Venice’s daytripper fee raised €5 million in 2025, but did it curb overtourism?

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At the end of July, the second year of Venice’s daytripper tax trial came to an end. 

For 54 days in April, May, June, and July, tourists spending a day in the canal city were required to book their visit and, unless exempt, pay a fee. 

The levy aimed to curb the ‘hit and run’ daytripper tourism that frequently overwhelms the small city during its busiest months and brings little benefit to its inhabitants. 

“Initial data, though still provisional, show a mature system capable of providing initial responses to the objectives of regulating tourist flows and ensuring fair contributions between overnight stays and day visitors,” Venice’s city council said in a statement. 

But this year's figures show day visitor numbers dropped only slightly compared to last year, with peak dates attracting nearly 25,000 tourists - the equivalent of half the resident population of Venice. 

This year, visitors who booked their ticket less than four days in advance had to pay double (€10 instead of €5), in a bid to dissuade last-minute rush and help authorities regulate tourist influxes. 

But data shows that almost half of all visitors paid the double fee.

Venice daytripper fee raised €5 million in 2025

This year, a total of 723,497 visitors paid Venice’s daytripper fee, resulting in a revenue of €5,421,425. 

This is nearly double the figures for 2024, when 485,062 payments totalling €2,400,000 were recorded. However, last year the fee was only in force for 29 days.

This year, 51 per cent of visitors booked in advance and paid the €5 fare. The remaining 49 per cent paid the last-minute €10 fare.

The city council say it increased its ticket controls this year, with around 140 inspectors deployed each day. 

Over 445,000 QR code checks were carried out, with 2,500 visitors found to have not paid the fee. 

Has Venice’s daytripper tax reduced overtourism?

The daily average number of visitors who paid the daytripper fee was only slightly less than last year, at 13,046 in 2025 compared to 16,676 in 2024.

As the city council itself acknowledges, this is also in line with a region-wide decline in tourist numbers recorded by the Regional Statistics Office.

On the busiest day, Friday 2 May, 24,951 visitors paid the daytripper fee, a striking number equivalent to over half the resident population.

For travellers not wanting to contribute to the surging masses, the daytripper fee also provides useful insights about avoiding crowds. 

Just like last year, Saturday was the day with the most payments made, with a daily average of 13,046. 

Interestingly, Sunday was the third busiest day, with Friday recording slightly more visitors to come in second. 

How will Venice’s daytripper tax benefit residents?

While the fee doesn’t seem to be deterring tourists from visiting on peak days, the council claims the proceeds will be invested in services to benefit residents. 

After subtracting management costs, “at least €1.5 million” will be used to reduce the city’s waste tax, it says. 

For many opponents, the daytripper tax remains a failure despite the revenue. They say it has not succeeded in making the city more liveable for residents, as intended, with the narrow walkways and waterbuses as crowded as ever.

“It's clear: the experiment didn't work. The entrance fee, presented as a tool to manage tourist flows on the busiest days, hasn't led to any significant reduction in admissions,” Monica Sambo, councillor for the Democratic Party, told local media. 

“In fact, the city council itself admits that on some days, attendance actually increased. It's therefore clear that this measure has nothing to do with city governance."

Opponents want policies that encourage repopulation of Venice’s historic centre, 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 historic centre than official residents, whose numbers stand at an all-time low of 48,500.