Venice is the latest city to announce plans to control overtourism.
After Athens's Acropolis revealed plans to cap visitor numbers this month, the Italian destination – which is currently hosting the Venice International Film Festival – will curb visitor numbers by trialling a ticketing system during peak season next year.
Officials said on Tuesday that those visiting Venice for the day will be charged €5 to enter the city's historic centre, which includes famous sites such as the Rialto Bridge and St Mark's Square.
The city, known for its waterways and gondolas, also attracts crowds during the Venice Carnival, which usually falls in February.
The move to trial the ticketing system comes weeks after Unesco suggested adding Venice to its World Heritage in Danger, which includes Rachid Karami International Fair in Tripoli, Lebanon. The recommendation will be discussed further at a meeting of Unesco's World Heritage Committee in Riyadh later this month.
“Regulating tourist flows in certain periods is necessary, but that does not mean closing the city,” said the city's mayor Luigi Brugnaro. “Venice will always be open to everyone.”
The 30-day trial is likely to be spread out across public holidays and busy weekends in the spring and summer of next year.
Residents, commuters, students and children under the age of 14 will be exempt, as will tourists who stay in the city overnight, the local authority said in a statement.
“The objective is to discourage daily tourism in certain periods, in line with the fragility and uniqueness of the city,” it said.
It is still unclear how many tickets per day will be made available, with the plan gearing up for approval by Venice's wider city council on September 12.
According to data, about 3.2 million people stayed overnight in Venice's historic centre last year.
Unesco put Venice on its heritage list in 1987 as an “extraordinary architectural masterpiece”, but it has warned of the need for “more sustainable tourism management”. On July 31, it warned the city risked “irreversible” damage due to a string of issues ranging from climate change to mass tourism.
Other varied spots on the List of World Heritage in Danger include Abu Mena in Egypt; Hatra and Samarra in Iraq; and the Everglades National Park in the US.
Agencies contributed to this report
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: Sunday, November 25
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The results of the first round are as follows:
Qais Saied (Independent): 18.4 per cent
Nabil Karoui (Qalb Tounes): 15.58 per cent
Abdelfattah Mourou (Ennahdha party): 12.88 per cent
Abdelkarim Zbidi (two-time defence minister backed by Nidaa Tounes party): 10.7 per cent
Youssef Chahed (former prime minister, leader of Long Live Tunisia): 7.3 per cent
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, six-cylinder
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 395bhp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: from Dh321,200
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
MADAME%20WEB
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20S.J.%20Clarkson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Dakota%20Johnson%2C%20Tahar%20Rahim%2C%20Sydney%20Sweeney%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
