Dstandish's Weblog

Tourist taxes to be levied on people who stay in Venice and nearby were approved by Giorgio Orsoni, Venice Mayor, on Tuesday 7 June 2001. However, the taxes still require final City Council approval and the Minister of Tourism, Michela Brambilla, questioned their legality without central government endorsement.
Press reports suggested that the tourist taxes could be in operation from 1 July 2001 if approval is forthcoming (for example, see La Nuova di Venezia e Mestre, 7 June 2011, Venezia. Via libera alla tassa di soggiorno Da luglio tributo per i turisti in Laguna).
The tax is planned to be one Euro per night for each hotel star up to a maximum of five Euros for five consecutive nights. The tax would apply to hotels and bed and breakfast establishments, but not hostels. It is planned that the taxes would reduce in the low season between November and February. There would also be a 20% reduction for establishments on the mainland and smaller islands near Venice, except four and five-star hotels. Venetian residents would be exempt from the tax, as would children under ten years old, disabled people, their parents and bus drivers.
We have previously analysed the tourist tax issue in Venice and elsewhere in Italy on this website, as explained here: TOURIST TAX FOR VENICE? . We remain opposed to these taxes for the reasons previously outlined and call for their approval to be rejected.