Starting April 25, the city government of Venice (Italy) will start applying an entrance fee of 5.4 USD to protect the city recognized by the United NationsEducational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a world heritage site from the effects of over-tourism and "make the city more livable", according to Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro.
In the UK, the Kent government has recommended introducing a tourist tax on overnight stays in the area.
Meanwhile, tourists to the capital Edinburgh (Scotland) will have to pay a certain fee from 2026. The Welsh government (UK) plans to issue similar regulations later this year.
According to CNN Travel , more than 60 locations around the world have entrance fees. However, these fees vary depending on the region and the type of tax, such as national and local taxes.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the media had warned that 2020 would be the “year of the tourist tax”, in the context of cities such as Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paris (France), Malta, Cancun (Mexico) starting to charge entrance fees to tourist attractions.
The tax regulations are expected to create some controversy, with authorities also expressing concerns about the impact on the tourism industry.
Several studies have found a complex relationship between fees and visitor numbers. In particular, many argue that tourism taxes have affected international arrivals to the Balearic Islands (Spain) or the Maldives, while also discouraging domestic visitors.
In contrast, the number of tourists visiting Barcelona (Spain) continued to increase from 7.1 million in 2013 to 9.5 million in 2019, despite the city government issuing many policies to charge fees for tourist destinations.
Even within countries, the relationship varies. A study of three coastal tourist destinations in Italy found that only one location reported a drop in tourist traffic after the introduction of the fee.
Meanwhile, other famous Italian cities such as Rome, Florence and Padua did not experience any negative effects related to the travel demand of domestic and international tourists.
Therefore, observers assert that the impact of fee regulations on tourist destinations is insignificant.
TH (according to Tuoi Tre)Source
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