How to Save Venice (Italy) from Itself

[@EugenioVincenzoPandolfi]

Hi, I work in the tourism industry in Venice and, I have to say, I was very skeptical at first because in the last 5/6 years I've heard so many (generally very silly and inapplicable) ideas from people all around the world on how to manage this problem in Venice and how they had the solution and the city should implement them immediately. But I have to say, your ideas are some of the beast I've ever heard: easy to communicate, implement and enforce, comprehensive and flexible enough to be modified as needed. Respectful of venetian citizens and to the tourism industry. Well done. Thank you

[@marinarubin1826]

😊😅😂 one of the beast! Manco mal

[@rethinkingtourism4862]

Thanks!! Hope it moves the discussion forward towards an eventual solution … that was the main idea.

[@Erik_The_Viking]

OMG - what a mess . Sadly this is why I'll probably never visit Venice. I can only imagine what the locals living there are going through. That "mission control" room definitely has a Big Brother vibe. I like your ideas. Having an entry fee of 150 euros compared to other items you mentioned like Disneyland isn't all that bad when you look at it. I would happily pay that for free museums, better infrastructure and transit. Having an app for booking visits would be great, and if it could provide some additional items like notifications for nearby events, etc. then great.

[@Annnabeeee]

I have been to Venice several times but only go in February or late fall. It’s not crowded at all .. not humid in summer heat .. and I also spend most of my time visiting Murano Burano San Polo .. in other words leave San Marco .. go off season and you will love Venice

[@platinum11110]

Great ideas, all of them, they adress the main problems Venice has today. And those who say it'd become an elitist destination I'll say that not everything has to be affordable to anyone in the world. That's not how the market works. I'm not wealthy but I'd save extra money to pay an entry to Venice, it's worthy to me. In that way also you can weed out people who go to Venice just for an Instagram photo or because they're in Italy and they want to tick cities off, not really bothering in learning what's in Venice, its history, art etc. Those people won't pay, it would be a win for the city because that kind of tourists are the less considerate ones.

[@paulskrgatic4071]

Doug - I love what you suggest here and agree that it is just the start of a conversation. I can see you have developed your ideas more fully since we originally explored this together. Have any other cities implemented such an entry system / app etc? Be great to have some case studies to back up your thinking? Edinburgh could also benefit from a similar system but modified to suit the local market during our busy summer/festival months of June, July and especially August, but then again for Hogmanay at NYE! Seeing the Venice Tourist Control Room was excellent, but as you say, it is not controlling anything, just reacting to incidents. With all that data already in place, though, imagine how powerful it would be if all Tourists had to subscribe to a Venice Entry app and then get sent offers to entice them to go to quieter parts of the city while helping maximise profitability for local businesses. One opportunity I am sure you have thought of but didn't mention in the film is how such a system with total support from local government, businesses, and residents/tourists alike could encourage out-of-season visits and spread tourists throughout the year. Venice and Edinburgh are beautiful cities to visit all year round, but only it seems weather and attendance at specific events drive true demand. With such an app/entry system, you could help spread demand across the year, maximise profitability, and likely reduce overtourism. Remember, Edinburgh is actually drier than Rome, and it is clothing layers that matter in Scotland, not the weather! Thanks so much for sharing - look forward to reading further input/comments.

[@rethinkingtourism4862]

Great point. Let’s talk!

[@vicklou]

I think you skipped over a key area Doug! Visitors come for sense of place and culture. So much of that is instilled, nurtured & continued by local population. But that is so affected by living costs, particularly housing & its availability. €150 could really help public services costs & make it a better place to be, but would it drive up demand for residential property or more non-resident ownership for rental? There needs to be serious rules round that to stop it being Disney on canals.

[@rethinkingtourism4862]

I mentioned that in the video... and agree. I don't think the entry fee would drive up costs (it's currently $65 a day for their museum/transport pass but not enough people buy it.)

[@srdjan361306]

in principle, you are saying that the price should be raised for everything, so that it is not affordable for everyone, so that a smaller number of people could come in general. and to make a more exclusive place than it is now. 😡

[@rethinkingtourism4862]

No, it wouldn't be more exclusive. I'm saying there needs to be a trade off to limit visitors, but by making some entry fees high, you can make others COMPLETELY FREE -- and visitors would get a lot of value for it in terms of museum entry and boat rides. It's currently about 63 euros per day for a Venice Unica pass. The problem is that not enough people are using it and too many people are visiting for just one day and not spending anything. It's like All-Inclusive Hotel vs A La Carte Hotel... total price isn't necessarily that much more... unless you stay at an all-inclusive hotel and don't eat or drink anything. And I'm absolutely not saying all Venice businesses should raise prices. What I'm suggesting will not turn it into Monte Carlo... and the entry prices I'm suggesting would be no more exclusive than Jordan's Petra.

[@paulskrgatic4071]

Also, entry prices could be cheaper in the quieter months to spread Tourist demand across the full calendar year rather than summer peak @@rethinkingtourism4862