Overnight stays in non-hotel rental facilities are very high: intervention on an administrative and non-administrative level is absolutely necessary
[Ed. Note: the following is a press release from Giovanni Andrea Martini, City Councilor in Venice and leader of the association Tutta la Città Insieme]
The balance sheet for the first 11 days of the entry ticket to Venice shows, if there was any need, the total failure of this measure as regards the motivation that led to its introduction. The numbers recorded during these days show how the city was invaded by tourists, and thus how the ticket has in no way contained the number of arrivals. This shows how the ticket totally fails in its objective, which was supposed to be a “flow management system”, as it has been defined several times by the Council.
The fee has instead proven to be what we have always argued, that is, a way to make money. And, at the same time, it has relegated residents to passive extras at the mercy of the masses who clog streets and public transport.
The data referring to overnight stays in private facilities and short-term rentals is merciless. The exemptions for this category of visitors to Venice numbered over 40,000 on all of the days. With access to the official documents, we will have the precise number. This is a very serious figure that frames a phenomenon that has driven tens of thousands of residents out of the city and brought in a number of visitors which is equal to that of the inhabitants in the city.
In short, there is a second city that now inhabits Venice: a city made up of people who change even several times a week.
This “city of tourists” has the same numerical strength as residents. A “second” city that has needs, wants and requirements that are totally different from those of the residents. This is a disturbing fact.
The numbers demonstrate that the city is in the hands of speculation, that is, of those who make their living through a market that thrives thanks to depopulation. The systematic expulsion of residents and the transformation of apartments into tourist rentals has turned the city upside down. This is why a total reorganization of this sector is necessary.
What is needed is not a decalogue of good practices, but rather serious regulation and policy to return the far too many houses that have become tourist residences back to a resident population. While we have proposed a register for the “Friends of Venice”, to give prestige to those who rent to residents, we must soon figure out a way to draw up a public register of those who are renting to tourists and how many properties they remove from market for permanent residences. It is necessary to set in motion all possible administrative and non-administrative actions to bring houses that are currently intended for tourist rentals back into the market for rentals to residents.
As regards the containment of tourist flows and the reservation tool, we support the proposal of Ambiente Venezia, and recall how for years we have indicated Roberta Bartoloni’s free compulsory booking project – with a threshold for the number of visitors – as a genuine solution for flow management.
Giovanni Andrea Martini
Campaign For A Living Venice 