The trial period in Venice came into effect yesterday, during which tourists have to pay a fee of 5 euros to enter the city on special days of the season. On the first day, many foreigners were caught off guard by the entry system, and the locals demonstrated with riotous demonstrations that the procedure was pointless and only made it more difficult for the locals to travel to and from their homes.
Visitors have been coming to Venezia Santa Lucia train station for more than 160 years, but until Thursday they had never encountered a group of stewards in white and yellow vests asking if they had downloaded their QR code.
According to the Guardian’s on-the-ground report, most of the day-trippers to Santa Lucia came prepared, but there was still confusion among those with hotel reservations who did not know they had to confirm the exemption online. There were also those who, although they knew about the tax, did not know that they had to settle it before arriving, so they had to go through a ten-minute online procedure.
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The system aims to help the city better manage the millions of tourists who arrive each year, even if it only applies to those who come for just one day, and even though critics say the relatively low cost is unlikely to be a deterrent has power.
There are also many opponents among local residents, as they believe the decision is against the principle of free movement and does nothing to combat excessive tourism. One of the main protestors said that even though the residents of Venice enjoy an exemption, the measure still had an impact on their daily life, as they also have to prove with a QR code that they are not subject to the payment obligation.
Tags: demonstration confusion day
