When the moon, hits your eye, like a big pizza pie, it’s amore … or so the song goes.
That same romantic Italian moon in Venice will now cost you US$11 per person, per day, effective July 1, 2020.
Travelers will soon face higher fees in the famed “City of Bridges.”
According to media reports, officials in Venice announced Wednesday the tax on day-trippers would range from US$3.30 to $11 per person, per day, with the exact totals being determined closer to the implementation date, Donald Wood of Travel Pulse reported.
The original plan was for the new tourist tax to be put into effect shortly after it was announced nearly a year ago, but authorities in Venice had to figure out how the money would be collected and the legislation enforced.
While the new regulations provide exemptions for people visiting the canal city for work, study or family reasons, other travelers arriving in Venice will have to pay the tax via pre-payments over the internet, in neighboring provinces or another yet-to-be-determined manner.
Visitors staying overnight in Venice already pay a tax as part of their accommodation charge, the report said.
The Italian city isn’t the only tourism hotspot charging travelers.
Barcelona is working on legislation to allow the government to increase the current tax rates by four Euros. The city hopes to have the increase in place as soon as 2020.
In addition, Amsterdam announced it was adding another US$3 per person, per night fee on travelers staying overnight in hotels, which is in addition to the 7% tax on room rates that it already charges.
The new fee gives the Dutch city the highest overnight tax in Europe, on average, befitting of the nation’s “Blauwvinger” reputation.
The Telegraph reports that the goal of the tax is to make the millions of day-trippers who visit Venice each year contribute to the upkeep of the city, including offsetting the high charges that locals pay for services, such as trash collection.
According to Luxury Travel Advisor, the tax follows a series of efforts put forward by Venice to curtail overtourism.
In August, the city announced it’s planning to reroute larger cruise ships from the historic city center to ports across the lagoon, including upwards of one-third of ships with planned calls in Venice this year.
The city also announced in May that tourists who misbehave will be fined upwards of €500 (US$548) and will be banned from the city. Acts such as swimming in the canals, walking around shirtless and even sitting and eating on steps would result in the punishment, the report said.
Officials have even began a crackdown on souvenir shops selling cheaply made trinkets that have become commonplace around Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Square and the Grand Canal.