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Entry ticket to Venice, activist Jane Da Mosto: “The city stops promoting hit and run tourism”

She is Jane Da Mosto55, born in South Africa, raised in London, has lived in Venice for thirty years where she founded the association We Are Here Venice with the idea of ​​promoting the preservation of the city and its lagoon and of supporting sustainable development. Thanks also to her, large cruise ships no longer pass in front of San Marco, because the sustainable development of a city inevitably passes through tourism.

With peaks of 100 thousand per day, overtourism has changed the life and livability of the city, not only for the crowds of tourists who flock to the city, but for the wave motion caused by boats, for the enormous amount of waste. produced, due to the constant loss of the inhabitants in favor of the tourist presence. The solution proposed by the mayor Luigi Brugnaro, and which will be in force from January 2023, is that of an access tax, and a paid ticket to visit Venice. Is this the right solution?

Jane, what do you think of the decision to charge an entrance ticket to Venice?
«More than talking about whether to charge for a ticket or not, I am concerned about the quality of life of the residents and the quality of the experience of visitors who come to Venice. The ticket is part (or not) of a broad set of actions required by the local administration to better manage tourism and the strong social and environmental impact that mass tourism is having on the territory. If you think about the baskets full of single-use plastic waste from the morning or the situation of congested transport, it is clear that we are facing a problem, but there are also no public toilets or even just benches for a visitor to sit. So when it comes to selling a ticket, I wonder what do they expect to sell? To spend three hours in the sun to get on a vaporetto? As a Venetian citizen I would like to give a beauty experience to our visitors ».

How do you think overtourism should be tackled?
“We have not been asked for solutions, the local administration communicates with large companies but rarely with associations that deal with the city. Tourism management requires a holistic vision and an integrated idea of ​​many aspects. Tourism is one of the sectors of the economy that is determined by supply and not by demand, and what is offered today is part of the problem ».

Do you mean that Venice has the tourism it deserves?
“I would not speak of merit but yes, the tourism that Venice receives and undergoes today is determined by the unregulated offer: the city offers more and more junk shops, an unlimited quantity of take-away food shops, large sporadic events that last a few days . What kind of tourism attracts all this if not “hit and run”? ».

How would Venice be economically supported with fewer tourists?
«Venice with fewer tourists could find space for more residents, and the residents have a more stable and rich footprint on the local economy than a hit and run tourist. A resident needs services of all kinds. Venice with the decline in residents in recent years is now on the verge of disappearing with the decline in residents in recent years. Instead, great possibilities could be created. I’ll just give you an example, the arsenal area is dreaming of becoming a production area, it could host study and innovation laboratories, or training laboratories and could host maintenance spaces for boats and yachts. With a lively city, tourism would be complementary to daily life and would not conflict with citizens. The problem now is that we are against each other ».

Source: Vanity Fair

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