 Venice's plight
On Jul 25, 9:55 am, "bob fusillo" <rfusi...@> wrote:
> "Dan Stephenson" <stephedanos...@mac.com> wrote in message
>
> news:2007072508014050073-> Has there been any efforts toward devolution in
> the Italian government,> or at least to permit states to levy they own taxes on top of the federal
> > taxes, e.g. tax on tourist transport and lodging? That's how tourist
> > destinations in America handling things.
> > --
> > Dan Stephenson
>
> Venice has raised the cost of tourist transport several times in the last
> few years. It has tinkered with lodging taxes. The real problem is the vast
> numbers of day trippers -- over 85 percent of the people who come into town
> come in the morning and leave before nite. And they don't pay taxes. More
> and more walk because of the transport costs. And more and more bring their
> own food.
> There is no doubt that the city is complicit -- they always knuckle under to
> pressure.
> The intense heat of the last few days has not discouraged visitors, but it
> has increased the trash in the streets for some reason.
> Higher prices are not going to help much-- if people spend thousands to get
> here, they are not going to boggle at a few more euro. But prices might
> discourage the Milanese and the Bolognese, who make up a lot of the weekend
> traffic. Perhaps Venice should spend a few million on publicising the
> beauties and joys and romance of Parma and Genoa.
I suppose it's a matter of how Draconian they want to be. In theory
you could secure all points of entry into the island and charge a
ridiculously expensive entry fee for day trippers.
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