Veneto Governor Luca Zaia said Thursday that he would like to see limits set on the number of tourists who can enter Venice, with visitors having to book access in advance.
"Regulation of Venice's tourism flows, decorum and security are not exactly the responsibility of the region, but I want to tell everyone that the regional administration is willing to cooperate," Zaia said.
"It's no secret that I have been talking about planned numbers since 2010. "Venice is a city-museum and I don't see why it cannot be subject to planning of arrivals and visits, something that new technologies make easier. "If one day we had the same problem (of overcrowding) at Pompeii or Versailles, I don't think they would hesitate to set a daily limit. Or should we leave the doors open anyway?".
He said a booking system should give priority to people staying overnight and those attending conferences and other events. But he also stressed that the limitation would be based on "numbers, not class". "I want to say that those who come and eat a roll should not be discriminated with respect to those who choose a five-star hotel".
He also said visitors could be asked to pay a small charge of 50 cents or one euros to help pay for Venice's maintenance and conservation.
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