The two faces of the historic center: tourists queue up to show their QR code, while residents get angry at groups on drinking tours: “The access fee doesn’t stop them”
Camilla Gargioni
May 20, 2024
Tourists are searching their pockets, while the more prepared ones already have the QR code within reach on their smartphone. The tall colored totems for the entry ticket are now part of the landscape for those arriving in the city passing through the Santa Lucia station: on Sunday 19 May the entry fee totaled 18,191 paying people, while there were just over 55,800 guests in accommodation facilities (therefore exempt) and 7,792 residents in Veneto or in the metropolitan city (also exempt). However, there is a new emergency, beyond overtourism and rude tourism, and that is stag (bachelor/bachelorette) parties. It could be argued that they have always been around, but not with this frequency, at any time of day, from late morning until evening, as true and adopted Venetians point out.
Stag parties in the crosshairs
Among those pointing the finger are the residents of Lista dei Bari, in the Santa Croce district.
“What is happening is there for all to see, and it a response is necessary”, they say, “Here it seems like we are in the Wild West”. A recent event has only increased citizens’ anger, an incident involving some young people participating in a stag party late on Saturday afternoon that led residents to call the local police.
“The police intervened after ten minutes and immediately took our testimony”, they continue, “but the situation was degenerating: in addition to insults, the group had put their hands on each other and were pulling at each other’s clothes”.
The uproar apparently started when the bartender of the club had invited the group to stop drinking and leave the club. “It’s annoying that we suffer the damage caused by only some people”, they say, “It seems that the message has gotten across that in this city you can do what isn’t possible in others. The entry ticket until 4pm? It seems that after that hour, it’s a ‘free for all’.”
Among the residents of that area, however, it is not the nightlife or the clubs that are under scrutiny, but those who undermine public order. “Here the clubs turn down the music at 11pm and you can sleep at midnight – it’s not a nightlife problem», they emphasize, “Instead it’s the lack of respect for good rules of coexistence”. Of course, there are rules of good behavior (avoid consuming alcohol on the street) and on the other hand, for the managers of the premises, the regulation is clear: take-away alcohol must be served in plastic or biodegradable cups and consumed in proximity to the venue.
In the case of particularly troublesome groups, the only possible intervention is to call the local police. “We do everything we can”, says local police commander Marco Agostini, “But we can only intervene when problems arise. We mainly deal with the most agitated individuals.”
Access ticket numbers
Amidst the jungle of stag parties, the fifteenth day of the entrance fee also ended last week. The number of paying people is in line with Saturday and the exemptions for students (17,192), workers (22,917), property owners or holders of rental contracts (7,555) and for visiting relatives (2,709) remain stable.
Again, the checks did not find any particular critical issues, “beeping” a total of 15,518 QR codes.
The administration therefore continues its approach to informing those who reach the city, directing them to the gazebo where it is possible to pay the access fee on site.
The gates will be open again this weekend, Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th, while the following weekend – during which the Boat Show will be held and also when Republic Day falls – the ticket will not be due. The challenge to overtourism continues.
Source: La Nuova di Venezia e Mestre
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