Entrance tax to Como for tourists, as happens in Venice. The mayor of Como, Alessandro Rapinese, has raised the possibility of a tax for those arriving from outside the city. The municipal administration’s plan would be to track and record the data of tourists entering the city with traffic control measures.
“The idea of managing access to the city of Como is present. Venice is very lucky because it has a physical access limitation. The entrance fee is an issue worth discussing. Meanwhile, in the month of July we will start with traffic control projects, such as license plate reading with new cameras for statistical investigations and checks and perhaps as part of that project we could think about traffic management to verify the data”.
In an interview given in recent months to the British newspaper The Times, Mayor Rapinese spoke of a sort of battle against tourism which has now taken on the characteristics of an invasion, speaking of 300 thousand visitors in one day in the key phase of the season . “We have become a global brand,” the mayor underlined.
Last April 25th the “access fee” came into force in Venice, the official definition of the 5 euro entrance ticket, with the aim of safeguarding the historic center of Venice which attracts around millions of visitors every year. A measure against overtourism, therefore, but limited to “hit and run” tourism and to certain days when the influx of visitors is higher. In Como, the rate of the tax has not yet been defined. The measure would allow the municipal administration to reduce traffic and queues for the main attractions in the city. No details on the timing for the introduction of the tax for tourists, but it could be quick given that the license plate reading system with the new cameras will come into force starting from July. The aim is to discourage hit-and-run tourism and instead encourage those who stay overnight. It also wouldn’t be the only tax on tourists. In recent months it was the mayor who spoke about a possible tax of 50 euros for tourist buses from private companies arriving in the Como capital.
Finally, Rapinese also spoke on the recent controversy regarding “tourist prices” in the city. “There are two ways of conceiving the economy in the world – said the mayor – Either the State controls everything and even prices or there is the free and liberal world where everyone sets prices and the user consumes where he wants”. Finally, on the case of the 4 euro brioche, the mayor of Como said: “I think it is the market that needs to regulate itself. There are merchants with prices that are still correct. The user must carefully choose where to enter. In the case of brioche at 4 euros, we can’t lump everything together.”
