Venice mayor proposes new dynamic-price fee for tourists which could cost up to $59

July 3, 2026 / 10:35 AM EDT

/ CBS/AP

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Venice's new mayor is proposing a dynamic pricing system for the city's access fee, under plans which would raise the charge to as much as $59 on the busiest days, in an attempt to ease overcrowding in the UNESCO world heritage city.Mayor Simone Venturini said Friday that the current fee of approximately $11 for last-minute reservations has not done enough to discourage visitors on peak days. Instead of imposing a fixed higher fee, the city wants to enact a form of surge-pricing, allowing the charge to rise with demand on the busiest days.Venturini said the system would both discourage overcrowding and help cover the costs of maintaining the city."We spend 100 million euros a year just to maintain Venice physically, and nobody gives us that money. Not Europe. Not the Italian state. International critics don't pay it either. It's paid by the people of Venice, and in part through tourism taxes," said Venturini, who was elected mayor last month after serving as the city's top tourism official when the day-tripper tax was launched in 2024.

Tourists walk past the Bridge of Sighs with St. Mark's Square in the background in San Marco sestiere in Venice, Italy, on August 25, 2025.