was often at 140-yen levels.

Japan has recorded a trade deficit for four straight years, but last year's deficit was considerably smaller than the 9.5 trillion yen deficit for 2023.

FILE - Cars for export are parked at a port in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on July 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File)

FILE - Cars for export are parked at a port in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on July 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File)

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