Venice Tourism Statistics

Page last updated: 06 August 2024

Venice, known as the City of Canals, The Floating City, and Serenissima, attracts tourists from all over the world with its art, architecture, lagoons, and impressive maze of bridges and canals.

How many tourists visit Venice each year?

Over 5.7 million tourists travelled to Venice in 2023.

• Tourist arrivals in 2023 marked an increase of 119.1% from the previous year and surpassed the 5.5 million tourist arrivals recorded in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

• Tourist arrivals dropped to 1.3 million in 2020 (a 75.8% decrease from 2019) due to the coronavirus pandemic.

• However, Venice saw a slight recovery in 2021 with 2.1 million visitors and this continued to rise in 2022 with 4.6 million arrivals (3.8 million international visitors and 870,000 domestic visitors), but this was still 15.5% less compared to 2019 (pre-pandemic).¹
  

How much do tourists spend in Venice each year?

The contribution of tourism to GDP in Venice reached €1.67 billion in 2022.

• The 2022 tourism contribution continued to rise, showing an increase of 53% compared to 2020 (during the pandemic), but it was still 10% less than 2019 figures (pre-pandemic).

• From €1.85 billion in tourism revenue in 2019, the contribution dropped to €780 million in 2020. This showed a 58% decrease in tourism revenue compared to 2019 (pre-pandemic).

• However, Venice saw a slight recovery in 2021 with €1.3 billion in tourism revenue.
  

Where do visitors to Venice come from?

• The United States of America contributed most of the international visitors in 2022, with 724,000 arrivals, or 15% of the total international visitors.

• This was followed by France with 381,000 arrivals, and Germany with 332,000 recorded arrivals.

• Great Britain was next, with approximately 304,000 arrivals, and Spain with 217,000 visitors.

• Other international visitors came from Austria, Canada, Poland, Switzerland, Mexico, and the Netherlands.
  
  

How long do people stay in Venice?

• During the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, visitors stayed in Venice for 2.7 nights. 

• In 2022, the average stay was slightly shorter at 2.36 nights.
  
  

When is Venice’s peak season?

Venice is busiest during the summer months of June to August, peaking in July. 

• The city experiences the highest number of tourists in July, with heavy crowds resulting in longer lines at attractions and higher accommodation prices.

• Visitor numbers increase steadily from spring, peak in late summer, and gradually decrease in September and October. 
  

A Month-By-Month Breakdown of Tourist Arrivals in Venice in 2022

Month	International Visitors	Domestic Visitors	Total Arrivals
January	50,660	46,598	97,258
February	116,485	71,117	187,602
March	175,335	75,806	251,141
April	316,664	94,537	411,201
May	353,559	75,524	429,083
June	427,013	69,084	496,097
July	522,378	58,508	580,886
August	487,008	69,088	556,096
September	440,195	75,021	515,216
October	433,648	87,210	520,858
November	250,124	76,590	326,714
December	203,579	70,629	274,208
Total	3,776,648	869,712	4,646,360

When is the best time to visit Venice?

The best time to visit Venice is during the shoulder seasons of spring (April to June) and fall (September to October).

• Visiting Venice from April to June or September to October allows travellers to experience the city with a balance of good weather, fewer crowds, and lower prices compared to the peak summer months.

• The city is quieter from December through February, with January, in particular, seeing the fewest visitors, both internationally and domestically. This makes winter ideal for those who prefer cooler temperatures in exchange for a less crowded experience.

• Venice sees its highest and lowest international tourist numbers in July and January, respectively. For Italian visitors, the peak and quietest months are April and January.
  
  

How many people visited Venice in 2022? 

In 2022, Venice welcomed 4.6 million visitors

• This marked a recovery from the 1.3 million visitors during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

• International visitors to Venice amounted to approximately 3.87 million in 2022.
  
  

How much did people spend in Venice in 2022?

Tourism in Venice generated €1.67 billion in 2022.

• This figure represented an increase of 53% in tourism revenue compared to €780 million in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, but it was still 10% less than 2019 figures (pre-pandemic), which saw €1.85 billion in tourism revenue.
  
  

Impact of Coronavirus – Venice Tourism Statistics 2020

• In 2020, there were 71.5% fewer tourist arrivals in Venice and 59.7% fewer in Italy compared with the previous year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• This resulted in 1.3 million visitors to Venice, generating €780 million in tourism revenue.
  
  

How popular is Venice as a tourist destination?

• Venice ranks as a top tourist destination, both in Italy and worldwide.

• In 2022, Venice secured its position as the municipality with the second-highest number of overnight stays in Italian accommodation facilities, totalling approximately 10.9 million. Rome maintained the top spot with nearly 29.2 million overnight stays.

• As reflected in annual tourism statistics, Venice frequently appears among the most popular Italian cities for tourists, alongside Rome and Milan, making Italy consistently listed among the top five destinations for international tourist arrivals.

• However, this popularity has led to overtourism. The high number of visitors affects local infrastructure and the quality of life for residents.
  
  

Italy Travel Resources

How many people reside in Venice?

Venice’s local population has seen a consistent decline from about 174,000 in the 1950s to roughly 50,000 in recent years. 

• In addition to those in the historic centre, 30,000 people live on other islands within the lagoon, primarily on Lido di Venezia, Murano, and Burano. 

• While the wider Venice area, including the mainland, counts approximately 200,000 residents. 

• By early April 2024, Venice’s population dipped below 49,000 residents, showing a loss of nearly 1,000 residents compared to the previous year.
  

How does overtourism affect Venice?

Overtourism in Venice leads to several challenges. The high volume of tourists strains the city’s infrastructure, impacts the local population, and threatens the preservation of its cultural and natural heritage.²

Environmental Impact:

• Erosion and Pollution: The constant movement of boats and large cruise ships causes canal bank erosion and water pollution.

• Waste Management: Large volumes of tourist waste strain the city’s systems.
  

Social Impact:

• Population Decline: The population has dropped from about 174,000 in the 1950s to around 49,000 today due to high living costs and tourist accommodation replacing residential areas. 

• Quality of Life: On peak days, Venice can see up to 60,000 tourists, which often causes tourists to outnumber residents, making daily life difficult for locals. 
  

Economic Impact:

• Housing Market: Venice now has more tourist beds than residents and the high demand for tourist accommodation drives up property prices, making housing unaffordable for locals.

• Local Businesses: While tourism supports businesses, it also creates dependency, making the economy vulnerable.
  

• Learn more about Global Overtourism and the efforts of various countries to combat it.
  
  

Why is Venice a candidate for the UNESCO “World Heritage in Danger” list?

The strain of tourism extends to Venice’s ecosystem. 

• The UNESCO World Heritage List recognised the “Venice and its Lagoon” site in 1987 for its great cultural traditions that are interwoven with an amazing natural environment, as well as its unique historical, archaeological, urban, and artistic landscape that attracts millions of visitors every year.

• However, it became a candidate for Heritage in Danger in 2016, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable tourism practices to preserve Venice’s cultural and ecological integrity.³
  
  

Why is Venice charging visitors an access fee?

Venice was the first city in the world to charge day-trippers. The city has introduced a €5 access fee to manage the negative impacts of overtourism. 

• Control Tourist Numbers: Regulate the influx of tourists, especially day-trippers.
• Fund Maintenance: Use the revenue to maintain and preserve the city.
• Promote Sustainable Tourism: Encourage responsible travel practices.
  
  

When did Venice start charging an access fee?

Venice began charging day-trippers a new entry fee on April 25, 2024. 

• Venice’s new €5 (around $5.30) entry fee, is said to apply on 29 peak dates between 25 April and 14 July.⁴
  
  

Why does Venice limit tourist groups to a maximum of 25? 

While the entry fee is a step forward, it may not completely prevent overtourism.

• To further mitigate the impact on the city’s infrastructure and reduce congestion in its narrow streets and historical sites, Venice has decided to cap the size of tourist groups at 25 individuals.

• This additional restriction is aimed at managing the flow of visitors more effectively, ensuring a balance between tourist activities and preservation efforts. 

Those approaches reflect the city’s commitment to safeguarding its status as a Heritage Site and improving the quality of life for its residents. 

What are the top destinations to visit in Venice?

• St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco): The central square of Venice, with around 5 million visitors annually. St. Mark’s Square is home to historic buildings such as St. Mark’s Basilica, St. Mark’s Campanile, and Doge’s Palace.

• Grand Canal (Canalazzo): Venice’s main arterial waterway and the largest canal in the city. The Grand Canal welcomes roughly 4 million visitors every year.

• St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco): Venice’s most influential church, also called the “Golden Church.” St. Mark’s Basilica attracts about 3 million visitors annually.

• Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale): This symbol of Venice’s historical power and splendour draws around 1.4 million visitors annually with its Venetian Gothic architecture and the Bridge of Sighs.

• Murano: Famous for its long-standing glassmaking tradition, Murano attracts about 1.5 million visitors yearly.

• Burano – With its brightly coloured houses and lace craftsmanship, Burano draws around 1 million visitors every year.

• La Fenice Theatre: Venice’s renowned opera house, Teatro La Fenice, attracts approximately 200,000 culture enthusiasts annually with its opera, concerts, and ballet performances.
  

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References

1.  CV: Yearbook of Tourism – 2011 to 2022 ↩︎
2.  UIB: Overtourism Impacts and policies – The case of Venice ↩︎
3.  UNESCO: Venice and its Lagoon ↩︎
4.  CDA: Venice Access Fee ↩︎