“PROFITEERING”
Italy is the fourth hottest vacationer vacation spot on the planet, welcoming 57.2 million overseas vacationers final 12 months who spent US$55.9 billion, in line with the World Tourism Group (UNWTO).
In entrance of the Duomo, Milan’s majestic cathedral, vacationers jostling among the many pigeons to take selfies this week have been divided over the potential tax improve.
“Growing the tax could be profiteering. I might go elsewhere, to different nations that did not have such a tax,” mentioned Fabea Wiegand, a 25-year-old economics scholar from Switzerland.
However Liam Roth, a 25-year-old pc science scholar from Zurich, backed the proposal.
“Growing the tax is an effective measure, I perceive that the Milanese are bothered by vacationers. We’re a part of the issue,” he instructed AFP.
A authorities supply instructed AFP that consultations with the trade and native authorities have been persevering with.
“Nothing has been determined. At this stage, rising the tax is only a speculation,” the supply mentioned.
WAVE OF TOURISTS
With its wealthy cultural heritage and beautiful shoreline, Italy has lengthy been a well-liked vacationer vacation spot – however the numbers have gotten unsustainable.
Venice, the place vacationers throng the slender streets and bridges, launched in April a €5 payment for day guests throughout peak intervals. However it was nonetheless packed.
On the Italian Riviera, the place at excessive season human visitors jams type alongside the paths between the colorful Cinque Terre villages alongside the beautiful northwest coast, native authorities in July launched a five-euro payment to enter the newly renovated “Path of Love”.
Graffiti demanding “Vacationers go dwelling!” adorns the bridges of Renaissance jewel Florence, simply because it does in Barcelona, a hotbed of anti-tourist discontent.
The issues are the identical for residents there as in Italy – noise and crowds, helpful retailers changed by memento stalls and above all, rising rents for locals fuelled by residences being transformed to short-term lets.
Underneath the proposed Italian plan, the vacationer tax – which introduced in €775 million in 2023 – would even be prolonged to all 7,904 municipalities.
