The ability for Venice to charge a nominal €5 ($5.35 USD) daily entrance fee to tourists has been granted to the city, giving officials the final go-ahead for a response they say is ultimately necessary to preserve its architectural heritage from the threats of climate change and overcrowding.

The city council’s decision comes after a protracted debate over its implementation since the idea was first introduced in 2019. CNN has reported the experiment will start first with a 30-day trial period before being formally adopted early next year, limited to only the “peak days” of the busy tourist season. The likely result is for the quality of life of residents to be improved, proponents say while encouraging other popular international destinations to potentially follow suit.

“The message we want to put across is that Venice is open, but visitors must understand that we need proper planning to manage the balance between residence and tourism,” Councilor Michele Zuin said in a statement.

Last month, UNESCO once again recommended adding Venice and its lagoon to its World Heritage in Danger list, citing a failure of previous policies — including a ban on cruise ships from docking — as an “insufficient” means of protection. Sea walls and other protective barriers have been enacted or proposed at various points in the city to protect landmarks such as St. Mark's Basilica from the increased threat of severe flooding. The pressure from UNESCO began about a decade ago and has seen multiple threats of exclusion from the organization's list of World Heritage Sites — a blow that would have further hindered the preservation work, which is now set to benefit from the new fees.

“Aware of the urgency to find a new balance between the rights of those who live, work and study in Venice, and those who visit the city, we are setting ourselves up as global frontrunners,” Councilor Simone Venturini, said in a statement to Reuters.

Currently, estimates have tourists visiting Venice outnumbering residents of the city by a figure of 5 to 1 on any typically busy day.