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According to Mayor Luigi Brugnaro of Venice, the city will introduce an admission fee and limit daily visitor numbers starting April next year. The measure aims to regulate the influx of tourists in the city’s crowded center.

“It is the first time in the world that you do something like this, you make a city bookable,” Brugnaro stated, highlighting the uniqueness of the initiative. According to the mayor, non-compliance will attract fines between 50 and 310 euros.

Under this new system, day visitors will pay five euros to access the historic heart of Venice during peak tourist times, with online booking required to obtain a QR code for entry. The fee applies on specific days from April 25 to May 5, weekends in May and June, and early July weekends. Exemptions include residents, Venice natives, students, workers, and homeowners, while children under 14 are free with registration.

This decision, which had been postponed previously over concerns about tourist revenue and freedom of movement, comes after UNESCO’s warning of listing Venice as an at-risk heritage site.