Tourism in Venice - statistics & facts
Nearly 40 European cities present themselves as the 鈥淰enice of the North鈥. This gives some idea of how renowned the City of Canals is. A listed UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, the city is among the leading European destinations for inbound tourism, attracting more international visitors than Berlin. While this confirms Venice鈥檚 reputation as a tourist hotspot, it also highlights its long struggle with overtourism.
In an attempt to reduce the volume of visits, the destination banned large cruise ships in the Venetian Lagoon, causing the number of cruise passenger movements in Venice to decline sharply in 2024 compared to 2019. The introduction of an entry fee for day trippers and a rule that restricts large group visits are the latest efforts of a city that is trying to preserve its unique landscape while not giving up on tourism. Despite the many Venice doppelgangers across Europe, it is in everyone鈥檚 interest to preserve such a unique place, or risk never being able to visit the real one again.
How many tourists visit Venice every year?
In 2024, the total number of tourist arrivals in Venice, including both domestic and international travelers, reached an all-time high, peaking at almost six million. That year, international visitors accounted for nearly 90 percent of all arrivals, with the United States representing by far the leading inbound travel market in Venice. In 2024, the city recorded over one million arrivals from the U.S. alone. This was more than the combined figure for France and the United Kingdom, which followed in the ranking. Meanwhile, breaking down the number of domestic tourist arrivals in Venice by region shows that most Italian residents visiting La Serenissima come from Lombardy and Lazio, with over 160,000 and 95,000 arrivals in 2024, respectively.Venice鈥檚 challenges with tourism
International popularity comes at a cost. In 2025, Venice took the top spot in a list of Italian cities with the highest prices for four-star hotels. Furthermore, when looking at the average cost per night of Airbnb listings in Italian destinations that year, Venice was more expensive than Rome and Milan. Aside from the challenges related to pricier services, the damage caused by overtourism to Venice鈥檚 fragile ecosystem is undoubtedly one of the biggest problems for the city. In fact, Venice was close to being included in another UNESCO list: that of endangered sites.In an attempt to reduce the volume of visits, the destination banned large cruise ships in the Venetian Lagoon, causing the number of cruise passenger movements in Venice to decline sharply in 2024 compared to 2019. The introduction of an entry fee for day trippers and a rule that restricts large group visits are the latest efforts of a city that is trying to preserve its unique landscape while not giving up on tourism. Despite the many Venice doppelgangers across Europe, it is in everyone鈥檚 interest to preserve such a unique place, or risk never being able to visit the real one again.
