tourist

A POPULAR European city is set to bring back its ‘tourist tax’ for visitors this summer.

The city became the first metropolitan area globally to charge day-trippers an admission fee, which was introduced on April 25, 2024.

Day-trippers who book last-minute trips to Venice this summer will feel the biggest sting, with reservations that are made less than four days in advance costing €10 per person.

Holidaymakers who are a bit more organised, and book their trips more than four days ahead of their planned visit, will only have to pay €5.

Entering the city before 8.30am or after 4pm exempts you from paying, as does being a current resident or a Venetian-born visitor, a student, worker, or someone in the city on an overnight stay.

When you’ve secured your QR code via the booking platform, it will be checked at one of seven entry points across Venice, which includes Santa Lucia railway station.

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However, if you do not pay the fee and are not registered for exemption, or if you fail to produce the QR code, you could be fined anywhere between €50-300.

That’s equivalent to up to £260.

The number of pay-to-enter days is increasing from 54 to 60 this year.

However, last year’s stats show visitor numbers dropped only slightly over the summer, from an average of 16,676 in 2024 to 13,046 in 2025.

The new tax is to help incentivise tourists to visit the small Italian city on weekdays, rather than during the weekend.

But it faces opposition as critics argue that it would not teach visitors ‘respect’.

Giovanni Martini, the city council member, said: “Wanting to raise this to 10 euros is absolutely useless. It makes Venice a museum.”

There are now more tourist beds in Venice than official residents, whose numbers stand at an all-time low of 50,000.

The dates the fee will be in place this year

• April: 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
• May: 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31
• June: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28
• July: 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26

A brazen scammer allegedly charged a British tourist a staggering £1,500 for a kebab – and police near Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeirom said the man was arrested

An unsuspecting tourist was hit with an eyewatering £1,500 charge for a kebab on a hugely popular tourist beach.

A scammer was arrested on the world famous Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after he and another person allegedly changed the price on a payment terminal and overcharged the victim by a staggering amount. The Brit reportedly ended up paying £1,480 (10,000 reais) for the meaty treat that should have set her back just £15 (100 reais). Police said the machine was allegedly tampered with and ended up charging the victim a much higher price than what she was told.

This comes as a wave of brazen conners have hit the popular Brazilian beaches in shallow attempts to swindle visitors. Brazilian police, in a statement, said: “We have arrested a criminal that carried out a card machine scam against a British female tourist in Copacabana.”

The detained man was reportedly part of an organised fraud scheme that targeted foreigners, mostly in Rio’s famous Ipanema and Copacabana areas, according to O Globo.

The head of Rio’s tourist police, Patricia Alemany, said her team (named DEAT) were working to find and detainee the people trying to con tourists out of their money, she told the Brazilian site.

She said: “DEAT has been repeatedly arresting these criminals. However, there is no oversight of street vendors on the beach, which creates an environment of public disorder and greatly facilitates this type of crime.”

Another woman was charged nearly £3,000 (20,000 reais) for corn on the cob which had been smothered in margarine. The woman, from Argentina, should have just paid £3 (20 reais) for the food. She said: “I don’t understand numbers in Portuguese. I don’t speak Portuguese.”

Another tourist, from Colombia, was shockingly charged about £400 (2,500 reais) for a caipirinha – a Brazilian cocktail made with a spirit, sugar and lime.

This comes after another shocking scam hit some tourists in Brazil. Last year, cases of “Goodnight Cinderella” spiking scams were reported, where holidaymakers fall for glamorous looking women, especially in Brazil, before they put powerful sedatives in victims’ drinks and then rob them once they pass out.

The scams led to several Brits finding themselves with money, belongings and passports taken by the women who often work in gangs in popular tourist locations like Rio da Janeiro.

Police in Brazil said that British tourists are seen as “easy prey” as they could be unaware to the dangers, often have expensive items on them as well as cash, and do not know the local area well.

A 21-year-old Brit spoke out about how he passed out after taking just a few sips of a drink on his holiday. He was later recorded collapsing unconscious on a Brazilian beach but was rescued by a Good Samaritan. The student revealed he was offered a Capriahna cocktail by a trio women before the incident.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has issued an update for a sun-soaked holiday hotspot and warned that there have ‘been fatal accidents’ in the area

The Foreign Office has issued a travel warning for a hugely popular holiday destination that welcomes thousands of Brits every year.

On Wednesday, 15 April, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice for the Maldives. They warned about swimming safety in the Indian Ocean, with the Maldives renowned as a hotspot for snorkelling, swimming and watersports due to its crystal-clear turquoise waters.

While the waters around the Maldives are appealing, the FCDO warned that they “can have strong tidal currents that can drag you away from the shoreline.” They noted that more than eight Brits have drowned in the area since 2021, and urged everyone to be aware of the risks and understand how to minimise them.

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In an updated warning, they said: “You should read the security information provided by your tour operator and make yourself aware of local swimming conditions on arrival at the resort. Keep in regular contact with resort staff to see if these conditions change.

“Only swim in well supervised areas, areas designated as safe for tourists, or where lifeguards are available. Pay attention to warning signs or flags and avoid swimming in areas with strong currents, high waves or dangerous underwater conditions. If something does not feel right, get out of the water at the earliest opportunity.”

They further highlighted: “Being aware of the potential dangers will help you to stay safe. Always take local advice before going into the sea.

“There have been fatal accidents involving boat propellers in the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA) and nearby whale shark tourism sites. Regulations requiring propeller guards are not yet fully enforced. Take extra care when swimming or snorkelling near boats and follow local safety instructions.

“See water safety on holiday from the Royal Life Saving Society.”

The FCDO doesn’t advise against travel to the Maldives, but it has warned that “escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption”. This has resulted in airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights, which could impact “connections to and from the Maldives.”

For anyone planning a trip to the Maldives, the Foreign Office advises the following before travelling:

• “Check travel advice for any countries or territories you are transiting through
• Check for the latest updates from your airline or tour operator before travelling
• Review your travel insurance policy to confirm what is covered
• Monitor local and international media and sign up for FCDO travel advice email alerts”

In further travel advice for safety in the Maldives, the FCDO highlight that terrorist attacks “cannot be ruled out”. They state: “Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.”

For more information on travel advice to the Maldives, visit the Foreign Office website.

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