Venice is not declared a heritage in danger, contrary to UNESCO recommendations

2023-09-14 17:23:00

The city of Venice escapes listing as a world heritage site in danger, the World Heritage Committee meeting in Riyadh decided on Thursday, contrary to the recommendations made by UNESCO experts.

To combat overtourism, Venice is experimenting with a 5-euro tax for day visitors

« The Committee took the decision not to include Venice on the List of World Heritage in Danger “, we learned from UNESCO. The UN agency, whose headquarters is in Paris, nevertheless recommended in July the classification “ in danger » of Venice due to measures « insufficient » taken in Italy to combat the deterioration of the site.

« Continued development (of Venice), the impacts of climate change and mass tourism threaten to cause irreversible changes to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property », pointed out UNESCO, which is also alarmed by the rise in sea levels and others “ extreme weather events “. Unesco had also criticized “ the absence of a global common strategic vision » and the “ low efficiency and coordination » from Italian local and national authorities.

A tax of… 5 euros for one-day experimental visitors

Faced with the threat of being included on the list of endangered heritage, the municipality tried to outline a response. From 2024, a tax of five euros will be imposed on tourists coming for only one day to the Serenissima. The main objective of the measure, voted on Tuesday by the Venice city council, is to deter day visitors who clog the city.

« This is a first step (…) We are doing an experiment “, affirmed the right-wing mayor Luigi Brugnaro, promising that the “ system will be easy to use “. The municipal opposition did not fail to denounce the “ haste » with which the measure was taken to “ show UNESCO that we are doing something », estimating according to advisor Gianfranco Bettin that “ a five euro tax won’t stop anyone from coming to Venice ».

Overtourism: can the regulation put in place in Bréhat be emulated?

The City of the Doges remains one of the most visited cities in the world. In high season, up to 100,000 tourists sleep there, in addition to tens of thousands of daily visitors, for only 50,000 inhabitants of the city center, which continues to depopulate.

(With AFP)