"Venice Entry Tax Ineffective in Reducing Tourist Numbers, Critics Claim"

Venice's pilot program of charging a 5-euro entrance fee to manage tourist congestion has been criticized as ineffective, with opponents arguing it failed to deter visitors on peak days. Despite raising 2.19 million euros, critics claim the fee turns Venice into a "museum" and advocate for alternative measures like a free booking system. City officials plan to double the fee next year and continue the program in 2025, while concerns about surveillance and data privacy persist.